3 June 2008

Stories from 3 June 2008

Estonia: Communication

Itching for Eestimaa writes about Estonia's foreign ministry's “communication problem [that] is, sadly, exemplary of a larger inability of the Estonian government, or indeed, other actors within Estonia, to communicate efficiently outside of the domestic market.”

A chat with portuguese speaker bloggers

  3 June 2008

Agry [pt] starts a series of interviews with the female Portuguese speaker bloggers on his blogroll, people who  show a commitment to promote their people's history, culture and hopes. The series starts with Brazilian economic consultant Milu Duarte, from Blog da Milu [pt].

Cape Verde: Beer is cheaper than petrol

  3 June 2008

Pedrabika [pt] is getting surprised by the day about the rise in petrol prices in Cape Verde: “200 $ 00 for petrol, is that it? Even beer is cheaper. This way we'll have to start traveling on foot and continue ignoring the pocket shaking policies. Otherwise no one reacts, political...

Armenia: Energy Globe Award

Cicer et cetera, the blog of the Deputy Director of the Boston-based Armenian Tree Project, reports on the organization's award for one of its projects in Armenia at the Energy Globe Awards recently held at the European Parliament in Brussels. The blogs gives a brief overview of the project.

Armenia: Election Blogging

The Armenian Observer reports on a seminar staged by the Yerevan Press Club concerning the role of the local media during the recent presidential election in Armenia. The blogger says that his presentation on blogs was of particular interesting and that traditional journalists were interested enough to ask question after...

U.S.A.: Arthur Mkoyan's Dream Act

Talk Turkey comments on the case of an immigrant from Armenia who has been in the United States since the age of two. The valedictorian at his high school in Fresno, Arthur Mkoyan will be deported after he graduates. The blog criticizes Congress for not passing the Dream Act which...

China: Clearer answers and investigation into quake response needed

  3 June 2008

Last month the Chinese government said that the process of obtaining complete information as to why so many school buildings collapsed in last month's earthquake is underway. This week it began reigning in media which have been asking too many questions, even barring grieving parents from protesting. The first attempt...

Zimbabwe: x1000 and x1,000,000

  3 June 2008

What is x1000 and x1,000,000?: “x1000 and x1,000,000 : everyone in Zim will know what this means. It appears on signs everywhere on cash registers, scales and invoices. What this means is that you take the amount displayed or recorded and multiply by one thousand (add three zeros) or one...

Sudan: Why do we pay attention to Darfur?

  3 June 2008

Why do we pay attention to Darfur?: “One of the questions I’ve wanted an answer to for some time is how the community focused on Darfur has managed to attract so much attention to their cause. While the situation in Darfur is dramatic and dire, there are a number of...

Cape Verde: Meet Pedro Gomes

  3 June 2008

Dan writes about Perdo Gomes, a Cape Verdian basketballer: “Pedro Gomes is a very important part of the national team, a key man behind the scenes, involved with virtually everything to do with both the men’s and women’s national basketball teams of Cape Verde, the CVNT. Pedro has a very...

Somalia: Saving Somalia

  3 June 2008

Rob's analysis of international aid and the socio-political situation in Somalia: “It seems in the rush to apply standard developmental thinking no-one has remembered that this is Somalia. Policies are being implemented that would have been risky in fragile states emerging from war, the Ugandas, Rwandas and Ethiopias. But Somalia...

Burkina Faso: Winyé Mask Festival

  3 June 2008

BurkinaMon writes about the Winyé Mask Festival in Burkina Faso: The Seventh Annual Winyé Mask Festival was held on Friday and Saturday in Boromo- a small town just about two hours’ drive from Ouaga. I was there as usual, friends and family in tow.”

South Africa: Eruptions from the fault lines

  3 June 2008

Alex, an American blogger, witnessed violence against immigrants in South Africa: “What follows below is a chronology of my journal entries leading up to and during the violence. My thoughts and analysis will be limited by internet cafe time”

Guinea: Old man and the sea

  3 June 2008

Africa Flak discusses politics in Guinea comparing it to Zimbabwe: “There’s a part of me that has to hand it to Lansana Conte and his henchmen in Guinea Conakry. Like Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, he’s used his country’s wealth – in his case minerals like bauxite and...

China: Open Market to Charity Work

  3 June 2008

Guo Yu Kuan from my1510 pointed out that China government should open market to charity work. The writer said the distrust towards China Red Cross in the recent disaster relief is mainly due to the monopoly problem, if there is competition, the charity organizations would be more open and transparent.

China: Not Welcome for the Olympics

  3 June 2008

Jeremy Goldkorn from DANWEI listed out six types of foreigners not welcome for the Olympics according to the legal guidelines of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee.