Stories from 1 August 2008
Serbia: CNN Mistakes Budapest for Belgrade
Balkan File writes that “CNN has mixed in footage of riots that took place in Budapest, Hungary, with that of the riots in Belgrade”: “Some comments on the web seem to hint that perhaps CNN were deliberately trying to make the protests seem more violent than they actually were –...
Russia: Bishop Diomid's Case
Updates on Bishop Diomid's case, at Window on Eurasia – here, here, here, and here.
Ukraine: Chernobyl
Belatedly, a trip report, photos and video from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, by Darkness at Noon – here and here.
Bolivia: Inflation and Food Prices
Hugo Miranda provides examples of how the prices have risen for the foods [es] that he normally eats while living in La Paz, Bolivia.
Russia: Stalin vs the Tsar?
Russian Blog writes about the process of “picking one single person from all of Russian history to represent it, to give it a face, and yes, a name.” FP's Passport reported two weeks ago that “the Tsar currently leads Stalin 267,000 to 263,000, out of nearly 2.4 million votes cast...
Budapest: Gozsdu Udvar
Budapest Guide posts photos and writes about the ongoing renovation project in Gozsdu Udvar neighborhood of Budapest.
Kosovo, Macedonia: Islam
Michael J. Totten's reflections on Islam in Kosovo and Macedonia, travel photos and lots of readers’ comments – here and here.
Russia: Muftis Refuse to Visit the U.S.
Window on Eurasia writes that a group of Russia’s Muslim leaders has turned down the State Department's invitation to visit the United States for political reasons.
Former Soviet Union: Survey Shows Increasing CIS-Differences
LJ user fobosanddeimos comments upon (RUS) a recent survey by Evraziysky Monitor, showing big differences between post-soviet states, which form an obstacle for prospects of integration.
Russia: Failure of Democratic Youth
El pueblo unido jamás será vencido (Yabloko youth leader Ilya Yashin) posts an article (RUS) on why the democratic youth movement in Russia failed after the 2004 Ukrainian Orange Revolution.
Estonia: Inflated Real Estate Prices
Babel Tallinn writes about the long over-inflated real estate prices in Estonia, and the current crisis with falling prices in the sector.
Ukraine: Patriarch Appeals Against the Division of the Church
GUS-News comments on (GER) the appeal of the Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomeus against the division of the Ukrainian Orthodox church on the occasion of the 1020th anniversary of Christianity in Kievan Rus.
Russia: Grain Export Control
Eternal Remont comments on a Financial Times story that Russia will impose export control on grain.
Ukraine: ‘Novynar’ Shuts Down
IZO quotes the publisher of a Ukrainian-language news magazine Novynar on the reasons to shut down the publication.
Afghanistan: Who killed Afghan Journalist
Baktash Siawashi, blogger and journalist from Afghanistan, writes [Fa] about the murder of Abdul Samad Rohani, an Afghan journalist, working for the BBC in Helmand province. He says Taliban,corrupted officials and drug smugglers are “the usual suspects” in this murder.
The Balkans, U.S.: Holbrooke and Karadzic
Eric Gordy of East Ethnia explains why he believes that “that maybe Richard Holbrooke did make some promises to Radovan Karadžić.”
Belarus: Manual for journalists
Daniel Rodrigo [Spanish] posted photos of a “manual” for Belarussian journalists, a promotional leaflet on a documentary about the lack of freedom of speech in Belarus.
Morocco: Amazigh Weddings
Amazighblog [fr] writes about Amazigh wedding traditions.
Haiti: Pierre-Louis is New Haitian PM
Blesh Family in Haiti Web Log links to a New York Times report announcing that Michele Pierre-Louis has been confirmed as Prime Minister of Haiti – and adds: “Well we hope this will help Haiti…”
Caribbean: Emancipate Yourselves
Today is Emancipation Day in many West Indian territories - the day that effectively celebrates the end of slavery, when all slaves were legally declared free. One hundred and seventy odd years later, a few Caribbean bloggers pay tribute to their forefathers, whose sacrifice has earned them their freedom today...
Saud Arabia: Windows or Satellite Dishes?
Saudi blogger Aysha Alkusayer is shocked at the number of satellite dishes, popping out of the windows of residential towers in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.
