Stories from 6 January 2006
Mexico: Post-Wilma Weblog
Steve Bridger has started a new blog, afterwilma.info in order to document the reconstruction process taking place in Cancún and the Riviera Maya. He explains what inspired the blog on the about page.
Guatemala: Mining, the World Bank and Wolfowitz
Rob Mercatante posts a press release by the Colectivo Ecologista MadreSelva on a meeting between World Bank president, Paul Wolfowitz and a delegation of indigenous people affected by the Glamis Gold mine in San Marcos. Mercatante has written previously about the mine.
El Salvador: Pirated CD Vendors Protest New Law
Both Tim and Salvador Canjura blog about the street protests by pirated CD vendors against a new CAFTA-related law, which brings tougher enforcement and punishments against vendors of copyright-infringed products. El Diario de Hoy has photos.
Colombia: Binational Relationships
“WorldCitizen” generates a lively response on the Poor But Happy forums when she voices her problems with common stereotypes of binational relationships between Caucasian men and Colombian women.
Bolivia, Venezuela: “Where is Washington's Counter-Offer?”
Adam Isacson compares what the U.S. has offered Evo Morales in aid and assistance compared to the offer of Hugo Chavez's Venezuela and concludes that the United States is making a foreign affairs folly by not embracing Morales’ moderate side.
Costa Rica: International Observers Called to Elections
Costa Rica Blogs says that 110 – 120 international observers will be on hand during the February 5th elections.
Brazil: Alcântara Island
Andrew of Comings Communiqué recounts his visit to the island of Alcântara, off the the coast of São Luís.
Bolivia: Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada
Eduardo Ávila has two photos of posters demanding justice be brought against former president, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada. Jim Shultz wants to know what is behind the New York Times’ spin on Evo Morales visit to Spain.
Argentina: The state of the Argentine blogosphere
Toutatis attempts to sum up the state of the Argentine blogosphere, which he refers to as “young and not sure where it’s headed.” In an addendum, he adds Hernán Cascieri's blog-novel, Mujer Gorda, which was selected as best weblog in the BOB's.
Egypt: The Massacre of the Sudanese Refugees
Photo by Nora. The tragic and bloody end of the Sudanese sit-in is still the main discussion topic in the Egyptian blogosphere. It is another brutal police action that I can't keep on saying that it proves to us that Egypt is living in a brainless police state. Egypt is...
Trinidad & Tobago: Cronyism
Cronyism is nothing new, says Taran Rampersad, commenting on the furore surrounding FIFA Vice President and adviser to the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation Jack Warner's alleged hogging of tickets for matches in the 2006 World Cup.
Ukraine: Gas Deal Not Bad
Orange Ukraine says that the new gas deal between Russia and Ukraine is not bad, and breaks down the good and bad in it.
Bulgaria: No to Gazprom
With Bulgaria refusing to pay higher prices to Gazprom, Veronica Khokhlova wonders why no on in Russia is accusing them of lies and thievery..
Kazakhstan: New National Anthem
Kazakhstan is getting a new national anthem. It's an old tune with new words supplied by the president. You can listen to the song at neweurasia.
Tajikistan: Year in Review
James of neweurasia reviews 2005 in Tajikistan.
Kyrgyzstan: Besh Barmak
The Golden Road to Samarqand discusses besh barmak (“five fingers”), the Kyrgyz national dish, offering a recipe and detailing customs surrounding the dish.
Armenia: Scandal Rings in the New Year
Onnik Krikorian writes on Armenian politics and the scandal that has rung in the new year.
Azerbaijan: Avian Flu Worries
Casti of In Pursuit of Nirvana is worried about avian flu in Azerbaijan on the heels of the news of deaths from the disease in Turkey and massive numbers of deaths of farm birds in southern Azerbaijan.
Iran: Free Strike Leader!
According to Paiz (Persian), Nederlands based blogger, ICFTU (international confederation of free trade unions) wrote a letter to Iranian President to protest against the continued detention of the leader of the Syndicate Mansour Osanloo. It has also been reported that 1500 Sherkate Vahed (Tehran's Bus compnay) workers signed a petition...
Latin America: Public Affection
Inspired by Somini Sengupta's New York Times article, Is Public Romance a Right?, Vikrum Sequeira compares societal attitudes towards public affection in India and Latin America.
American Tableaux Manners Egyptian Style
Danial Varisco, Chair of the Anthropology Department at Hofstra University and author of “Tabsir: Insight on Islam and the Middle East” has a very interesting post on “American Tableaux Manners Egyptian Style”
