Stories from May, 2006
Nigeria: Google maps
Naijablog posts some screen shots of southern Nigeria from Google Maps, and an excellent ariel shot of the Niger Delta.
Togo: World Cup threats
Just Thots by a Naijaman comments on the progress or non progress of Togo in the coming World Cup…“Togolese national team players have threatened not to lace their boots for their country unless they are paid the fantastic sum of $200,000 each as appearance fee, $40,000 per win and $20,000...
Kenya: Slavery & Colonisation
Afrikan Eye writes an excellent piece on Slavery and Colonisation in Africa...
Sudan: Women prisoners released
Sudanese Thinker reports that the Sudanese government has ordered the release of all women imprisoned for brewing illegal alcohol.
Ethiopia: Jews in Israel
Nazret.com points to an article on….” Ethiopian jews living in Israel who the report says have the lowest income but the highest hopes “Ethiopian immigrants ranked lowest on the quality of life index, which considers per-capita income, per-room housing density and basic spending.” Surprise surprise!
Zimbabwe: Murambatsvina
This is Zimbabwe (Sokwanele) publishes a poem in honour of the victims of Murambatsvina last year when the Zimbabwean security forces brutally destroyed the homes of thousands of Zimbabweans poorest citizens.
South Africa: Anthology of lesbian writings
Acoustic Motorbike reviews a newly released Anthology of writings from South African lesbians entitled. “Sometimes X, Sometimes Y” which she describes as “It is a beautiful, moving anthology of personal stories of South African lesbians. There is poetry, stories, letters and autobiography. The anthology deals with issues of coming out,...
Zimbabwe: MDC factions
David Colhart writes on why he cannot join the Morgan Tsvangirai faction of the MDC…He discusses the reasons behind the MDC split and the 4 options he has himself….”to join the Tsvangirai faction, join the Mutambara faction, be an independent or resign and go back to civil society.” Difficult decisions...
Indonesia: Java Quake Help Wiki Needs Online Volunteers
In response to the Java Quake of 27th May, 2006, the World Wide Help Group have set up the Java Quake Help Wiki and since it was set up, in the past 24 hours they are coordinating disaster relief operations with major aid agencies and relief teams on the ground....
Demystifying Tamil as a language and a person
What is Tamil? For some it's a language, for some it's a religion, for the uninitiated, wikipedia to the rescue. There is of course also the the Wikipedia in Tamil. For those who don't like reading pages and pages, google current has it all. From “what is Tamil” to “the...
Venezuela: Luis Velásquez Scandal
Francisco of Caracas Chronicles calls the Luis Velásquez Alvaray affair the “mother of all scandals.” Two days later, however, he wonders where all the coverage went.
Venezuela: Former Yaracuy Governor detained
Commenting on the detention of Former Yaracuy Governor Eduardo Lapi who was Miguel Octavio opines: “Reportedly he will be charged with misuse of funds. Thus, as the robolution robs, steals and charges commisions, opposition figures are detained for subtle charges of misuse of funds. If the same criterai were applied...
Mexico: AMLO Back in the Lead?
Goleech cites the May 29 poll by María de las Heras, which has leftist candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrado back in the lead with half a percentage point over Felipe Calderón and three points ahead of Roberto Madrazo.
Latin America: Technorati, Edelman, But No Spanish?
Commenting on the announcement by Technorati and Edelman that the two companies will join forces to include blog posts on traditional media websites, Julio Alonso wonders how it is that the project will launch in English, German, Korean, Italian, French, and Chinese, but not Spanish [ES]. “Could it be that...
Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, US: Border Frustrations
In a summary of Latin American news, Western Hemisphere Policy Watch describes tension over the militarized border … the Costa Rica-Nicaragual border. Isopixel is upset [ES] by an offensive song posted on the website of the US anti-immigration group, the Minutemen, which calls President Vicente Fox – among other things...
How to Help Indonesia Earthquake Victims
Members of International community who are very concerned with the Indonesia earthquake where the death toll exceeds 5,000 and many more thousands injured now can visit Merlyna Lim's blog where she is vigorously compiling various international and Indonesia aid relief agencies addresses. While Indonesia Help blog, a newly setup blog...
St. Lucia: privatisation of utilities
Should the St. Lucian water company be privatised? Should the mass transit system remain in private hands? Matthew Hunte weighs in. “We end up in a funny situation where (quite a few of) the same people who oppose private water are quite content to leave our transport system in the...
St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Condoms in schools?
Twenty per cent of live births in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are to teenage mothers. So why, asks Abeni, is the minister of education “vehemently opposing the idea of condoms being distributed in schools. At least it deserves some thought rather than a blanket refusal.”
Mongolia: Construction Season
Luke Distelhorst says that, because of the country's climate, construction is restricted to a few months of the year. Though floods and snow can strike even in late May, construction season is upon Mongolia, though Luke notes that at one site, none of the workers speak Mongolian.
Kyrgyzstan: Endangered Languages
neweurasia reports on a political party in Kyrgyzstan seeking to protect the status of the Russian language in the republic.
