Stories from 4 September 2006
Mexico: Presidential Address Blocked by Protesters
It seems that Mexican politics have gotten beyond comical. To capture the tension of outgoing President Vicente Fox's state of the nation address, Ceci Connolly recommends a cartoon by Luis Carreño and Ricardo Carreón recommends the work of cartoonist, Paco Calderon. Eduardo Arcos liveblogged the address. Boz considers the conflict...
Moldova: Upcoming Vote in Transdniestria
Edward Lucas, the Central and East European correspondent of The Economist, writes about a “non-vote” that is taking place in a “non-country” – Transdniestria – on Sept. 17.
Argentina: Education Blogs
Two new education weblogs based in Buenos Aires: Red de Escuelas Medias (ES) (“Network of Middle Schools”) is part of the new government-run Blogs de la Ciudad while Educación (ES) by Aurora Kochi and Jorge Apel was just started by Clarín.
Spain, Ecuador: World Cup of Basketball
Juan Luis describes this year's World Cup of basketball, won by Spain, as the most exciting sporting event he had seen in quite a while (ES). Ecuadorean blogger Christian Espinosa would seem to agree (ES).
Kuwait: Kuwait to limit Internet freedoms
Amer reports that the Kuwaiti government didn't exactly embrace the idea of thousands of people dismissing “controlled” newspapers by flocking directly to raw, uncensored, blunt political analysis and footage concerning corruption and the fight for constitutional freedoms on sites such as “Safat Square,” among many other excellent websites. Therefore, they...
Palestine: The Weather Report
The “summer rains” that began falling on Gaza over two months ago are continuing. On 2 September the Northerly winds of the Israeli Occupation Forces swept through the town of Beit Hanoun unleashing its full might killing a father and son and injuring his two daughters. It appears that these...
Israel: Shades of the British Mandate!
Israeli kids were once raised on the legends of the Zionist pioneers who braved the evil British Mandate and risked their lives to establish the early kibbutzim and moshavot! Those same kids are now the “establishment” and somehow absurdly are repeating history but from the other side. They are trying...
Jordan: Rami's Revolution
Rami wonders: “Why do we always surrender to the notion that we are too small to change the world, if you and I did not change the world then who will? It is a simple equation, when you don't like the world you live in, then change it, all those...
Palestine: Arts and Crafts Village
Culture in Palestine is the legacy that makes up a large portion of the cultural identity that interacts with all the classes of the Palestinian society. It conveys an image that reflects the suffering and oppression of the people caused by the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The Municipality of Gaza...
Pakistan: Education
Education in Pakistan needs far more involved intervention. All Things Pakistan on a high school with one student. “Little wonder that the evident failure of formal school system is giving way to the proliferation of madrassahs. Southern Punjab has turned into a hotbed of sectarianism.”
Nepal: Women and Festivals
Say Na Something on being a woman and celebrating Tij. What it means to have a society's expectations burden you to look and behave a certain way – especially if you are married.
India: Celebrating Ganesha
Indicast has a podcast on the festival of Ganesha Chaturthi. “eople from all age groups participate in programmes to exhibit their talent on millions of different stages across the country. India is immune to blaring loudspeakers at 12:30 in the night during these 10 days!”
Bangladesh: In the Middle East
Given the large number of Bangladeshis in the Middle East, imperfect world 2006 scans the mainstream media to get a sense of what issues are connected with Bangladeshis there.
Bangladesh: Good bribes and Bad bribes
Salam Dhaka has a curious idea about bribes – the good ones and the bad ones. The ones that keep the money as part of a better economic cycle and the ones that just make the money disappear.
Kenya: A Vote of Confidence?
Mentalacrobatics experiences the good, the bad and the ugly of the voter’s registration process in Kenya and questions regulations which may discourage the political participation of many.
Ghana: Whither Gay Rights?
Adam sees the Ghanaian government’s decision to ban a gay and lesbian community conference as understandable yet paradoxical in a country that is otherwise usually progressive.
Kenya: Year in Review
The Girl in the Meadow gives a citizen’s account of the state of the nation covering crime, employment, investment opportunities and micro-finance enterprise including her personal “jua kali” (informal) tips on stock trading.
Lesotho: Vehicles of Corruption
In adventures in international development, P’s rants about corruption in Lesotho’s ruling LCD party and wonders whether “there is no act of corruption too blatant to get away with”.
South Africa: World Cup 2010
A blog dedicated to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa discusses the impact the event is set to have on the infrastructure of South African cities.
Sudan: Security Catch-22
In light of the UN Security council’s approval of a peacekeeping force in Darfur, observing increasing insecurity and fearing that the greater region is in danger of a destabilization of Congolese proportions, the Head Heeb discusses a nation in a Catch-22.
Mexico, USA: Review of “Quinceañera'”
Puerto Rican blogger Fausta Wertz reviews the Sony Classics film “Quinceañera”, which is set in a Mexican community in Los Angeles.
