Stories from 9 August 2008
Tajikistan: Saving Shughni Language
Ian tells how a group of scholars at the University of Kentucky is working on a grammar of Shughni language, spoken in the Badakhshan region of Tajikistan.
Kyrgyzstan: Friction Over Manas
Josh Foust says that Kyrgyz officials have confiscated dozens of weapons from a house rented by U.S. officials in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan.
Afghanistan: Police Training Course
The Rumi reports that the local authorities of Mazar-I-Sharif opened the first training course for female police in Afghanistan.
Georgia, Russia: Cyrillic Bloggers React to the Conflict in South Ossetia
In a brief report sent around noon of Aug. 8 from a hotel basement in Tskhinvali, the beleaguered capital of South Ossetia, Russian journalist Mikhail Romanov wrote this about the nature of the conflict: "The city is under heavy howitzer and mortar fire. An endless cannonade. I've seen many wounded people. Peacekeepers are commenting succinctly: 'This is war.'" Below are more reactions from bloggers in Russia and Ukraine.
Georgia: Saakashvili's Miscalculation
The Armenian Observer says that the latest military confrontation between Russia and Georgia was a miscalculation by the Georgian president, Mikhail Saakashvili. The blog also says that with a defacto state of war waging in Armenia's northern neighbor, there are concerns at home about the conflict with Azerbaijan over another...
Armenia: Beijing Olympic Team
The Armenian Observer reports on the 25 Armenian athletes who are taking part in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
China: More foreigners protest, aided by 2.0 tools
Saturday saw another Free Tibet protest in Beijing, this time right from the middle of Tiananmen square. Qik.com vlogger noneck was at the scene to live-stream the protest, but that's not all that's going on right now..
Georgia: The Blame Game
With the international media reporting that Georgian forces are now engaged in direct conflict with the Russian military on the outskirts of Tskhinvali, capital of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, the situation still remains tense and unpredictable. Yet, with ethnic separatists claiming 1,400 civilians have been killed, views on the conflict remain polarized and ultimately appear to reflect what some see as a conflict over Russian and Western interests in the region.
Afghanistan: A Social Force or Vacuum Filler
Sanjar from Afghanistan opines on the role and place of Taliban, saying that it is the harshest form of a resistance movement which is created when the country is in a political vacuum.
Afghanistan: Diaspora in Iran
The Rumi tells about Afghani refugees in Iran and a girl, who blogs in English about the life of diaspora.
Afghanistan: Karzai's Brother World's Biggest Heroin Supplier?
The Rumi reflects on Daily Mail's investigative article about drug trade in Afghanistan, according to which, Karzai’s brother Ezatullah Wasefi, currently head of the Afghan government's anti-corruption authority is the world’s biggest heroin contractor.
Afghanistan: Olympics Hopes
SunLeaf tells about Nesar Ahmad Bahawi, a 23-year-old sportsman, who will represent Afghanistan in this year’s Olympics.
Ukraine: Repaying the moral debt of oligarchy
Kiev Ukraine News Blog reports on how Ukrainian – and for that case Russian – oligarchs try to repair their tarnished reputations by charity and “good works.”
Estonia: WWII Book Review
Itching for Eestima posts a review of Eesti Legion – a photobook by ex Prime Minister Mart Laar on the Estonian Legion during the Second World War – and reflects on historical perceptions. Gedanken über Estland reports (GER) that the very same book was recently confiscated by German police as...
Costa Rica: Cancer Patient Shares His Ups and Downs
A 45 year-old Costa Rican recently started a blog to share his thoughts on recently being diagnosed with lung cancer. The anonymous blogger discusses the difficulties in telling his family and a reflection on the possibility of not seeing his children grow up. His surgery will determine the severity of the cancer, as well as the course of treatment.
Palestine: The children who forgot how to have fun
The situation in the Gaza Strip has affected every aspect of life, and every age group. Blogger Samaher Al Khazandar describes the difficulties a kindergarten had when trying to hold a party at the end of the school year. But can children living in war zones enjoy their childhood?
Lebanon: Understanding Zionism
“The first time I met and listened to a zionist, I cannot tell you how suspicious I was of every word he said. Many ideas crossed my mind when I heard him speak […] It took me almost a year to overcome my suspicion,” writes Worried Lebanese about understanding but...
