Stories from 22 September 2008
Bangladesh: migrant worker rights
Shafiur reports that instead of safeguarding Bangladeshi workers’ rights in hostile foreign environments, the government is planning to introduce security measures like high deposits and fingerprinting of the workers to protect the foreign employers.
Angola: Luxurious flats for the rich, soaring rent for the poor
Land and property speculation in Luanda is one of the causes of the significant increase in housing prices in the Angolan capital. In this article, Clara Onofre investigates how luxury developments are quickly taking over Luanda's landscape. But who are they for?
Palestine: Prejudice in the USA
Palestinian blogger Laila El-Haddad has had an unpleasant encounter with a man in Virginia: “Free Palestine? Palestine's already free!!” he raged, gesturing to a bumper sticker on the back of my windshield as he began to walk away. … He then turned around and bellowed out “Why don't you go...
South Africa: Mbeki as a tragic hero
Is Thabo Mbeki a tragic hero?: “President Thabo Mbeki’s shock resignation on Sunday night has me reaching for my Julius Caesar (Act 3, scene 2). I have this image of the noble Caesar (Mbeki) cut down in the forum by the conspirators (Mantashe, Motlanthe, Malema, Zuma et al).”
Tajikistan: Talco Attacks Journalist
You might recall an article from a while back about how the government of Tajikistan was forming a unit to deal with that country's image problem, because, god knows, that's the country's biggest problem these days. Well, for the first time, there's something to show for that unit.
Africa: An African Voice Telling the African Story
Kenyan Pundit writes about A24 Media, “A24 Media is Africa’s first online delivery site for material from journalists, African broadcasters and NGO’s from around the Continent. A24 Media’s business model ensures that all contributors receive a wide and previously unknown exposure to their content, thereby generating sustainable and generous revenues...
South Africa: Forcing Mbeki out is stupid
J.S considers the move to force the South African President, Thabo Mbeki, out of office is stupid: “Mbeki being forced out is really a stupid thing for the ANC to do. Why couldn’t they have just left him there to complete his term?”
Japan: Virtual Shopping Mall
Serkan Toto from Asiajin introduces a popular virtual window shopping website in Japan.
China: Uncovering Sanlu Scandal
ESWN translated Fu Jianfeng's editor note of an investigative report on the Sanlu poisonous milk which disclosed how the company tried to cover up the scandal.
Japan: The Birth of Blog Critique
Hiroshi Yamaguchi at H-Yamaguchi.net discusses [ja] Japanese journalist, author and Internet commentator Toshinao Sasaki‘s latest book, “The Birth of Blog Critique” [ブログ論壇の誕生]. In the book, Sasaki describes the circumstances through which statements in blogs have come to genuinely affect modern Japanese society, in a variety of different contexts.
Tanzania: Tanzanian out of Big Brother Africa
The Tanzanian contestant in the Big Brother III has been evicted, “Tanzania's beautiful and sassy Latoya was evicted out of the just begun Big Brother Africa 3 challenge in SA, that country whose ruling party boss has the power to force the sitting Presidents resignation!”
Uzbekistan: Investing in Soccer
Tolkun tells about the first goals of world-renowned football player Rivaldo in Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor FC and embeds a video of the game.
Tajikistan: Electricity crisis
Vadim reports that the mayor of Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, has promised that the electricity crisis throughout the country will not hit Dushanbe this year.
Macedonia: Fighting Corruption with Online Video
Razvigor ;-) links to two bloggers, Komunikacii [MKD] and Panta Rei [MKD], who published several video clips used by citizens to document abuse of power in one of the municipalities of Skopje.
Kazakhstan: Shell + KMG
Adam reports that Kazakhstan’s state oil-and-gas company KazMunaiGas would create a joint venture with Royal Dutch Shell Plc to handle the production segment of the Kashagan oilfield.
Afghanistan: The Battle of Ashgabat
Joshua Foust links to the Columbia Journalism Review piece on the shootout in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, where a group of alleged radical Islamists entered in a clash with police.
Afghanistan: Weapons of Insurgents
Nasim Fekrat reports on the fact that the Taliban insurgents use US-made Stinger anti-aircraft guided missiles. Just a few weeks ago, there was a deadly US helicopter crash caused by a Stinger in southern Afghanistan.
Dominican Republic: Schoolchildren Milk Found on Beach
Paolah of Ahi e Que Prende [es] writes about the discovery of milk used for schoolchildren on Juan Dolio beach in the Dominican Republic.
Bahamas: The Writer
Bahamian Nicolette Bethel examines the role of the writer in society.
Jamaica: Portia Prevails
Both Active Voice and My View of JamDown from Up So blog about former Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller's victory over “the unprecedented leadership challenge by long-time party stalwart Dr. Peter Phillips.”
Jamaica: Slaves
Jamaican Geoffrey Philp has “had enough of these latter day heroes whose bravery exists only in their febrile imaginations. They denigrate the memory of our ancestors who sucked salt, bore the whip and the yoke of slavery, and invented stories in the dark so that one day their children could...
