Stories from 30 June 2012
Benin: Introducing the African School of Economics
Dr. Leonard Wantchekon introduced the African School of Economics ASE at the World Bank on June 14. The campus will be located in the city of Akassato in Abomey-Calavi (Benin), near Cotonou. The goal of the school is to “to address the dearth of quality tertiary education, cutting-edge research, and innovative public policy in...
Trinidad & Tobago: The Architect of our Public Spaces
Lisa Allen-Agostini and toomucheyes blog about a new exhibition that honours the work of architect Colin Laird, who designed many of the country's most beloved public spaces.
Trinidad and Tobago: Security Minister or Action Figure?
Instead of taking on Trinidad and Tobago's many serious crime problems, the newly appointed Minister of National Security's first official action was to request an army contingent to demolish a protesters camp blocking the construction of a new highway. His move has inspired a tongue-in-cheek reaction from bloggers.
Trinidad & Tobago: For all the Daughters
A new blog, that addresses “everything about being a girl in the Caribbean”, is here.
Jamaica: Guts & Glory in Olympic Trials
“Once again Jamaica has a monopoly on the fastest men and women in the world”: Annie Paul reports from the Jamaican Track and Field Olympic Trials.
Cuba: Clicking Towards the Future
Havana's recently concluded Festival Clic, which was designed to discuss Internet and Society in Cuba, has got several bloggers talking about technology and the role it can play in the country's future.
Mouth-watering Recipes and Pictures from Turkmen Cuisine
One Turkmen Kitchen is a must-visit blog for gourmands. A native of Turkmenistan now living in Prague uses the blog to share recipes from the Turkmen cuisine. Warning: the recipes come with pictures that look so stunning that you'll want to fork your computer monitor.
Colombia: When the Dead Belong to the Upper-Class
At Hoja Blanca, Lucas Urdaneta refers to the so-called Colmenares Case (the murder of a student of the University of the Andes which has received a lot of media coverage in Colombia), and wonders [es] what happens when victims don't belong to the privileged classes. He adds that, given the...
Tajikistan: Is There ‘National Unity’ in the Country?
As Tajikistan marks an anniversary of peace accords that put an end to the civil war and brought about ‘national unity’ in the country, blogger Ilhom writes [tj] about his recollections of the war. Another blogger, Jovid Muqim, suggests [tj] that there can be no ‘national unity’ in the country where...
Tajikistan: The Role of Intellectuals in Running a Country
Should poets have a bigger say in how the countries they live in are run? Adash Istad writes [tj] that Tajik intellectuals have stayed out of government affairs too long. The blogger argues that it is time for intellectuals to understand that they have a particular ‘mission’ which consists of educating...