Global Voices Online

Raffi of Life in Armenia reports on impressions of Georgia.

KZ Blog reports on encounters with the preparations for the upcoming presidential election.

Oneworld Multimedia has another report on Armenia's Bambir rock band.

Rico of neweurasia reports that Turkmenistan is demanding apologies from foreign media outlets for reporting the existence of an Islamic Movement of Turkmenistan. (Probably a sloppy mistake regarding the Islamic Movement of Turkestan.)

neweurasia reports on the strange new oath for doctors in Turkmenistan.

the beatroot notes a sudden political transformation in Poland's parliament.

Juan Noly was impressed by the town of Rio Hacha.

The presidents of China and Chile have signed a free trade agreement. Gloria Delucchi writes in El Morrocotudo that she envisions that the region of Tarapacá will gain importance (ES) as unfinished goods are imported from China to be fully assembled and marketed for Chilean consumers.

After opening offices in Mexico and Brazil, Richard Miller says Google News now also has a site dedicated to Brazil. Made in Brazil has some memorable photos of California governor, Arnold Swarzenegger while he was vacationing in Rio.

Ian informs that Teatro Colón is back after a month without performances due to a lockout.

Julizzette Colon-Bilbraut must decide between her grandmother's birthday and her anniversary with her partner.

Annie Sánchez celebrates 10 years of breast cancer awareness.

Mutant Frog Travelogue analyzes the symbolism behind China's recently unveiled five mascots for the Beijing Olympics. “China’s choice also says something about the degree to which its “peaceful rise” diplomacy has been incorporated in creative and non-traditional ways into popular culture. Whether one buys into the message or not, one can’t accuse the Chinese of not trying.”

Ada apa dengan ShinShin? asks whether disgraced former Malaysian deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim is an asset or a liability to the opposition party he associated with.

Burma Underground compares raids on Myanmar refugees and activists in Malaysia and Thailand. “In Chiang Mai, I would sit on the floor at my Kachin friends' house, and Naw Kham would tell me traditional stories from the Jinghpaw, their tribe. Here in KL, I sit in the kitchen of the CRC offices and Zaw Zaw, a guy about my age who teaches the Chin children math in the afternoons, tells me stories about the times they'd all been arrested…”

Singapore's serialdeviant.org(y) says that a domestic helper ought to be treated as an employee not a servant, and that their employ should be the same as employing anyone else for a job.

Korean-Canadian Jun-Gang of A Canadian-Gyopo's Tour of Duty posts the speech he gave in Korean at his graduation, which discusses why he decided to go to Korea to learn his parent's native tongue: “What’s more important to me though is the one thing I've always wanted to be able to do is to simply have a deep conversation with my parents. In one word, it was this thought drove me to endlessly think of ways of how I could become fluent in Korean.”

Pejvake Khamoush (means silent echo), an Iranian cleric & blogger, writes “According to Mehr News agency 25000 books were burned after fire destroyed library of faculty of Law in Tehran university. (Persian)

Khabgard says “We are Iran” which is about Persian blogs, is not a reliable source. Book only talks about less than 2 percent of blogs. Khabgard writes Nasrin Alavi's, book's writer, claim that 70 percent of Iranian are young and they want a secular democracy, is based on speculation not facts. (Persian)

Despite all the hatered, Times of India still seems to be doing great in terms of numbers says Media Watch.

Sadiq Alam has a roundup on Sufi thoughts and posts on various blogs.

Blogdai suspects that something's cooking in Delhi -

This is democracy, 7-party style. “We must give Nepal back to the people, and let them decide,” we often hear from the Parties. Looks like they mean the people of India.

Some dramatic events might cut short the King's visit to Tunisia says United We Blog!

Shirazi on an IT business model (Application Service Provider) that offers end users – small and large businesses, government organizations, non-profits, and membership organizations even individuals — an access to applications and services over the Internet and its scope in Pakistan.

Here's another way to bridge the Digital Divide - use torrents. Misha explains how.

Meskel Square has some light relief from Addis Ababa after weeks of violence….some nice photos too of the hour. ………….The gloom that has settled over most people I know in Addis lifted for exactly one hour and 35 minutes over the weekend. The event was an official training morning for the upcoming Great Ethiopian Run, due to take place on Sunday, November 27″

Friends of Ethiopia reports more on the arrest of opposition leaders who are now being held on charges of treasons. ………Dr Nega and his colleagues are being held on charges of treason, which is punishable by death under Ethiopian law. Amnesty International regards them as prisoners of conscience, arrested solely for the non-violent expression of their political beliefs.”

Jangbalajugbu Homeland Stories posts on yesterdays Global Voice workshop “Expression under Repression”…………….Yesterday we listened to first hand expriences of people blogging in coutries like China, Zimbabwe and Iran, where there is a massive censorship going on.Bloggers from these three countries told us about the fears they entertain daily and the extra caution they take while speaking in public places. There was a discussion about the great firewall of China, the politics of Iran and the campaign against some anti-people policies in Zimbabwe.“

Black Star Journal wonders who made the decision to hold the WSIS in Tunisia - a country that does its utmost to repression free expression. “ What's next? A world summit on good governance held in Harare?”

Agathon Rwasa reports on more abuses by the army of Burundi including the use of child soldiers some as young as nine. ……”FNL combatants also reportedly burned homes in four different communities in Kayanza province and stole cows, goats, and household goods in early October. They are also accused of injuring six people in an ambush and stealing their property. According to press accounts, witnesses said that most of the perpetrators were under 18 years old”

Inside Somaliland reports on landlocked Ethiopia's first import of cargo through the Red Sea port of Berbera in Somaliland.

Mentalacrobatics asks what the Kenyan government has against wildlife. …“First of all it goes giving away National Parks, in a move which was illegal, to buy votes in the referendum and then it decides to flog 175 animals to Thailand“

The Omani Blog Awards 2005 (aka OBA2005), nomination stage has begun. Good luck everyone!

Samir of The View From Fès reports that King Mohammed VI of Morocco has pardoned or reduced the prison sentences of 10,000 people to mark the 50th anniversary of independence. It is the largest ever number of prisoners involved in a royal pardon to mark national and religious holidays.

SillyBahrainiGirl says: “How are the football players faring? I doubt that all of them are enjoying the perks of life, if they had to play under the threat of getting a home, a car and money or losing it all should they lose the match! I don't see why anyone should perform under threat. I don't see how they could…. I am proud to be a Bahraini.. but what annoys me most is that we make the same mistakes over and over again as if there is a divine power out there making sure that our heads remain down…. All those infuriated by the opinions of a few - who have no interest in football - should look closer at how things are run back home. Maybe by looking at what went wrong, we can make things go right.”

Kenyan Pundit expresses disappointment at the nomination of Effie Owour to the ICC (International Criminal Court). ....”So our government has a rare chance to send one of our best and brightest to the International Criminal Court (ICC), and who do they nominate instead? Someone who has been accused of corruption and was indeed named in the Ringera List of Shame and who chose to resign rather than clear her name and defend herself against the allegations against her”