Stories from 11 April 2007
Bangladesh: On the Bangladeshi Blogosphere
An article in publication, Slate on the Bangladeshi Blogosphere. “While by vocation Ahmede is a journalist, there is a growing band of bloggers who are bypassing the mainstream media in favour of their own to take up reporting of news or opinion analysis, via their blogs. These Citizen Journalists, springing...
Blogging Business: West African Bloggers, Inc.
This week, while perusing the Africa business bloggers section of my RSS reader, I noticed a peculiar thing, or maybe this is not so peculiar. But I noticed that a large number of the business blogs that I have been reading lately are authored by writers of West African origins....
Egypt: Muslim Women Fashions
Writing in The Arabist, Ursula Lindsey discusses her views on an article on the way Muslim women dress up here.
Egypt: Great Job!
Egyptian blogger Ibn Al Dunya pays tribute to Global Voices Online for its coverage of Egyptian blogs.
Bahrain: Blocking Sites
Bahrain unblocked and then blocked a number of sites, writes Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif. “I am told that Batelco has started to block the sites again, but rather than blocking them at the proxy servers (which are in a sad state, it seems) they are blocking them directly at...
Bahrain: Parliament Work Pays Off
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif claims that Parliament pays very well. He posts a copy of a cheque for about $10 million, allegedly in the name of a Bahraini MP.
Algeria: On Obama
Algerian blogger Nouri gives us his thoughts on US presidential candidate Barack Obama, who managed to raise $25 million despite running a ‘disorganised’ campaign.
Trinidad & Tobago: Caribbean Fruit
Posting from Trinidad, Thebookmann begins a new photographic series – this time, of succulent Caribbean fruit.
Guyana: World Cup Hosting a Success?
As Guyana's President lauds the efforts of his country in successfully hosting its leg of the Cricket World Cup Super Eight matches, Guyana Providence Stadium calls for “an audit of actual costs”.
South Africa: colonization of Africa by Africa?
The silent takeover of Africa by South African businesses: “According to the State Of The Nation: South Africa 2003 – 2004 (7), available documents show South African businesses running the national railroad in Cameroon, the national electricity company in Tanzania, and managing the airports located in or near seven African...
Cuba: Supporting Iran's Nuclear Rights
Uncommon Sense refers to an Islamic Republic News Agency story that quotes Cuba's Foreign Minister as saying that Cuba will defend Iran's nuclear rights.
North Korea: Research in war documents
K. M. Lawson at Frog in a Well blogs on fascinating ongoing research into captured North Korean documents dating back to the regime's early years and the Korean War.
Japan: Old pols, crimes and porn
Plenty of discussion on ComingAnarchy blogger Curzon's ‘Japan Roundup‘ post this week looking at three current stories: the fading popularity of Shintaro Ishihara, the recently-reelected governor of Tokyo, the hot-button issue of WWII comfort women, and navy officer's possible leak of information related to Japan's missile defense program.
China: Shanghai correspondents gather
In an age of declining numbers of English-language foreign correspondents, the few remaining in Shanghai are making the most of the moment, the latest in a series of related posts from Shanghai-based Dutch China consultant and China Herald blogger Fons Tuinstra.
Japan: Salarymen
In case you think a salaryman is the person in the accounting department on whose best side you want to be, the an englishman in osaka blogger brings us photos and metered prose that might clear things up.
China: Losing the lottery
Via China Digital Times, Roland Soong at EastSouthWestNorth translates a report from Southern Weekend looking at the spread of the illegal “Mark 6″ lottery throughout Southern China.
China: The lives of retired athletes
Professional Chinese athletes are known to undergo some of the toughest training regimens in the world, but does this prepare them for post-competition careers? Roland Soong at EastSouthWestNorth translates a recent post from marathoner-turned-blogger Ai Dongmei, “If my child wants to be an athlete, I'll break her legs first.”
South Asia: DST, Agent MR-9, SAARC Car Rally, Tshechu ritual, Caste Practices, Driving and Piracy
A wide range of topics up for discussion in the South Asian blogosphere. The possible chaos of adopting Daylight Saving Time, Bangladesh's answer to 007, a car rally to improve people to people contact, on caste, religion and ritual and much more. Bangladesh: Sada Kalo endorses the Government plan to...