Stories from 28 February 2008
Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Panorama
“It is music that must be heard live to be appreciated, as much of it is literally felt in the body…”: Jamaican Francis Wade blogs about Panorama, Trinidad and Tobago's premier steel band competition.
Ukraine: Tymoshenko's Illness
Foreign Notes writes about Yulia Tymoshenko's illness and other problems.
Serbia: “Ray of Light in Tough Times”
Belgrade 2.0 posts a selection of photoshopped Kosovo-related parodies and writes: “If there’s one thing I always appreciated about Serbia and it’s turbulent times, it’s the people’s strenght to find something humorous in all that, no matter how bad the times are. It was like that during the sanctions, during...
Russia: Unaffordable Health Care
Window on Eurasia writes about the Russians who can't afford medical care.
Russia: Middle Class
Sean's Russia Blog writes about the Russian middle class.
Czech Republic: Health Minister Rescues a Pedestrian
The Czech Daily Word writes about how the Czech health minister's saved a pedestrian's life.
Cameroon: Will the widespread unrest bring political change?
Cameroon was besieged this week by the worst violence in fifteen years, as a transportation strike formally ended by unions on Wednesday expanded into a more general protest against rising food and oil prices and President Biya's attempts to alter the constitution and extend his 25-year rule. Bloggers and netizens describe the situation on the ground and what it means for Cameroon's future.
D.R. of Congo: Plane wreckage has become part of the urban landscape
In October, Du Cabiau Kinshasa wrote about an Antonov plane which went down in Kinshasa, killing three dozen people. This week, he posts a photograph of part of the wreckage, which casually sits somewhere along the road to the airport. “No one is interested in it anymore. The urban jungle...
Africa: Applying long-tail to the African mobile space
White African discusses “applying the long-tail to the African mobile space”: “What Ken is getting at is an important concept, one that too many of us forget as we generally have access to the more powerful phones. Whether it’s dealing with NGO-related initiatives, or traditional business projects, we need to...
Somalia/USA: Somali elders for Obama
Royale Somali blogs about Somali elders supporting Obama in Ohio: “I heard that a lot of Somali elders in Ohio who are also American citizens would be going to caucus for Obama , dressed like that notorious photo. Ohio has a large Somali community around 20 Thousand.”
Bolivia: Anti-Government Protester Beat by Supporters
El refugio del pez que fuma [es] writes about intolerance shown by supporters of President Evo Morales, who beat a protester voicing displeasure over the current administration.
Sierra Leone: Aschobi Designs
Switsalone introduces the person behind Aschobi Designs in Sierra Leone: “Adama Kargbo is a 24yr old Sierra Leonean-American recent graduate of Parsons School of Design (Paris, France). She has recently returned to Sierra Leone from New York City to launch her first collection; ASCHOBI DESIGNS. This collection gives a modern...
Sri Lanka: NGOs and Markets
A Voice in Colombo on the market for NGOs working on human rights issues in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka: LTTE on Facebook?
Tamilnet.tv on fake profiles of LTTE members on Facebook, and the LTTE's threats to those violate the diktat.
Pakistan: Urban Development
Lahore Nama on the skewed urban development agenda in Pakistan.
Pakistan: The Jinnah Way
Pak Tea House takes a closer look at Jinnah and history – to serve as a lesson for contemporary parliamentarians in Pakistan.
Sierra Leone: Binkolo Growth Center
Paul writes about an industrial project in Sierra Leone: “Binkolo Growth Centre is a small industrial project near Makeni where the manufacture of small farm implements, tailoring, carpentry and blacksmithing takes place, and includes the use of disabled people. I am assisting with the expansion of the centre to include...
Paraguay: The Craft of Goat Cheese
The making of goat cheese is an artisan craft in Paraguay. A new blog called Quesos de Cabra – Caprísimo [es] highlights this process and how it is marketed in the city of Loma Grande.
Exchange Student ‘Starved’ in Egypt
Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt, discusses a wire story about a 17-year-old American exchange student who was allegedly ‘starved’ after being paired with a Christian Coptic family, which fasts for 200 days a year.
Malawi: Competition in the mobile phone industry
Austin Madinga writes about competition in the mobile phone industry in Malawi: “In the past few years, Malawians have witnessed cut throat competition between mobile phone operators Celtel Malawi and TNM Limited in terms of marketing, promotions and roll out of value added services. Users have also joined in with...
Iranian web editor arrested for criticizing Khomeini’s grandson
Hossein Nobakhtian, the managing editor of the banned conservative Iranian website Nosazi (Renovation) has been detained for criticizing Khomeini’s grandson.
