Cambodia: Bridging digital divide

The Panos and Global Knowledge Partnership is inviting submissions for 2005 “Reporting on the Information Society” awards. ThaRum highlights projects targetting at bridging digital divide in Cambodia so that Cambodian working journalists could use them to take part in the competition.

Cambodia: CamboKids

Johnny Crook reports that community work at CamboKids is about reintroducing Khmer traditional culture and heritage which were almost destroyed during the past war and using activities that might help ensure children grow up and develop with stable mental health.

North Korea: Unhappy, negotiations delayed

Intelligence Watch records a media report which said North Korea has declared a two-week delay to September 12 before it would resume its nuclear program negotiations in Beijing. Probably reason: North Korea is unhappy with plans for a joint United States-South Korea military exercise.

North Korea: Massive festivals

North Koreans are flocking to Pyongyang for a massive festival marking the August 15 Liberation Day and the 60th anniversary of the Workers Party. Migukin blog editor Shelton Bumgarner echoes doubts whether Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) can ill afford the resources given its troubled economy.

Japan: Geisha goof

Japundit says the movie version of Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha, scheduled for Christmas release, is a goof. Apparently, the American producers had cast Chinese actresses in the roles of the Japanese characters, and the dialogues are in English. Bottomline: So un-authentic.

Malaysia: Political blog

Group blog, Politics 101 Malaysia, has been created as a social-political awareness exercise to reach out to young Malaysians who have little or no political knowledge. It's been rated by Yahoo.

Malaysia: Opposition Leader starts a blog

Even Lim Kit Siang, the Malaysian Parliamentary Opposition Leader, has started blogging. In his sixth entry, he talks about the 1957 Proclamation of Independence, and the gulf between promises and realities.

Malaysia: National Day + Blog Day

Malaysia's National day falls on the same day we observe Blog Day, August 31. Blogger Minishorts feels the 48-year independence has been taken for granted, TV Smith's heart sank seeing the faded and forlorn fluttering with a few remaining shreds of dignity. Some English bloggers chose to write in the...

Singapore: Migration blues

Singaporeans thinking about migrating are being reminded that migration is not a bed of roses. “Just get your feet in the door. Other doors will open….” might not be a mantra that works wonders.

Singapore: Blogs in public exam papers

Blogs and podcasting are becoming accepted phenomena as bothappeared as the essay question for the General Paper in the 2005 preliminary examination in the junior college.

Singapore: Quitters’ Exodus

Did Singapore premier Lee Hsien Loong break down during the National Day Rally because today's youngsters would just give up their citizenship so easily for greener pastures without second thought when they could not be satisfied materially?

Indonesia: Gus Dur for Christians

Former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid (aka Gus Dur), an influential Muslim cleric, has made a stand against the anti-Christian activities of violent Muslim group Front Pembela Islam (Islamic Defenders’ Front).

Philippines: Going to the dogs

The Socialist opposition has been busy using pets for political propaganda. It's a gimmick to dramatize their stand that the impeachment complaint hearings against President Arroyo in Congress are going to the dogs.

Philippines: Arroyo has to go

To the members of the Black-and-White Movement, issues surrounding the Presidency and the Impeachment Complaint share no room for shades of gray when it comes to the Truth. There are others who feel the longer President Arroyo stays in power, the more bankrupt government becomes. A rally is being planned...

Cambodia: Blogs as university research topic

Tharum's blogging experience becomes the research topic for Pannasastra University students who study for Fundamentals of Communication. The referral came from an article in the Cambodia Daily.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) is being pressed to convict masterminds of last year’s murder of acclaimed human rights campaigner Munir, who was killed by arsenic poisoning while on a September 6-7 Garuda flight from Jakarta to Singapore to Amsterdam. Though the suspects , Garuda Indonesia pilot and alleged intelligence...

Indonesia: New blog

Former politics and economics website Laksamana.Net has reincarnated into an English blog named Paras Indonesia, though it retains the former URL. Editorially backed by six columnists, it attempts to present straight news that explains the dynamics and intricacies of Indonesia, like this one – Pressure on President as rupiah hits...

Hong Kong: Rant TV-blog

www.faint.tv looks set to be a blog specifically to rant about Hong Kong Cable TV, observes OrdinaryGweilo. A worthy subject, but sustainability is suspect, he adds.

China: BloggerCon

Organisers of the Chinese Blogger Conference scheduled for November are looking for voluntary English-Chinese interpreters, and those based in Shanghai are preferred. The beta version of bloggercon schdule and preliminary list of speakers has been announced. Topics lined up include podcasting, tags/folksonomy, and blogs and education.

China: Bokee.com

Kevin Wen points to a Reuters story that reports on Bokee.com, which claims the biggest share of China’s blogging market with about 2 million registered users. The company set up in 2002, which provides free blogging services, says it is adding 6,000-10,000 daily. Main revenue: Advertising.

China: Newspaper circulation

While Malaysian newspapers conventionally base their advertising rates cards on readership figures, China's base it on both circulation and readership. As such, disputes often erupt with one newspaper publishes a set of quarterly figures and rival newspaper disputes them, like what happened in Malaysia. In China, the lack of reliable...