Stories from 12 July 2006
The Week that Was – Bolivian Blogs
According to the National Electoral Court, the ballot count for the July 2 election and referendum was the quickest in history. The composition of the Constituent Assembly has now been finalized and Miguel Centellas of Ciao! helps analyze some of the results and thinks that Samuel Doria Medina’s Unidad Nacional...
Pakistan: Karakorum Highway
Adil Najam on the Karakorum Highway. “The souls that pave the way for the modern tarmac road known as the Karakorum Highway (KKH) still seem to flicker amongst the sharp moving shadows of the unstable rocks and the almost countless but crumbly semi-transparent glaciers that constantly threaten its existence.”
Bangladesh: Childhood and after
The story of a difficult childhood at Black and Gray. “Children in the biggest shanty in town learn fast to cope with the challenge that life throws at them. Alauddin soon became a carrier of hashish; he would carry bundles of them to different peddlers in the locality.
South Asia: Cricket scores
The Man On The Outer reflects on Zizou's headbutt controversy, and how cricket is an extremely challenging game. “Most require certain levels of skill, physical fitness and mental strength to succeed – but cricket demands far more in the last criteria.”
India: All quiet on the blogosphere
Sepia Mutiny wonders why the blogosphere has been relatively quiet about the blasts in Mumbai.
The Second Conference of Intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora – II CIAD is being held in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil from 12 to 14 July 2006. The general theme of the Conference is: “The Diaspora and African Renaissance”. Tomorrow participants will be able to choose among 12 Thematic Groups, subdivided...
North, South, East and West Africa
Grandiose Parlour posts an e-mail that is doing the rounds about how to tell people from different parts of Africa apart. “The Cameroonians will borrow money from you to buy champagne; whilst the Ghanaians think they invented politics. The Congolese think they have the best music and the best dancers;...
Nigeria: Power shortages
Black Star Journal picks up on a report in a Nigerian newspaper detailing how many residents of the country's chief oil-producing region, Bayelsa, have little to show for the rape of their natural resources by foreign multinationals. “The state, home to one of Nigeria's largest deposits of crude oil, doesn't...
Zidane, Materazzi and FIFA
Steve Ntwiga Mugiri comes out of a reclusive period to write about Zidane and racism in soccer. “The onus of dealing with racism on the pitch has fallen on the players themselves,” he writes. “They have taken up the challenge and are tackling the problem head on and are asking...
Zidane and Camus
Yebo Gogo delights in a comparison between French soccer captain Zinedine Zidane and the French-Algerian hero of Albert Camus’ novel l'Etranger. “Zidane head butts an opponent, and despite destroying the short remainder of his career, chose his fate — that of the anti-hero,” writes Fontaine.
Zimbabwe: Whither Zimbabwe
“On days like this,” writes Zimpundit, “I catch myself wondering what it is going to take for us, the laity in Zimbabwe, to take our destiny from the hands of fate and render our influence on what the future holds for us.”
Gay Pride Dialogue Generates a Blog-gays-sphere
The recent weeks have seen several large and diverse crowds gathering in the streets of many cities in Brazil and some other countries. The festivities and celebrations were not painted only with the World Cup colors. The month of June has become also known as the gay pride month, and...
Sudan: Appeal to G8
G8 leaders meeting in St. Petersburg on July 15-17 should firmly tell the Sudanese government that it must immediately accept the deployment of a United Nations force to protect civilians in Darfur, Human Rights Watch Africa says.
Poland: President and PM Identical Twins
The beatroot writes about two identical twins who are now running Poland: “Opinion polls have been pretty consistent. Poles would rather not have identical twins who not only shared the same egg but also share the same political outlook in the two top jobs.”
Russia: Future Without Basayev
Sean Guillory contributes a lengthy post to Publius Pundit on the effect Basayev's death might have on Chechnya.
Czech Republic: Cesky Krumlov's Redesigned Website
My Czech Republic Blog writes that Cesky Krumlov, one of the most visited destinations, whose historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, finally has a presentable website.
Russia: Voting System To Resemble That in Belarus
TOL's Belarus Blog writes about a new law that allows early voting in Russia – which, in its turn, would allow manipulations.
The Balkans: News From the Region
Ed Alexander of Balkan Baby writes from and about a Croatian village of Podsused, and covers the latest news from the region, including Slovenia's upcoming entry into the Eurozone.
Albania: Street Protests Planned in Tirana
Alwyn Thomson of Our Man in Tirana writes about the upcoming street protests against the government (organized by the Socialists; 15,000-20,000 people expected).
Ukraine: Political Crisis
Europhobia writes about the political crisis in Ukraine: “Ukraine showed signs of hope, and there is still hope there – but it could all too easily go the route of Belarus and slide slowly towards dictatorship.”
Ukraine: Photos From Hutsul Wedding
Stefan of Dykun posts pictures from a Hutsul wedding that he attended two years ago (and re-posts an expert's column on the current political situation in Ukraine).
