Stories from 16 August 2010
Vietnam: Flash Mob Saigon
Vietnam720 uploads a youtube video of a flashmob at the Ben Thanh Market Roundabout in Saigon, Vietnam.
Vietnam: Housing prices
Neil Nguyen, writing for Vietnam Talking Points, analyzes the rising asset prices in Vietnam since 2001 and asks if it is going to burst like the housing bubble in the U.S.
Vietnam: VietTimes bloglist
VietTimes offers a list of recommended English-written blogs about Vietnam.
Vietnam: Supporting local orphanages
Little Tigers is a non-profit organization founded this year “to assist in improving the welfare of the many orphans and vulnerable children in Vietnam.”
Saudi Arabia: In Memory of Dr Ghazi Al Gosaibi
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are mourning the loss of an intellectual who has contributed greatly to the cultural and development scene of both neighbouring countries. Ghazi Al Gosaibi, a poet, author, Ambassador and minister, died yesterday at the age of 70. Bloggers and tweeps remember him in this round up of reactions from across the Arab world.
Russia: Fight With Fire in Ryazan Region
Blogger chistoprudov features more photos on his blog related to the latest efforts to put out wild fires in Ryazan region, Russia.
Lebanon: Making Money out of Blogs
Dreaming of making money from your blog? Lebanese bloggers discuss online digital marketing here.
UAE: Censorship is a Myth
UAE's Vice-President and Dubai Ruler Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the UAE does not “impose any restrictions on information or news about economic and financial issues.” The Gulf Blog reacts here.
India: Mumbai Bloggers Meet
Mumbai Metblogs reports about a recent bloggers meet in Mumbai hosted by Indiblogger.in and compiles some Twitter reactions on the event tagged by #indimum.
Zimbabwe: New play about Liberian civil war
Novell writes about Eclipse, a play by the US-based Zimbabwean actress, Danai Gurira: “Eclipsed is a story about the Liberian civil war that arose in defiance of Charles Taylor’s rule. The play examines in particular the war’s impact on the female population in the region.”
D.R.of Congo/Burundi: Don't ignore Burundi
Jason's advice for Congo: ignore Burundi at your peril: “Why should the Congolese care? First, Agathon Rwasa, the former head of the FNL rebel group, has probably crossed into the Kivus.”
Africa: Shout-Africa.com calls for correspondents
Africa’s newest newshub Shout-africa.com invites African journalists interested in corresponding for the online news project on voluntary basis to promote online journalism in Africa.
Sri Lanka: The Sri Lankan Malays
Frangipaniii at 1985 Mosquito Bites shares what it is like to be a Sri Lankan Malay: “the community of between 50,000 – 70,000 people in Sri Lanka currently share a language – a derivative of Malay spoken in South East Asia and a culture that is going through some rapid...
Africa: Conference on African Same-Sex Sexualities
A conference on African Same-Sex Sexualities and Gender Diversity will take place in South Africa, February 13-16, 2011.
Macedonia: Political Parties Obsess Over Facebook ‘Likes,’ Myth-Making
Macedonian bloggers comment on the attempts of political parties to show off their ratings via social networks, while the communication they offer remains devoid of substance.
China: GDP rising, public spending too?
We keep hearing that China's economy is still booming; has public spending increased in step? Private savings are staying in the bank, writes one blogger: from hospitals to schools to pensions for senior folks, China just doesn't compete.
Lebanon: Why do Food Prices go up in Ramadan?
Lebanese blogger Mustapha explains his theory on why food prices go up in Ramadan, blaming the “mothers” in his post.
China: Investigative report on Zhouqu landslide
Wangkeqin wrote an investigative report [zh] on the August 7 Zhouqu landslide. The journalist blogger posted a number of photos showing the fragile construction of water dams in Zhouqu.
China: Domestic consumption
Tom Lasseter from China Rises blogs about his experience and lack of confidence in Chinese domestic consumption.
Japan: Ogasawara Islands to be next UNESCO site?
With access limited to a chartered ship which sets sail once every six days or so, the Ogasawara Islands (小笠原諸島) are assuredly among the least accessible parts of Tokyo (where prefectural governing responsibility officially lies)! Home to a number of endemic species of wildlife and unique geological features, the islands...
Russia: Photos of Altai Krai Taken From Helicopter
Simon Pavlyuk, a traveller and blogger, posts [RUS] stunning pictures of Altai Krai [EN] taken during a helicopter trip.
