Stories from 26 October 2009
Afghanistan: Who will benefit from re-vote?
Nick Fielding assumes that no-one except the insurgents would benefit from the re-run of presidential elections, because the whole election process is now mired by corruption allegations.
Turkmenistan: Government Puts Obstacles to Peace Corp
Vlad reports that Turkmenistan has taken to barring entry to Peace Corps volunteers, for reasons that remain utterly baffling.
Mongolia: Luxury Brand Explosion
Bilguun reports that after this year's coming of Louis Vuitton to Ulaan Baatar, the capital of Mongolia, next year is scheduled for opening of even more luxury brand stores, although they all will be competing for “the same 300 or so customers who can afford their products”.
Kazakhstan: Boxing Scandal To Be Decided in Rematch
KZBlog reports that a boxer from Kazakhstan, widely viewed as a future world champion, will meet again with his opponent after appealing against the last year's match result.
Tajikistan: Militants in the Valley
Michael Hancock reviews the recent story about a shootout in the Tajikistan's part of the Fergana Valley.
Kazakhstan: economic paradoxes, sexism and the decline of science
Kazakhstan’s bloggers continue to discuss topics of social relevance Last week, online discussions touched on various subjects. The blogger Lord-Fame was visited by tax authorities, who found his company to have an insufficient number of employees, below the “industry average” [ru] What moron came up with this rule? How stupid...
UAE: Desperate Housewife
Palestinian Eman, who lives in the UAE, discusses her life as a ‘deperate’ housewife, whose life and work rotates around her home.
Tunisia: Al Jazeera and France
From Tunisia, Farhat Al Tunisi remarks [Ar]: “The similarity between the news on Tunisia that the occupying French media and Al Jazeera broadcast has reached a point which makes you think that our country is under French rule.”
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Liberalism
Majid Al Hamdan [Ar], from Saudi Arabia, shares the story of Saudi liberalism in this post.
Bahrain: Bahraini Inventors
Bahraini inventors? Mahmood Al Yousif finds them in this post.
Algeria: The Culture of Rioting
The Moor Next Door takes a closer look at the culture of rioting in Algeria: “A decade of national reconciliation has produce a society where young men riot by night and by day plot escape routs out of Algeria, via suicide or sea.”
Timor Sea Oil Spill Disaster
More than two months since the environmental catastrophe happened in the Timor Sea still no successful solution was found in order to plug the hole and stop the huge oil spill. Skytruth has been intensively blogging and proving the extent of the spill with satellite photos and netizens have started...
Guatemala: The Giant Kites of Santiago and Sumpango
Rudy Girón of Antigua Daily Photo recommends not to miss the giant kites that can be seen in the Guatemalan communities of Santiago and Sumpango.