Stories from 7 September 2006
Kyrgyzstan: Constitutions
Yulia of neweurasia reports that Kyrgyzstan's constitutional commission has finally presented three draft constitutions to the public and revealed the disagreements and political wrangling that were involved in their drafting.
Kyrgyzstan: Tekebaev's Heroin
Sean Roberts discusses the curious and shocking case of the arrest of a prominent Kyrgyz opposition politician, Omurbek Tekebaev, for smuggling drugs into Poland.
Uzbekistan: On Trial for a Song
The Long and Winding Road reports on the latest developments in the trial of Dadahon Hasanov, a musician on trial for writing a song commemorating the massacre of civilians during the May 2005 protests in the eastern Uzbek city of Andijon.
Armenia: Football & the Flag
Akhtamar, blogging at ArmYouth Blog, writes that he and his friends decided to show their national pride while attending the recent football match between Armenia and Belgium by painting the Armenian tricolor on their faces. He reports that this was met with plenty of shock and confusion.
Afghanistan: Winning the War
Waheed says that if NATO forces really want to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan, they must pressure Pakistan to take action against Afghan militants based there.
Guyana: The ubiquitous Guyanese
Guyanese are everywhere, observes a wistful MediaCritic: “Lost, gone, no more. Building other nations, building a brighter future overseas.”
Guyana: Alien kidnapping
Guyana-Gyal hasn't heard from her brother in over week. “I hope them aliens ain't kidnap he again,” she says.
Bermuda: Sustainable Development documents
The Limey kindly makes available on his weblog downloadable copies of the draft Sustainable Development Plan documents that the Bermuda government appeared be having trouble with at their own newly launched blog.
UK: Tony Blair's long goodbye
“Behold the stubbornness of the politician. The arrogance and blindness and stupidity of the species,” writes British-born Trinidadian blogger Jeremy Taylor, examining Tony Blair's refusal to step down. “It's a lesson that some parts of the Caribbean have yet to learn. Everyone has their sell-by date, after which the product...
Trinidad & Tobago: Costume hunt
Trinidadian blogger saucydiva, who's been making the rounds of the “mas’ camps” in Port of Spain in search of a Carnival costume, pays a visit to the headquarters of Pulse 8, whose “Wicked Waitress” costume is priced at US$400.
Cuba, Bolivia: The ballet tours; Evo visits
Luis M. Garcia reports that the Cuban National Ballet is receiving mixed reviews on its tour of Europe and notes that a visit to Cuba by Evo Morales has been reported on Cuban television.
Malaysia: Human Trafficking
Malaysian blogger Volume of Interactions watches a documentary on trafficking of women while on a visit to Australia. The blogger is disturbed by the fact that most of the trafficking transits through Malaysia. “What irks me so much is that these things are happening right now within our very borders,...
Haiti: Back to School
Collectif Haiti de Provence links (Fr) to a metropolehaiti.com article explaining the hurdles that parents and children alike faced today in going back to school. Namely, according to the Minister of Education Gabriel Bien-Aime, only 10% of schoolchildren will be able to start school this week, a number lower than...
Martinique, France, World Cup: Would a Blue Shirt Have Done it?
Faced with evidence that the French soccer team wore blue jerseys in 1998 and 2000 when the team had better World Cup luck, Le Blog de [Moi] theorizes (Fr) that the team's choice of a white jersey for this year's World Cup final was unwise.
Belarus: Interview With Young Activist
Robert Mayer of Publius Pundit interviews a 22-year-old Belarusian activist who now lives in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Martinique: Ursula Martinez and [Moi]
Le Blog de [Moi] marvels (Fr) at the amount of attention her blog received for a video of an Ursula Martinez act at the Juste Pour Rire festival in Montreal. She says: “I was linked to from all countries and in all languages.”
Latvia: Sandra Kalniete
All About Latvia writes about Sandra Kalniete, the newest candidate for president: “Kalniete’s biography represents Latvian history before and after the fall of the Soviet Union.”
Czech Republic: Tram Ride Podcast
Bored in Brno writes about trams and records a tram ride soundscape/podcast.
Czech Republic: Phone Book Season
My Czech Republic Blog writes about the annual ritual of obtaning a phone book in Prague.
Belarus: Doing Business 2007 Ranking
TOL's Belarus Blog reports on a World Bank's “Doing Business 2007″ survey: Belarus has ranked 129 this year, right after Ukraine.
Serbia: Film on War in Kosovo
Kushtrim Xhakli writes about a movie about the missing persons of the war in Kosovo.