Stories from 22 July 2007
Latvia: Making Fun of the President
Latvian Abroad writes about parody websites devoted to the new president Valdis Zatlers.
Hungary: Museums, Toilets, and Domestic Products
Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar writes about free toilets and museum admission fees, and about the Hungarian domestic products market.
Former Soviet Union: “Escape from Moscow”
Mart Laar, Estonia's former prime minister, writes about certain countries’ successes and failures in parting with the Communist past.
Nigeria: True Love magazine features Nigerian female bloggers
Several Nigerian female bloggers are featured on the West Africa's True Love magazine:”Bella is still very much incognito…but has a very sweet interview along with the bloggers who inspired her to start, Adaure and Taureanminx. As well as Bimbo Lads, and Mona!!”
Nigeria: aggregation is not duplication
Akin's comments regarding a new Nigerian blog “aggregator”: “My candid advice is for the mover of NaijaLive to confer with the owners of AfricanLoft and AltNigeria, probably an email to a techie like Chxta would come in handy too – they all seem to know a good deal about the...
Republic of Congo: Pygmies in a zoo
Akin writes, “Pygmies in a zoo in Tintin's Congo“: Yes, fellow human-beings, members of the black race and citizens of the Republic of Congo who just happen to be of a shorter stature were housed in familiar surroundings similar to their forest dwellings – as the government statement says. They...
South Africa: Cape Town host city logo for 2010 World Cup
CherryFalava writes about 2010 World Cup: “We're a bit late with this, but it's news to us that Cape Town now has a ‘host city’ logo for the 2010 World Cup.”
Africa: interview with Kenyan activist, Firoze Manji
Blackademics interviews Firoze Manji, the Kenyan journalist and activist: “This month we got an interview with Kenyan author, journalist, and activist Firoze Manji for y’all. He runs the African equivalent of Blackademics and has a lot to say about genocide, the digital divide in Africa, and African continental unity.”
Peru: Protests in Pucallpa Against Increased Fuel Tax
The Peruvian government announced that it will no longer provide tax benefits for fuel for residents of the jungle region of Pucallpa, where they claim the cheaper fuel is trafficked as contraband to the capital of Lima. However, this decision means that the cost of living would increase in comparison to other parts of the country. Some Peruvian bloggers give their opinions on the matter in the midst of a wave of protests across Peru.
Africa: UNICEF ends “black face” campaign
UNICEF has decided to end their “Black Face” campaign: “African American Opinion Pundit decided to write to UNICEF about their “black face” campaign. And their response: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We agree — these advertisements are not appropriate and run against UNICEF’s mission. They have been...
Nigeria: Two Heroic Nigerian Cops; Borderless Office
This week’s blog round-up begans from Nigeria, where Yomi shares a rare story of two brave Nigerian policemen who braved the odds to fight-back about 30 well-armed bank robbers with one of the policemen loosing his life in the process.
Kuwait: Here & there
Kuwaiti bloggers are talking about their present and past this week. While two bloggers are looking into their surroundings for inspiration and futuristic projects, another is diving into history to reinstate the rights of Kuwaitis to decide on their own fate, reports Abdullatif AlOmar.
Alain Mabanckou on Prostitution in Brazzaville
Alain Mabanckou posts “Night scenes in Brazzaville” (Fr), a sketch on young prostitutes and their European customers. “The atmosphere of the country surely helps. Would they find such an opportunity in their own country? …Money excuses everything…”
Congo-Brazzaville: Point Noire music festival
Congopages on a recent music festival in Point Noire (Fr), Congo Brazzaville. There are photos!
Congo-Brazzaville: Pygmies housed in Brazzaville zoo
Vous reprendrez un peu d'humanisme? continues to question France's commitment to human rights, given its warm relations with Denis Sassou-Nguesso, and cites the shocking revelation that pygmy musicians were being housed in the Brazzaville zoo (Fr).
France: Protest against BNP & Denis Sassou-Nguesso
Congopage announces a demonstration (Fr) set to take place Saturday, July 28 in front of the offices of BNP-PARIBAS, Paris to protest the French oil giant's alleged involvement in Congo-Brazzaville's President, Denis Sassou-Nguesso's theft of millions of dollars of public funds. Sarkozy and Sassou-Nguesso are quite cozy.
Chad: Opposition party on Deby's visit to France
Parti Liberal du Tchad posts their official response (Fr) to Idriss Deby's recent visit to France.
France: Elderly Central African Republic immigrant faces expulsion
The blog of Alliance Pour La Democratie et Le Progres posts an article (Fr) about the impending expulsion of an infirm, 68 year-old illegal immigrant from Central African Republic whose children and grandchildren all reside in France.
Cameroon: Yes your majesty
Parler Camerounais compares (Fr) the leaders of Cameroon, and their “bulimia” of meaningless titles and honors, to the royal family in Eddie Murphy's 1998 hit, Coming to America.
Benin: Debating, feting Voodoo
Benninese blogger Blaise Aplogan writes about the upcoming festival of Voodoo, set to take place in Paris this week, and the ongoing Voodoo debate (Fr): “More and more, prophetic religions, notably Christianity, are investing in a dialogue with traditional African religions…[and] traditional African religious leaders are asking themselves what meaning...
“Welcome to Japan”? Kurdish refugee family leaves for Canada
Few people, including Japanese themselves, are aware of the dismal record of Japan's treatment of refugees, particularly its treatment of Kurdish refugees. After struggling for many years to make a home in Japan, Erdal Dogan and his family, who fled Turkey amid religious and ethnic persecution, have finally been forced to leave, luckily having been accepted as refugees in Canada. Japanese bloggers reflect on the departure with sadness and frustration.
