Stories from 4 May 2007
Armenia: Radical Opposition Rally
Onnik Krikorian reports that a radical opposition rally in Yerevan attracted thousands of supporters.
Kazakhstan: Digging Deeper on Seidenfeld
Bonnie Boyd investigates deeper the case of Mark Seidenfeld, an American businessman arrested in Kazakhstan in what some characterize as the use of the judicial system to punish a foreign investor for angering a local partner.
Caucasus: Media Freedom
Social Science in the Caucasus looks at media freedom in the Caucasus and how it measures up with other parts of the world.
Uzbekistan: Simple Plov
The Uzbek and Central Asian Cooking blog posts a simple recipe for plov, Uzbekistan's national dish.
Armenia: On the Campaign Trail
Onnik Krikorian reports from the election campaign trail with Armenia's ruling Republican party.
Chile: Personal Reflections on New Political Party
Global Voices contributing author, Rosario Lizana recently published an article about the Chilean blogosphere's reaction to the new emerging party, Chile Primero. In her personal blog, Comunicacion [ES] she adds her own thoughts about this new movement.
Bolivia: Interview with Filmmaker Jorge Sanjines
Javier Rodríguez reprints the entire unedited interview with famed Bolivian filmmaker Jorge Sanjinés in his blog Diseccionando a la Musa Perdida [ES]. Part of the interview was also published in the magazine section of the newspaper Opinión.
Bolivia: Blogger Meet-up in La Paz
Crónicas Urbandinas [ES] recounts and posts pictures of the 4th Blogger Meet-up in the capital city of La Paz.
Ecuador: Solutions for Cell Phone Users
In Ecuador, when one wanted to change service providers or utilize a phone not purchased from the company, it was a complete headache. Luigi Salas [ES] tells us that all of that will be made easier due to a ruling by the Telecommunication Superintendency in that country.
Ukraine: Yanukovych Gives In
Mark MacKinnon writes about the latest political developments in Ukraine: “The standoff is over for now, and Viktor Yushchenko appears to have won the test of nerves against his arch-rival, Viktor Yanukovich. The two men announced today that they have agreed to hold new parliamentary elections in the near future,...
Poland: Lines
Steven D. Levitt of Freakonomics Blog visits Poland and writes on “how incredibly rude the Poles were about lines.” The post has already received 74 responses, and here's the first one: “If you think Polish people does not respect lines, please do not come to Brazil. Here the people use...
Former Soviet Union: “Petropolis” Review
J. Otto Pohl reviews Anya Ulinich's debut novel, Petropolis:
Kuwait: Buddha Censored
Lebanese blogger Mark, who lives in Kuwait ridicules Kuwait's heavy censorship. “Virgin Megastore is open again and I think this time around they are taking censorship to the extreme. I think thats what I would do if I was them, I would want to show people how ridiculous censorship can...
India: HIV/AIDS awareness in Pune
Deep Griha – an NGO that works in Pune slums blogs about their attempt to increase HIV/ AIDS awareness. “What will bring a housewife onto the streets for something related to AIDS – the seemingly tabooed disease? What will make office-going men and women of corporate India sacrifice their Sundays...
India: The interiors of India
Lokayan has random snippets of experiences from the interiors India – as seen through the eyes of a couple of people working in the social sector “Yet we saw hope. We saw people coming together. We saw individual brilliance. We saw people finding joy in small things in life. We...
Iraq: Let the War Begin
Konfused Kid from Iraq describes who the pro and anti-withdrawal of US forces from Iraq are. “Whatever happens, Iraq's chance of recovery is incredibly slim, maybe it's just best to let the troops out and let the war begins, cuz we're all so very tired,” he suggests.
Estonia, Russia: Bronze Soldier, Again
Yet another discussion of the Bronze Soldier situation at Edward Lucas’ blog.
Egypt: Article on Bloggers Published
Egyptian blogger Issandr El Amrani links to an article he published in The Guardian's Comment is Free site “about Arab and Egyptian bloggers and how they might face the ongoing security clampdown.”
Bahrain: Freedom of Press Protest
Bahraini journalists and intelligentsia protested outside Parliament on the World Press Freedom Day, reports blogger Mahmood Al Yousif. “The number of people present were a cross section of society but all of whom share a basic understanding that they support the basic human right of the freedom to express oneself...
Sri Lanka: CNN, get your facts right
CNN Money has an article that appears to betray bias and ignorance. Vindicated rips the piece to shreds. “Colombo being mainly Sinhalese enemy capital: I don't know about you but I'm pretty sure that Colombo is the last place in Sri Lanka that's mostly Sinhalese. Being the only city in...
Ukraine: More on Adoption
MoldovAnn writes more on some differences between the Ukrainian and American attitude to adoption.
