Stories from 15 November 2005
Puerto Rico: “Sobering Territorial Statistics
Gil Schmidt digs into the U.S. Census Bureau’s Statistical Abstract of the United States 2004-2005 and finds some “sobering statistics” related to how Puerto Rico compares to other U.S. territories like Guam and the Virgin Islands.
Jordan: Getting Things Straight
Rami Abdelrahman wonders, after Amman was bombed, that did not only show how vulnerable we are, but also how we need to get many things straight. Why do we stick our noses in our neighbours businesses? why do we have to take millions from the US, and probably as much...
Israel: Vatican swap deal to regain site of “Last Supper” in Jerusalem
Akiva says: “For the past 2 weeks, a woman in the U.S. has been trying to pin down rumors that the government of Israel is selling off parts of Mount Zion, specifically the area of David HaMelek's (King David's) tomb and the location of the Diaspora Yeshiva (Jewish religious school)...
Iraq: The Equation Elections
Omar says: “Math wasn’t my favorite class in school but I do remember one thing for sure that is inorder to solve any equation it has to contain a number of variables and constants and the values of the constants will help find those of the variables leading to the...
Algeria: Arabism or Africanism
Nouri bin Ziri writes about Algeria's relationship with pan-Africanism and pan-Arabism and Third Worldism and how it's been snubbing pan-Africanism and playing up Arabism lately.
Iranian Blogs: Association of Moslem Bloggers, 20 million dollary Revloutionary Guard and Solidarity with Feminist Tribune
A new association for Iranian bloggers came into existence: Association of Moslem Bloggers ( Link in Persian). Before this new association, a few other ones have become active such as Penlog which tries to protect freedom of expression and has about 200 members. But what is the goal of this...
Nigeria: Pan Africa
Grandiose Parlour sees the “handiwork of the Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo in the recent attempt of some African head of states to form a closer political union”. However he feels the “actors are mediocre and the timing is off”.
Zimbabwe Action Alert
Sokwanele – This is Zimbabwe has an action alert in respect of the ” arbitrary detention of Mrs. Netsai Mushonga the Coordinator of the Women’s Coalition, an umbrella body of women’s rights groups in Zimbabwe.”
Africa Corruption
Kenyan Pundit asks “Can someone please tell me why “lobbying” and “campaign finance” and “fraud” are always the words used to describe instances of corruption/bribery when it occurs in the United States and elsewhere in the West?“
DRC Health crisis
Coalition for Darfur is reporting on the possibility of a catastrophic health crisis looming in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
WSIS Tunis
Ethan Zuckerman is also on his way to WSIS in Tunis to run Global Voices workshop on “Expression under Repression. “ He like many others has a number of concerns on WSIS. “I’m attending despite deep misgivings over the usefulness of the gathering, the absurd cost of the meeting, and...
Nigeria: domestic violence
Nigerian blog, Resident Pharmacist wonders if there is not something ” about our culture that, while making it a morally unacceptable for a married woman to be assaulted, would not be as concerned about a single/unmarried woman”?
WSIS: white elephant
Friends of Ethiopia asks us to “beware of the white elephant” – The WSIS in Tunis this week will be discussing the “digital divide” between the “north” and “south” and call for a Digital Solidarity Fund. However without substantive changes in trade restrictions and barriers then it will just be...
Heliculture
In many parts of Africa snails are a delicacy. Timbuktu Chronicles has a report on heliculture in Africa (snail farming). Snails are not only eaten locally but are also a major source of foreign exchange in Ghana and can be used to increase the fertilisation of land for other crops.
Miriam Makeba – Mama Afrika
African music blog, SoundRoots is saddened by the decision of African Diva, Miriam Makeba too stop touring. In her performance in Cuba recently Mama Afrika commented about the use of the term “world music” to describe “third world” music. “I don’t believe that there would be rhythm without Africa. Now...
Uganda: arrest of Besigye
Black Star Journal has a report on the arrest of Ugandan opposition leader, Kizza Besigye by President Yoweri Museveni. “After 19 years of banning all political parties, Museveni's regime finally legalized multipartism. He even invited main opposition leader Kizza Besigye to return to the country. In addition to being the...
Cambodia: Shopping Spree
Lux Mean reveals where to go shopping for second-hand goods in Phnom Penh. Jinja covers a more ominous kind of sale: the no-bid transfers of public land to private bidders, which has already put the lands under the National University of Fine Arts and the National Theatre in private hands.
China: Bird Flu Coverage Debate
Danwei and Bingfeng Teahouse engage in a back-and-forth over an editorial in Caijing (Finance) magazine criticizing the domestic Chinese media's hesitant coverage of bird flu. Imagethief and The Peking Duck share their thoughts on the topic as well.
Indonesia: Water Woes
Jakartass discusses Jakarta's water problems — from subsidence, flooding, the lack of tap water for two-thirds of the population to the possibility of a severe water crisis in three years.
Philippines: Wrong Side Of the Tracks
Torn and frayed in Manila reacts to last week's post on Howie Severino's Sidetrip recording Severino's train ride into Manila. Hundreds of poor live along the tracks and pelt the trains with garbage. “Basically, because there is such incredible shortage of space in Manila people live wherever they can. If...
Singapore: “Just a Pretty Girl With a Blog”
Dawn Yang, a.k.a. clapbangkiss, could well be the first Singaporean blogger to find a talent agent purely on the basis of her online reputation: She is No. 1 on local site hottestblogger.com. The attention Yang has drawn surprises even the site's founder, Kahsoon. Writes Singapore's New Paper, the city-state's reigning...
