Global Voices Online

Mutant Frog Travelogue directs us to images of banknotes used during the World War II Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia.

On his blog Go Figure, a Filipino economist fails to spread the gospel of free trade to his barber.

“When we transfer from industrial economy to knowledge economy,” asks Competitive Malaysia, “Does rice, which provide energy rather than brain power still suitable for us?”

Haro Singapore! investigates a local fad — feet detoxification — and finds reasons to doubt that an electrified foot bath can really pull out poisons from one's body.

DPRK Studies tries to answer the question: Is North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il crazy or not?

China Herald and danwei ridicule a press release that both received touting a new book about Chinese consumers. The release contained “12 Facts about the Confucian Consumer.” Writes Fons: “Confucius is a favorite way to hide ignorance at the China market and whenever the word is used (even when used at the Harvard Business Review), I doze off or (nowadays) answer my email.”

Guillermo Parra translates an Op-Ed piece by Oswaldo Barreto from Tuesday's Tal Cual while Miguel Octavio translates an Op-Ed by Teodoro Petkoff from yesterday's Tal Cual.

Hunnapuh recommends Tim's El Salvador Blog as a site of good commentary and excellent documentation. Tim, meanwhile, has three short notes about El Salvador today.

Costa Rica Blogs says Nobel Peace Prize winner, Oscar Arias has ruled out all possibilities of a debate between front-runners.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights has issued a communique with serious allegations against the justice system in Bahrain, Silly Bahraini Girl said.

Sharon is dying after whatever hit his brain. I am not writing this to express my joy but my admiration to Israel as a government, a country and a committee, $ilver Girl said.

Today's Hajj tragedy has hit the Middle East blogs. Far from Morocco to Israel, Bahrain, Libya, Jordan, Iraq and many more bloggers. Most if not all, feel sorry for what happened. Some blame the ignorance of some Pilgrimage's, other blame the Saudi system.

Jorge Gobbi continues his vlog tour of Buenos Aires with two videos of Parque Chacabuco.

A much reputed Indian educational institution offering degrees in Management is denied permission by the Indian Government to set up a branch outside the country. Anthony on what it means for the institution's brand if it is allowed to go ahead with its plans.

One year on - Sarvodaya on the grievances of the victims of the Tsunami in the most vulnerable regions.

A website for Rickshaw arts! Celebrating one of Bangladesh's unique popular arts, the paintings and decorations on the three-wheeled cycle ricksha — or “rickshaw”, as spelled in English dictionaries.

Samudaya.org on social alienation of Nepalis in the United States.

Karachi blog on the celebrations of Eid-ul-Azha in Pakistan.

Jo'blog comments on illegal acts by police officiers - a traffic chief for stealing R22million and a local policeman for driving patrol without a license for 13 years.

What an African Woman Wants considers the reports on drought in Northern Kenya…I'll bet you the shirt on your back that just around the corner we will be 'surprised' by floods in Budalangi and the havoc they will wreak. But I've said my bit about what our government ought to have done that it did not do and what it ought to do now that we all know it will not do.

Nigerian blogger Oro comments on Dora Akunyili who has been voted Nigeria's “Man of the Year“. Is it so hard to come up with “Person of the year”?

The Imperfect Poet writes on the cult of celebrity which has become the “new religion”.…I love film and music as much as the next person- if not more - but shouldn't we be celebrating the people who are in the trenches changing lives positively. How does 50 Cent's house party compare to an HIV/AIDS hospice run by volunteers in the middle of rural Uganda?”

Naijablog points to Africast, a site where US subscribers can watch Nollywood films on demand!

Congo Watch reports that the people of the DRC have voted in favour of the new constitution which will lead to elections in March

Jewels in the Jungle comments on the The CNOOC Nigerian Oil Deal between China and Nigeria

African Blogs comments on a report that Zimbabwean women are going to South Africa to give birth so their children will have SA citizenship.

Weichegud! ET Politics writes an open letter to Condoleezza Rice asking her “What she can do about it” referring to the situation in Ethiopia today.

The Committee on Conscience has two new podcasts on Sudan/Darfur “Sudan: Saving Peace in the East and “No Power to Protect: The African Union Mission in Sudan” via Coalition for Darfur.

The Caribbean Beat Blog links to to a conversation between the director of Jamaica's National Gallery and the guest curator of a current exhibition; an article about a Hollywood film made on location in Grand Cayman by a young Caymanian director; and solicits input for a list of the “Seven Caribbean Wonders of the World”.

Nicholas Laughlin finds he could have saved himself the work of writing his long post about “Caribbeanness” simply by quoting renowned Caribbean thinker Lloyd Best.

Valentine Michael Smith reports on Bermuda's first space project, code named BOTTOM (Bermuda On The Top Of Mars). Meanwhile, The Limey fears him wife will learn of the concerns being expressed by the head of the Bermuda Public Services Union about Bermuda's ageing population. “He's wondering,” says The Limey, “whether Bermudian women will need to be asked to have more than one child in order to reverse the trend.”

Jamaica View links to a Daily Telegraph article on rocksteady pioneer Alton Ellis.

“My return to Cap Haitien began like a Dan Brown novel,” says Baturrico (ES), relating the news of the death of General Urano Teixeira Da Matta Bacellar, military commander of the UN security force MINUSTAH and the increasing mystery surrounding its cause.

In a post entitled “Hideous Bloodsucking Crooks”, MediaCritic demands that the Guyana Press Association reveal the names of the senior media personnel who refused to take part in a training exercise for junior members of the media unless they were remunerated.

Melody reports that, following the discovery of oil in commercial quantities late last year, Belize will make its first export of crude oil to the USA later this week.

Blogrel has a surprising map showing the distribution of Armenian speakers. In Los Angeles…

KZ Blog reports on the pomp and pageantry of Kazakhstan's presidential inauguration ceremony.

Oneworld Multimedai has an update on bird flu in Armenia. Armenians are following developments closely and the government is preparing measures to deal with the possible threat.

Mongolia Matters reports that the Mongolian government has collapsed and that demonstrations are planned for this weekend.

Russia Blog reports on the Rodina (Motherland) party's proposal to return to the Julian calendar..