Stories from 7 September 2010
Seychelles: Monitoring Seychelles Whale Sharks
Report from the first week of monitoring whale sharks in Seychelles :”The first day saw an impressive 10 in-water encounters which we all hoped was a sign of great things to come… the 10 encounters after completion of photo ID revealed only 1 new shark and 3 previously identified sharks.”
Brunei: Charity, Food, and Ramadhan
Bloggers in Brunei have been sharing their thoughts about the holy month of Ramadan. Charity seems to be a common thread in blogs and other social media sites. Bloggers have also organized some activities for netizens who are fasting.
Turkmenistan: Instant messenger agent.mail.ru banned in Turkmenistan
Annasoltan informs the readers that the government of Turkmenistan decided to ban the popular social networking site and instant messenger agent.mail.ru.
Tajikistan: On the problems of Tajik youth
With an average age of 24, Tajikistan is one of the world’s youngest countries. But this may be a curse rather than a blessing, argues Tajik Voice exploring youth culture in this country and covering two topics – religion and life prioroties.
Uzbekistan: Clashes on the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border
Marat Sartpaev reports on the series of incidents with detentions of officers and citizens of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan by each side since late August, while ordinary citizens are becoming nervous about this.
Kazakhstan: Oraza fasting and new media
Askhat reflects on Oraza, the Muslim fasting in Kazakhstan, by reviewing the Internet users’ comments and questions they ask online on the forums and specialized websites about fasting.
Kazakhstan: Controversial and Ambitious Boxer
KZBlog writes about Beibut Shumenov, boxing world champion from Kazakhstan, his scandalous winning of the title in home country last year, and also about his plans for the future.
North Korea: North Released Seven South Korean Fishermen
North Korea released seven South Korean fishermen and their fishing boat after detaining them over a month South Korea’s Joongang Ilbo reported,quoting North Korea’s state-run news agency.
Afghanistan: Interview with Taliban commander
Nick Fielding reports that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Afghan Taliban) website has published an interview with Qari Khairullah Muneeb, commander in the south of Kandahar province.
Mongolia: Mongol horse racing and Naadam festival
Bilguun tells about Mongolia's Naadam festival in July, it's history and present. It is normally followed by a season of feasts, featuring the “three manly sports”, namely archery, wrestling and horse racing.
Afghanistan: Insecurity in Badakhshan
Joel Hafvenstein reflects on the state of security in Badakhshan province of Afghanistan after two recent lethal attacks by insurgents on aid workers there.
http://www.registan.net/index.php/2010/09/04/imu-leader-probably-killed-in-takhar/
Joshua Foust examines the news about Mohammed Amin, a key figure in the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, who has been probably killed by the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
China: Is the West Becoming Chinafied?
Stan Abrams from china/divide discusses the trend of the West becoming Chinafied in terms of language, culture and economy.
Taiwan: The Allure of Night Markets
After sunset in Taiwan, when the stars start to twinkle, night markets are crowded with people from all walks of life. To Taiwanese, night markets are more than mere eating places, and now the culture of the night market has become a distinctive and precious touristic experience for foreigners visiting Taiwan.
D.R. of Congo: The Trouble With Congo
Texas in Africa reviews Séverine Autesserre's new book, The Trouble with the Congo: Local Violence and the Failure of International Peacebuilding.
Malawi: When Will Network Problems End?
Victor complains about network problems in Malawi: “It is annoying to be prevented from benefiting from an ATM service at the Auto-Teller Machine just because there is a network problem with the machine.”
Kenya: Empowering Slum Communities
Ulrike write about Slumcode Group in Nairobi, Kenya: “Slumcode is a Community Based Organization, located in a densely populated residential town in Nairobi, Kenya. It was formed with the aim to facilitate community development through resource mobilization…”
Global Taiwanese Beef Soup Threading
The Big Old Smoke who lives in UK initiates a funny and tasty campaign “Global Taiwanese Beef Soup Threading[zht]” and invites her blogger/plurker friends both in Taiwan and abroad to share their individual beef soup recipes and post them on blogs.
Canada: The ‘Disappearance’ of Native Women
News from Canada that nearly 600 native women have gone missing over the past three decades has spread far and wide and throughout the Canadian blogosphere. Human rights activists claim that the Canadian government has not done enough to investigate the disappearances. Most of the women are thought to have been murdered.
