Stories from 12 March 2008
India: Marching to Tibet
Tibetan Uprising provides constant updates on a march to Tibet from India to protest China's actions.
India: Constitution and Governance
Kalachakra on the Indian constitution and its role in shaping governance.
Pakistan: Terrorism and Lahore
Pakistan Paindabad on the blasts in Lahore – resulting in more attacks on civilians in the country.
Pakistan: Islam and the Media
Jahane Rumi on the lack of unbiased perspectives on Islam in the media.
Armenia: Economic Fallout
The Armenian Economist examines the possible economic impact of post-election unrest in Armenia. The blog likens the situation to that following the disputed 1996 presidential election and says that depreciation of the dram might occur.
Armenia: Political Ranting
The Armenian Odar posts some thoughts on the bloody aftermath of the 19 February presidential election in Armenia. The blog says that while government propaganda and control of the media is sickening and the situation needs to change, it is not convinced that the radical opposition led by former president...
Georgia: NATO Disappointment
TOL Georgia says that after November's crackdown on opposition protests in Tbilisi, NATO might not be so eager to start the process of eventual membership for Georgia of the international military coalition at its summit in Budapest in April. The blog also says that two frozen conflicts over territories not...
Azerbaijan: Deal with Turkmenistan
NewEurasia reports on a deal signed in Baku that ends a 16-year dispute between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan over debt. The blog says the news is an “important step forward on the way to build a Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline.”
Georgia: More Protests
Registan comments on renewed protests by the opposition in Georgia. The blog says that it is increasingly obvious that one guide for assessing whether democracy has taken root in a country is whether losing candidates or parties can accept defeat.
D.R. of Congo: Mbundu dia Kongo makes a comeback?
Richard Kabamba blogs at Forum Realisance [Fr] about the return of Mbundu dia Kongo, a decades’ old political-religious movement based in Bas-Congo province which “now more than ever continues to defy [President] Kabila's authority, powerless in the face of the acts of barbarism, vandalism and anarchy which destabilize the otherwise...
Armenia: Former President Surrounded
Unzipped posts some remarkable photographs of former president and radical opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrossian surrounded by security forces after police dispersed the overnight demonstration which had occupied Yerevan's Liberty Square.
Armenia: You Tube Accessible
My Armenia Election Monitor 2008 reports that YouTube is no longer blocked and is once again accessible in Armenia. The news comes on the first Online Free Expression Day launched by Reporters Sans Frontieres to protest internet censorship.
Municipal elections in Martinique
le blog de [moi] blogs the results of the first round of municipal elections [Fr] in Martinique.
Armenia: Human Rights Protection Questioned
ArmeniaNow comments on the existence of a video which clearly shows that security forces fired directly ahead of them while advancing rather than in the air as the authorities claim. The video raises some urgent questions about democracy and human rights in Armenia, the blog concludes.
Cuba: “My Life” in Hindi?
Child of the Revolution reports that there are plans to translate Fidel Castro's biography into three ancient languages, “with Castro sharing his views and thoughts on issues as diverse as French cheese and solar panels. No, it's not a fun read.”
Barbados: Proper Pork
Cheese-on-bread! properly defends Barbados’ “proper pork”.
Senegal: Karim Wade at a ‘Generation du concret’ rally
Blog politique au Senegal writes of Karim Wade's appearance [Fr] at a “Generation du concret” rally in the suburbs of Dakar: “For a t-shirt and a sandwich, these young people sell their futures.”
Bermuda: Private Finance
Vexed Bermoothes wonders if Bermuda's government's “enthusiasm for Private Finance Initiatives…will be a means of diverting huge Government budgets into the hands of selected special interests.”
Togo Book Fair
Togo-iTunes has photos of a francophone book fair [Fr] at the Librairie Star bookshop in Lome.
Congo-Brazzaville: AIDS and infrastructure
Réseau sida Afrique shares the story of a 22 year-old woman [Fr] in Congo-Brazzaville, dying of AIDS in the town of Makoua, 800km from the capital and the free medicine that could save her life.
Hong Kong: Violating National Flag Law?
The Hong Kong Police is effective to crack down T-shirt design with 14K logo by local designers. Penguin Jas notices that Adidas’ design might have violated the National Flag Law [zh]. The blogger wonders why the police is silent about that.
