Stories from 11 July 2007
Barbados: Victims’ Rights
On hearing news that the sentences for certain criminals that have been deemed “unconstitutional”, What crazy looks like wonders who is campaigning for victims’ rights?
Bhutan: Ban on smoking
Visit Bhutan in 2008 on the ineffectiveness of the ban on smoking in Bhutan.
Barbados: Slave Trade Reparations
“The continuing talk and research…are really only the pate and champagne before the main course – which is…how much money can we squeeze from the European Union and Britain during this round of talks?” Barbados Free Press wonders whether slavery reparation funds are being properly utilized by the Barbadian government.
India: HR Mismanagement
I, Me, Myself on Human Resources Management as practiced in India, and the inherent hypocrisy in some situations.
Pakistan: Monkeys and Countries
The Pakistani Spectator compares the current dynamics of international politics to the dances performed by monkeys owned by keepers to earn money.
Nepal: King and the Money
United We Blog! points to what appears to be a financial blow to the King and Royals in Nepal.
Bahamas, Cuba: Plots Against Castro
Rick Lowe at WeblogBahamas.com shares his views about the CIA's assassination plot, freedom of speech and Castro's revolution.
Kenya: Debating the double-edged nature of citizen media
Last month, there was an explosion at a downtown bus stop in Nairobi, Kenya. By the time the Kenyan mainstream media reported the incident, Kenyan bloggers had already written about it, posted photos and some of them speculated that the explosion could have been linked to Al-Queida or the outlawed Mungiki sect. Two of the main Kenyan bloggers, Thinkers Rooms and Mental Acrobatics, looked at the performance of Kenyan blogs during this incident from two different and interesting angles. The main question was: what is the role of citizen media in reporting a tragic incident when official statements from the government have not been released and all the facts are not yet known?
Afghanistan: Interview with Baktash Siawash, blogger and journalist
What follows is an interview about censorship, media and blogs in Afghanistan with blogger and journalist Baktash Siawash. Baktash writes for several magazines including WashingtonPrism. Q: Please introduce yourself and your blog. A: My Name is Baktash Siawash and I live in Afghanistan; my blog's name is “Writings of Siawash”...
India: Women and Presidents
Random Thoughts on feminism, media and the Presidential Candidate.
Sudan: where is the bridge? + more floods, more photos
The question is “where is the bridge?: “Back at the flood, the officer spent two minutes looking at my card, then said “No photos. I think there is a bridge here”. I did a quick scan of the landscape – 360 degrees of flat, flat plains, flood water and a...
Africa: is the United States of Africa already here?
Is the United States of Africa already here? Business in Focus asks: “If the idea of creating a United States of Africa is to create wealth, then we may argue that it is already here. What Africa needs is to strengthen existing structures, invest more in ICT and establish structures...
Zimbabwe: police block movement of basic goods
The political and economic situation in Zimbabwe is getting even worse: “In a bizarre turn of events, Zimbabwe police have set up roadblocks on major roads to block city residents from moving basic commodities to rural areas and to prevent farmers from moving maize to urban areas.”
Zimbabwe: economy e-cards
Cyber-activism at work in Zimbabwe: economy e-cards. You can send the cards to people to tell them about the economic situation in Zimbabwe.
Armenia: Playing nardi
Nardi- (or backgammon-) playing seniors are an omnipresent sight in Yerevan when it's warm outside. On his 39th birthday, Onnik Krikorian wonders whether he should soon join them.
Kenya: Kenyan investment market
Bankelele gives us latest information about the Kenyan investment market: “The Kenya Re IPO opens in a week (July 18) and, it's a good time to assess the potential gains for a retail investor who subscribes. While the prospectus is not yet out, all signs are that this will be...
Armenia: Film festival
On Life in Armenia, Raffi K. reports on the opening of the Golden Apricot International Film Festival, which takes place for the fourth time in the capital Yerevan this year.
Caucasus: The state of democracy
Social Science in the Caucasus has a closer look at the The Economist Intelligence Unit's 2007 Index of Democracy, in which Georgia and Armenia are classified as hybrid and Azerbaijan as an authoritarian regime.
Tajikistan: Aga Khan
Ismaili Mail keeps track of all the attention given by media worldwide on the occasion of the Ismaili spiritual leader Aga Khan's 50th Jubilee Year.
Turkmenistan: Heroin addiction
Bonnie Boyd says that Turkmenistan's HIV addiction rates are phenomenally high and that it would be sign of strength not weakness to collaborate with the outside world.
Ukraine: More on Krayina Mriy
Olechko and uaMuzik write more about the Krayina Mriy music festival.
