Stories from 10 November 2007
Kenya: YouTube video on call centers
Kenyan Pundit links to a video on YouTube about call centers in Kenya: “Bitange Ndemo and Nesbitt of Kencall are featured. Click here to watch”
Armenia: Presidential Candidate
The Armenia Election Monitor 2008 reports that as expected, the ruling Republican party has nominated the prime minister as their candidate for the presidential election to be held on 19 February 2008 in Armenia.
Tanzania: Making a call while getting your shoes cleaned
While you are getting your shoes cleaned in Tanzania, you may as well make a phone call: “The telecommunication leader in Tanzania Vodacom, is leveraging the network of professional shoe shiners dispatched throughout the city.”
Africa: Searching for Africa at the New York Times
Do people have fun in Africa?: “Using a simple search method at the New York Times, the terms “AIDS” + “Africa” brought back 250 stories published in the past year. What I didn’t say was that searching the terms “Africa” + “fun” returned 91 hits.”
Georgia: Protestor Dies
Quoting news sources, TOL Georgia says that one protestor has died as a result of last week's clash between opposition supporters and Georgian police in Tbilisi.
Georgia: Accusations
Resistance Georgia points the finger at the Deputy Chair of Parliamentary Defence Committee for masterminding last week's suppression and violent dispersal of an opposition protest in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. Incidentally, the anti-Saakashvili blog by human rights lawyer Anna Dolidze has also been quoted by the New York Times.
South Africa: News24.com first website to reach 1 million
News24.com has become the first South African website with one million users per month: “My marketing team at 24.com are going to think that I am naughty to scoop our own press release but I could not resist. It is such a proud moment. NEWS24.com last week became the FIRST...
The Mobile Web and Compulsory HIV Test for Malawi
Malawi's Internet users have this year been experiencing new trends as now they can access and browse from their mobile phones and homes. This is an initiative by the fixed line service provider (Malawi Telecommunications Limited) and two mobile phone service operators, Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM) and Celtel Malawi. Malawian blogger, Mile, has welcomed this initiative with a post titled ICT Development in Malawi.
Bahrain: Flaunting your wealth – and accounting for it
What are bloggers talking about in Bahrain this week? Financial accountability, the reasons for blogging, a childhood addiction to books, how to encourage creativity - and looking after appearances.
Brazil: 70th anniversary of the military coup
Lúcia Hipólito [pt] amasses dozens of comments in a post to remember the anniversary the Brazilian coup d'etat: “In November 10, 1937, exactly 70 years ago, the President Getúlio Vargas, came to power via a coup d'etat, supported by the Army, and established in Brazil one of the saddest chapters...
Qatar: Filipina Accuses Lebanese Boss of Rape
Filipina Gabriela_nilapa narrates how she was repeatedly raped by her Lebanese boss in a Qatar office in this post on Qatar Living.
Japan: Pulling the Strings
While the world focused this week on the aftermath of negotiations between the leaders of Japan's two largest political parties, the behind-the-scenes mediator, Watanabe Tsuneo, celebrated winning this year's Media Person of the Year Award. Some bloggers, however, wondered what Japan's largest media baron was doing brokering backroom political deals. Was it just a coincidence that coverage differed so much between major newspapers?
China:The return of PetroChina
PetroChina, the lord of the companies returns to its hometown. Its IPO on Chinese stock market is an eye-catching performance. When the flourishing market hit the most profitable company in Asia, they sparkled out the greatest market value in the world.
Georgia: Ambassador Resigns
Resistance Georgia and TOL Georgia report that Levan Mikeladze has resigned as Georgian Ambassador to Switzerland in protest at last week's police crackdown in Tbilisi. TOL Georgia applauds the diplomat for his courage while Resistance Georgia reproduces his letter explaining why.
Georgia: Non-violent Resistance
Via TOL Georgia and Unzipped, the former President of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, Anna Dolidze, has set up a blog dedicated to “non-violent resistance to Saakashvili's dictatorial regime in Georgia.”
Georgia: Democracy in Crisis
TOL Georgia reports that democracy is in crisis in Georgia and says that it is obvious that Saakashvili will do anything in order to avoid the fate of his predecessor who he was responsible for removing from power in 2003.
Armenia: Fugitive Minister
Blogian reminds its readers of the former Minister of Interior, Vano Siradeghian. Wanted by Interpol for masterminding numerous assassinations in Armenia under the former president, the fugitive still remains at large and Blogian wonders if he would be pardoned if Levon Ter Petrosian returned to power.
Korea: Conflicts over Subway Seats
Young people respect old people. Old people take care of young people. That is one of the major traditional philosophies in East Asia. Regarding this perspective, excessive behavior is now bringing up questions about what the extent of the mannger between the elderly and young should be. Especially if you...
Philippines: Bloggers react to shocking suicide by girl, 12
Postcard Headlines has a roundup of bloggers’ thoughts on the shocking suicide by a poor 12-year old girl in southern Philippines and her lamentations about her family's poverty right before she took her own life.
Philippines: CokskiBlue leads Filipinos in vlogging
CokskiBlue is a whiff of fresh air in the Philippine blogosphere, and features videos, vlogs and vodcasts.
China: The Controversial Low Poverty Rate
According to the poverty line of China Development Report 2007, the poverty rate of China, a home to 1.3 billion people, is only about 8% which is even much lower than U.S. whose poverty rate is 12.3% in 2006. Facing with the amazingly poverty rate, Chinese people own their own different opinions on the poverty issues.
