Stories from 24 October 2007
Guyana: Give the People what they Want
“Guyanese people Abroad so home sick they does crave every juicy detail about things happening here. If ants belch, they need to know what decibel”…so Guyana-Gyal gives them what they want.
Haiti: Constitutional Amendments?
“Is a Constitution a living document?” asks Bryan Schaaf at Haiti Innovation as he raises the issue of modifying certain sections of the island's existing constitution “for the betterment of the country”.
Jamaica: That Jamaican Touch
“One of my biggest challenges has been to control what my wife calls my ‘Jamaican touch’,” explains Geoffrey Philp.
Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname: Preservation
KnowProSE.com wonders about the cost of preservation – and how it applies “to other things that cannot be digitized and saved”.
Trinidad & Tobago: Soca for Womex
de cooler : soca news reports that the Trinidad-based rapso group 3 Canal will be performing at the World Music Exhibition in Spain.
Armenia: Genocide Recognition or Democracy?
Raffi K and Arshineh, both bloggers from the Armenian Diaspora writing on Life in Armenia, post letters they've written to U.S. Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi praising her for House Resolution 106 which recognizes the Armenian Genocide. Despite increasing pressure not to do so, both hope that Pelosi will still bring...
Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica: Foreign Coach for Windies
Jamaican sports journalist Tony Becca thinks that the hiring of a foreign coach for the West Indies cricket team is “an insult”: West Indies Cricket Blog thinks “Becca has never been more wrong.”
Kazakhstan: Prices Unleashed
Immediately after the parliamentary elections, which were deemed undemocratic by the international monitors, the prices went crazy in Kazakhstan. The ruling party “Nur Otan”, led by president Nursultan Nazarbayev – who rules the country already for 17 years – had been building its campaign on socio-economic achievements and promises of...
Armenia: Opposition Detainees Released
Via Romamerda1 on YouTube, there are updates on the latest developments following the arrest of Armenian opposition leaders, Nikol Pashinyan and other members of the “Impeachment” bloc. The description accompanying the video reads: Nicol Pashinyan and other members of “Impeachment” party were unjustly imprisoned for 8 hours on 23 October...
China: Same Life Same Price
In China, if a rural peasant got killed in a traffic accident, the compensation is likely to be much lower than those with a urban household registration. Recently, Liu Xiaoyuan won a case in Beijing for a “same life same price” compensation of a car accident which killed a rural...
Press freedom in Benin takes nosedive
Babilown writes about Benin's steep drop (Fr) in Reporters Without Borders’ annual country ranking of press freedom.
DRC: Che Guevara on Laurent Kabila
History speaks as Congolese blogger Alex Engwete translates (Fr) Che Guevara's pessimistic assessment of Laurent Kabila‘s potential to become a revolutionary leader: “He lets things drag on forever without caring about anything other than internal quarrels, and he also devoted to women and drink…”
Korea: Kissing in Public Places
Kissing in public places can turn into a major issue and generate arguments. An adult is being tried in court for beating teenagers who were kissing at a metro station. He had also beaten a teenager who smoked in public. After the news, a blogger writes how he/she feels about others’ opinions about this accident.
Kyrgyzstan: Studies of LGBT problems
CXW reviews several recent publications and reports concerning the situation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) people in Kyrgyzstan.
Kazakhstan: “Kazakhgate's” start to be set this Friday
Steve LeVine informs that the court in New York should set a date for the start of so-called “Kazakhgate” trial over oil consultant James Giffen, accused of bribing higher officials in Kazakhstan.
Uzbekistan: Clearing border from mines
Central Asian Borders reflects on the news or maybe a new rumour that Uzbekistan has begun to clear border areas (with Tajikistan) from mines. Uzbekistan mined its border with Tajikistan in the 90s.
Burkina Faso: Mariam Sankara returns from exile
Ramata Sore posts a statement by Mariam Sankara (Fr), wife of assassinated former president Thomas Sankara, thanking the Burkinabe people for their warm welcome. Mrs. Sankara returned to Burkina Faso for the anniversary of her husband's death after twenty years in exile.
Burkina Faso: Corrupt journalists
Ramata Sore writes (Fr) about National Press Day in Burkina Faso and how many journalists are compromised by politics.
Tanzania: IMF no longer viewed as an enemy
Tanzania Common Cents writes about Tanzania's relationship with IMF: “While it is true that over the years Tanzania has graduated in her relationship with IMF to the point of currently operating under a PSI and thus driving its own development agenda; and while its true that IMF policies have evolved...
Afghanistan: Asia Foundation Survey
Afghanistan Watch looks inside the Asia Foundation's latest survey of the Afghani people and notes that it paints a nuanced picture and provides some fascinating data on various issues: from support for traditional institutions to democracy and women’s rights.
Bangladesh: Bloggers, the media and the army chief
The political arena of Bangladesh heated up after the Eid holidays. Bloggers cum citizen journalists had a role to play in this. J Rahman at Mukti has some background: Earlier this year, Bangladesh experienced an extra-constitutional change in government. The Economist called it a coup that dares not speak its...