Stories from 9 October 2006
Mauritius: Free Internet Access
Reunion blogger Pierrot Dupuy announces (Fr) that the government of Mauritius plans to facilitate free internet access for 40% of its population by the end of the year.
Afghanistan: Pakistan & Security
Afghan Warrior says that Pakistan must do more to control its territory so that the security situation in Afghanistan can improve.
Armenia: Time to Realign
Burnell of Blogrel says that Armenia should move away from thinking of Russia as the best export market for its products.
Kyrgyzstan: Roundup
Yulia of neweurasia rounds up the week in the Kyrgyz blogosphere.
Armenia: monochromosis armeniaca
Nareg discusses a phenomenon in Armenian fashion he calls monochromosis armeniaca.
Armenia: Return to Ararat
Christian Garbis spent the weekend on the plains of Ararat, and reports on the perseverance of a successful farmer, his surrogate father in Armenia, who works the land there.
Tajikistan: Blocked Websites
Alexander Sadikov reports on the Tajik government's decision to block access to certain “harmful” foreign websites that criticize the government, a move, Sadikov says, that indicates the government's determination to extend control over all facets of life in Tajikistan.
Kazakhstan: Parliamentary Democracy
Prominent politician and daughter of the president Dariga Nazarbaeva has proposed that Kazakhstan become a party list parliamentary democracy, reports Sean Roberts, who also discusses whether or not she really means it.
Nigeria: the culture of corruption
Grandiose Parlor thinks Naija Blog simplified and over-dramatized the corruption phenomenon in Nigeria: For example, the blog states “If you go into public office and don’t come out rich, you are a failure. Your immediate and extended families will curse you…” Really? I didn’t know this. And as I peruse...
East Africa: Kenyans and Tanzanians are one people
Words of wisdom from African Affairs: English or no English, Tanzanians and Kenyans should embrace each other.
Kenya: the “murder of art”
Gream Houze opposes the ban on Matatu grafitti in Kenya: “The ban on Matatu grafitti is a sad one for me and I call it “The Murder of art”. I thank a matatu poster for what I know about Che Guevara. The visual image on him on a route 58...
Nigeria: the politics of Niger Delta
The politics of Niger Delta: the emergence of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).
Peru: El Banco Financiero Listents to the Blogosphere
A common critique of weblogs is that they have no teeth. “The important insight of a single post gets lost in the overwhelming sea of words,” they say. Or, “sure, any blogger can figure out the world's problems on her weblog, but how does that change the real world?” One...
India: No donut for Orkut
India Uncut has a post on the possible chasing of Orkut in India because of a community that appears to hate India. “Let me put a question to you: does anyone get harmed in any way if some jokers show a burning Indian flag? Does anyone get harmed in any...
Venezuela: Opposition Rally
The established triumvirate of Venezuelan, opposition, English-language bloggers each give their own account of this weekend's rally in support of opposition candidate Manuel Rosales: Daniel Duquenal, Miguel Octavio, and Alek Boyd.
Argentina: Blogs and Politics at the City Legislature
Blogs and politics will intersect today at the City Legislature of Buenos Aires, where a debate is scheduled at 7 p.m. about “the right to information and new technologies [ES].
Costa Rica: Amelia Rueda in the Blogosphere
fusildechispas welcomes [ES] famed Argentine-Costa Rican journalist Amelia Rueda [ES] to the blogosphere. Rueda's impressive CV is also available [ES]. While her first posting [ES] says she is adapting to new times, it remains to be seen if her weblog will accept readers’ comments.
Russia: Anna Politkovskaya's Murder
Vilhelm Konnander writes about Anna Politkovskaya murder and Vladimir Putin's silence: “The fact remains: When Russia's “first journalist” is silenced, Russia's “first person” stays silent. No word from Putin, no word from the Kremlin when the freedom of the press is trampled on by brutal suppression. The tacit message thus...
Serbia: Art Exhibition in Kosovo
Kushtrim Xhakli writes about the Haki Xhakli Exhibition in Pristina, Kosovo.
Serbia: A Bookstore in Pristina
Wu Wei writes about her favorite bookstore in Pristina, Kosovo: “I don't know why I find it so satisfying a place to browse. The stock presumably doesn't change that much, but it seems to get rearranged, so that new juxtapositions appear, surprising you and offering new discoveries. It's rather like...
Belarus: Blogosphere Digest
TOL's Belarus Blog posts a Belarusian blogosphere digest.