Global Voices Online

Yulia of neweurasia Kyrgyzstan translates a Russian-language post on a plan to use lie-detectors to try to root out corruption in government.

Trent Milan, marking a year in Tajikistan, lists off things he has noticed the Kyrgyz like, including a number of interesting folk remedies.

Alexander Sadikov says that Tajikistan's upcoming presidential election will be free and fair because the sitting president faces no real opponents.

Marlon James explains why Jamaicans can't rock.

Geoffrey Philp writes about a poem of his that's been “roundly rejected” by several publishers, and offers us a chance to read it.

Larry Smith questions whether the Bahamian state television channel is still relevant or required.

France-based Senegal Diaw wonders (Fr) why France still feels like a police state despite the riots from last summer when youth protested the treatment of young people of color by police. He tells of an instance when he was searched by the cops in a subway station.

W. Shedd of The Accidental Russophile writes about Herman Veldhuizen, a Norwegian bicyclist: “Herman has made and chronicled two bicycle trips in Russia. His first trip was a 20-day trip in 2004 from Helsinki to Kazan. Having said that he would definitely do such a trip in Russia again, he put his money where his mouth is and made a second 30-day trip in 2005 from Perm to Ukhta (via Syktyvkar).”

David McDuff of A Step At A Time translates a piece on the ongoing kidnappings in Chechnya.