Stories from 2 June 2006
Panama, Colombia: Some Expensive Beans and a Legend Retires
Sure, much of the world has become accustomed to paying US $50 to fill up their gas tanks. But $50 for a pound of coffee beans? Elena Hernandez has the story (ES). Meanwhile, both Libardo Buitrago (ES), Sangroncito and Jennifer Woodard Maderazo bid farewell to the actor who played the...
Central America: A Ride for the Climate
David, a cyclist who has been riding through Central America on his Ride for the Climate has arrived in Colombia where he posts a summary of the first half of his trip with links to videos and pasts entries. Ahead: Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil.
Kyrgyzstan: Manas Rumors
Registan.net discusses rumors of a new deal between the US and Kyrgyzstan over the use part of Manas airfield to support military operations in Afghanistan.
Tajikistan: CIS Meeting
Vadim discusses the CIS meeting in Tajikistan that brings together members’ security and intelligence services.
China: Old festival, new name
Known in the West mainly for its colorful dragon boat races, yesterday's Duan Wu (端午) Festival has its origins with Qu Yuan (屈原), a renowned and respected corruption-fighting poet whose political passion, many claim, was equalled only by his homosexuality. As the story goes, his unrequited love for the king,...
India: Outsourcing the Blog
Much of venom directed towards India seems to be the idea that outsourcing to India results in job losses in the US. Workbench decides outsorce the blog to India for a week. Hope this results in a healthier dialogue! “As a technology writer and programmer, I'm facing competition in both...
Mongolia: Tax Exempt
Luke Distelhorst notes that projects related to Mongolia's 800th anniversary will be tax exempt, but he worries that the government will end up missing out on a lot of needed tax revenue.
Armenia, Azerbaijan: Back to Talks
Christian Garbis writes that Armenia and Azerbaijan are set to return to the negotiating table to discuss the exact same peace deal that was rejected last time. Garbis says the deal should be changed though and allow for an immediate referendum in Nagorno Karabakh on the territory's status.
Nepal: Maoist tactics
Blogdai reports from the field as he wanders about in a Maoist Rally. “Got me a free Prachanda tee shirt in the process. A pattern was evident and it showed the Maoist's mastery of mob control. Ninety percent of the marchers appeared to be bewildered villagers who were either forcibly...
Bangladesh: Labour, hazardous industries and the market rationale
Shobak: Outsider Asians on Bangladesh and the shipbreaking industry. “In 1992, The Economist revealed a memo written by the World Bank's former chief economist Lawrence Summers. The memo discussed the economic rationale for “encouraging more migration of dirty industries” to Less Developed Countries (LDC)”
India: Women and the Workforce
Being a woman in India on women, labour and the government. The laws governing women in the organized labour force are surprisingly archaic, and are not very adequate to ensure justice at the workplace either.
Pakistan: Football, televisions, old timers and the Stock Exchange
A wonderful post by Shirazi on football in Pakistan. From television sales, to old timers. “For Abdul Ghafoor (65-year-old Pakistani), once known as the “Black Pele of Pakistan,” life revolves around football. He has found a renewed vigor ahead of the World Cup finals. Mere mention of football and the...
Haiti: Exhibit Commemorates Painter Jean-Rene Jerome
“‘Itineraries Through Canvas’ is the theme of a retrospective on the paintings and other artwork of diseased artist Jean-Rene Jerome which opened May 25 at Ateliers Jerome in Petion-Ville,” says an article by Fortestson Fénelon posted byCollectifHaitideProvence. “The exhibit retraces the painter's itinerary from 1965 to 1990.” The event commemorates...
Mongolian Mining and the Blogs
Mine shaft construction at Oyu Tolgoi, Mongolia, image by Ivanhoe Mines The May 12, passing of Mongolia's windfall profit tax law on copper and gold rocked Mongolia's mining world. The law calls for a 68% tax on gold when the international price is above USD$500/oz and on copper on prices...
Iran: World Cup & Creativity
Logomahi has created a T-shirts related to World Cup & Iranian national football team. We can see some of blogger's designs on his/her blog.
Arabisc: Arabic Bloggers Ken
This week in the Arabic Language blogsphere: Let’s start with the hard stuff. Tara from Iraq, has some rare seen images: Tara then writes: أحاول ،كل يوم ، ان اطرد صور الناس الذين اراهم في عملي عندما ارجع الى البيت ، و لكن تأتي أيام تبقى فيها بعض الصور في...
Iran: Women, Football & Violence
Kamangir says several women were brutally hit and injured when they attempted to enter the stadium to watch Iran-Bosnia football match. The blogger reminds us that this game was the first match after Ahmadinejad’s decision to allow women to watch the games live, something strongly objected by the conservative clerics.
Iran: Free, thanks to bloggers
According to Khabgard, Farshid Faraji, an Iranian cameraman who had been arrested in Iraq, wrote a letter to thank bloggers for his freedom one year ago. Faraji says bloggers let everybody know that he was detained and it really helped him to be released by Americans (Persian).
Nigeria: Talking about AIDS
Exodus, a new blog from Nigeria, comments that the rate of HIV in Nigeria is higher than perceived. She concludes “The most important thing to know is that we have a problem on our hand. Let’s get over the blues and DO something.”
South Africa: Lost firearms
Fodder reports that 50,000 guns have been lost in South Africa over the past three years and asks “how the hell do you loose a gun?“.
South Africa: AIDS &circumcision
Sotho points to a South African report that claims that circumcising men can reduce the spread of AIDS
