Global Voices Online

Zarchka writes about Tbilisi and Georgia, remarking on the difficulties associated with trying to speak Russian there, noting the parks and scenery in the capital, and contrasting the country with Armenia.

Luke Distelhorst inteviewed a member of Mongolia's parliament who says that the country needs a clear vision for reform.

At Iraq Blog Count a group of contributors keep a tally of, yes, you've guessed it, blogs in Iraq. The latest addition, Baghdad Chronicle, gets a rave review:

Woah, I don't know how this one slipped through IBC's collective radar. Miraj has been blogging since January and the blog description is simply “The detailed daily events of a Baghdadi woman”. But no, it's more than that, much more than that. Its touching, personal, gripping, exciting. Her writing style keeps you on the edge of your seat. In a word brilliant.

London, Lanka and Drums on the Sri Lankan festivities in London. “Trafalgar Square was buzzing when we arrived at about midday. The band was starting to soundcheck, the usual stuff with a bloke counting into all the different microphones, the drummer doing a bit, the singer poncing around on stage trying to look natural and pretending he is unaware of the people watching him from the crowd.”

Indi.ca on peace in Sri Lanka and why it involves being inclusive about Tamil culture and people. “If you want a United Sri Lanka then you want to live with Tamil people. It means that you want them as neighbors, co-workers and friends. It means that you want to see their language and hear their music and eat their food and do all the fun and annoying things that come with living together. It means that they deserve the same security, rights and common decency as any fellow citizen.” The commentspace is thriving with discussion.

Selma on culture and fashion at Mumbai's Fashion Street. “Opposite to Mumbai's grand Azad Maidan, and along the Cross Maidan lies the fashion solution for Mumbai's poor and elite alike. Welcome to Mumbai's Fashion Street. Amid the colors, figures being quoted in the bargaining process, yelling kids, weary moms, hep aunties and trendy college kids - always full of ideas but short of money, you might bag yourself a good deal here.”

Mommy blogs, and women in the blogosphere discussed at the Morph blog.

As activists in Egypt continue to demand an independent judiciary Baheyya celebrates the life of the recently deceased campaigning lawyer Ahmed Nbil al Hilali.

In his lifetime, he was christened “the saint of the national movement,” the “liberties lawyer,” and “the Egyptian people’s advocate,” since he spent nearly all of his waking hours defending those accused of engaging in free expression, association, and assembly.

“Volkswagen” reports on preparations in Belarus for possible natural gas price increases.