Stories from 19 May 2006
Russia: Blogger Dies on Mount Elbrus
Aleksandr Antonov (aka LJ user caesar_rb) 1979-2006 Aleksandr Antonov's last LJ post was a very happy one: he was going on a two-week vacation to conquer Mount Elbrus. Here's what he wrote on April 30 (RUS), as LJ user caesar_rb: I'm going to Elbrus! So, my dear comrades, I'm leaving...
Nepal: Parliament Declaration
A historic Parliament Declaration in Nepal announces the revival of democracy. It's a complete turn-around from where the country was about two months back. United We Blog! covers the day.
India: Why is Tamil Nadu quiet?
As the rest of the country takes up strong demonstrations against the reservations quota, Nathanworld wonders why one particular state doesn't seem to be making too much noise.
India: Blogs and Conversations
Reshma appears to have been battling to figure out how to index her posts on blogger, and reflects “Depending on the metaphor you identify with, will influence whether you use it to ‘express’ or ‘exchange’ opinions and views; the frequency with which you post; the content that you post (topical...
Sri Lanka: Last-Mile Hazard Information Dissemination
LIRNEAsia on the launch of the HazInfo Project “LIRNEasia launched the first phase of the Last-Mile Hazard Information Dissemination (HazInfo) project funded by IDRC, along with its project partners Sarvodaya, the largest community organization in Sri Lanka and TVE Asia Pacific (TVEAP), a non-profit media organization working in the Asian...
Bangladesh: Loss of secularism
Drishtipat reflects on the loss of secularism in Bangladesh, seeing the example of Nepal revising its constitution. “After 15th August 1975, we lost one of the greatest assets of our natonal idenitity, i.e. our constitutional declaration of secularism.”
Ukraine: 62nd Anniversary of Deportations of Crimean Tatars
J. Otto Pohl writes about the deportations of the Crimean Tatars, which took place 62 years ago: “In the early hours of 18 May 1944 some 32,000 members of the NKVD and NKGB began the systematic round up the entire Crimean Tatar population. These armed units went from house to...
Ukraine: Support for Yushchenko Low
LEvko of Foreign Notes cites an opinion poll, according to which support for president Yushchenko is much lower than it was in February 2005, when he first elected.
Ukraine: New Mayor Against Teachers
Scott W. Clark of Foreign Notes writes about Kyiv's new mayor's alarming first steps: “We know someone who is a teacher in the Kiev district. She tells us that Chernovetsky [new mayor] has taken away the bonus that Omelchenko [ex-mayor] gave them for some reason. She says he's anti-teacher but...
Belarus: Yury Radzivil Trial
TOL's Belarus Blog reports on the trial of Yury Radzivil: “Yury faces 6 years in prison just for actually being almost killed. The man who has shot few times in his car is now victim in this case, and Yury is accused for driving him over. Actually, “victim” is colonel...
Europe: Eurovision Song Contest
Rachel of Pustolovina: Adventure in Serbian shares her impressions on this year's Eurovision Song Contest, the first one she's watched.
Hungary: Prime Minister Decides Not to Watch The Da Vinci Code
Paul of Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar writes about the prime minister's failed attempt to watch The Da Vinci Code.
Poland: The Da Vinci Code
The beatroot writes about the apparent sin of going to see The Da Vinci Code in Poland.
Poland, Russia: Sciagawki/Shpargalki
Edward Lucas, Central and East European correspondent of the Economist, writes about sciagawki: cheat sheets used by Polish students to survive exams, which are “largely a memory test.” Tom Adshead of The Future of Russia points out in the comments section that sciagawki is shpargalki in Russian – and that...
Russia: No-Hot-Water Season Begins
Owen of Lex Libertas writes about a very common occurence in Russia: as it gets warmer, it becomes more and more difficult to take a shower – because of the lack of hot water. It's been four days without it for Owen now and there are more days ahead: “I...
Estonia: Tallinn's Architecture
Simon of Tallinn Daily Photo highlights one aspect of the city's architecture: “the marrying of modern around the old.”
Grenada's Chinese Village
From the Caribbean Free Photo photoblog: This rather quaint archway marks the entrance to the construction site for Grenada's new National Stadium in Queen's Park, which is being built with funding, expertise and manpower provided by the People's Republic of China. With 500-plus construction workers from China living and working...
Argentina: Free Wi-Fi for Buenos Aires
Chilean blogger Leo Prieto inspires applause in the comments for Buenos Aires Mayor Jorge Telerman's announcement [ES] that the city will provide its citizens with free wi-fi access. One commenter responds, “we Chileans are always copycats with bad ideas, why not copy these good ones?”
Blogging, The New Journalism Frontier
Este artículo también está disponible en español. The following article addresses five questions asked by university faculty member and digital journalism advocate, Zinnia Martínez, in her weblog, Periodismo Interactivo. The questions were the following: • How journalism has been incorporated into Venezuelan blogosphere? • What Venezuelan blogosphere add to Venezuelan...
Costa Rica, Colombia: The Da Vinci Code and the Catholic Church
Uri Ridelman has the reaction of Costa Rican bishops to the release of the Davinci Code. Sergio Méndez says [ES] that an announced boycott in Colombia will ensure that everyone goes to see the film.
Brazil: Leftist Origins of Last Weekend's Violence
Luis Afonso explains why he believes 60's leftists radicals were the origin of last weekend's crime wave in Sao Paulo and much of Brazil. Andrew of Comings Communique, after watching the violence on TV wrote, “tonight for the first time I heard my wife express the opinion that perhaps Brazil...