28 April 2008

Stories from 28 April 2008

Slovakia: Hotel Kyjev

  28 April 2008

The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia writes about plans to demolish Hotel Kyjev in Bratislava: “Though I agree that buildings like the Hotel Kyjev are part of Slovakia’s history, I disagree that they are part of true Slovak culture. Are the communist principles, good or bad, embodied in socialist-realism...

Hungary: End of Coalition

  28 April 2008

Hungarian Spectrum writes about the SZDSZ's vote in favor of leaving the coalition: “With this decision something entirely new came into being in Hungary: a minority government. And since it is new, most Hungarians don't quite know what to do with it.”

Nicaragua: The Return of Silvio Rodríguez

  28 April 2008

On the blog of Radio La Primerísima [es], Luis Enrique Godoy reviews the two concerts of Silvo Rodríguez, who returned to Nicaragua after 25 years. and he compares the contrast between the countries at both of those times.

Nicaragua: Ranking on UNDP Human Development Index

  28 April 2008

Nicaragua currently is listed 110 out of 154 countries in the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index. Isabel Valdez González of McDonald [es] wonders why the government does not take concrete steps to change this and compares its situation to its neighbor Costa Rica.

Peru: MRTA No Longer on US Terrorist List

  28 April 2008

Silvio Rendon of Gran Combo Club [es] notices that the guerrilla group MRTA (Revolutionary Movement Tupac Amaru) is no longer listed on the U.S. list of terrorist groups, and that its declassification was made with little fanfare.

Nigeria: The Next Fela

  28 April 2008

Ladybrille interviews the Nigerian musician, 9nice: “A self proclaimed “artist, poet and custodian of tradition and the Nigerian culture,” 9ice, like the great African musical icon-Fela Anikulapo Kuti, is dynamic, authentic and uncompromising, especially when it comes to his decision to sing in his native language.”

Africa: Measuring Internet Connectivity

  28 April 2008

Measuring Internet connectivity in Africa: “ICTP Science Dissemination Unit has been monitoring and testing internet connectivity to 45 universities in Africa for the past 12 months. Using at tool called PingER Africa, they track real-time network performances in terms of response time (for a succession of pings) and packet loss...

Zimbabwe: Government of National Unity?

  28 April 2008

Zimbabweans speaking about Government of National Unity: “We’ve received a flood of replies, particularly via SMS, with voices against a government of national unity out numbering those in favour of it by about 10:1.”

Zimbabwe: Truth and Justice Coalition

  28 April 2008

There is Truth and Justice Coalition in Zimbabwe: “The Institute for a Democratic Alternative for Zimbabwe (IDAZIM) has initiated, with full support from civil society, labour and legal organizations, the Truth and Justice Coalition on Zimbabwe. Its objectives are to identify perpetrators and seek legal redress for the victims of...