Global Voices Online

On his own blog, Nick Walmsley writes about one of Uzbekistan's best known classical singers who strictly sticks to tradition. Part of this includes a heavy emphasis on the master-apprentice relationship and an unwillingness to give in to commercial pressures.

Nick Walmsley writes that Uzbekistan's new law on foreign journalists will make a bad situation even worse.

Peter of neweurasia translates into English an opinion article from Rafis Abazov on Turkmenistan's future challenges that originally appeared in Russian on the Turkmen blog Karakum.

Oneworld Multimedia goes inside Yerevan's new homeless shelter, the city's first.

The United States claims to have a new approach to development aid to the states of the southern Caucasus. Marianna Gurtovnik examines the approach and asks how new it really is.

On this International Women's Day, John Guzman is saddened that when you search for “Colombian women” on the internet, the majority of results are “buy a bride” websites. Juan Gratinaiano Lopez reminds (ES) readers to “not see women only as a sexual object, but rather like human beings with great potential to fight for a better world.”

Melody reports that Belize's opposition party captured the majority of seats in two cities and seven towns in local elections held yesterday, “handing the ruling Peoples United Party its first electoral defeat in ten years”.

Jacqueline Mackie Paisley Passey has an impressive set of photographs from yesterday's Taxi driver strike in San Jose.

Franka P. and her London friends pay homage to “that staple of Trinidad Carnival - the All Inclusive Fete” by organizing the “Carnival Saddos Pretend All Inclusive Fete”. Everything turns out fine — except the doubles.

“Why should not being native born mark one apart from the Trini born among us who have the nation's welfare at heart?” asks Jonathan Ali, riffing off a journalist's description of two organizers of an exhibition on a Trinidadian icon.

Francis Wade offers an explanation as to why Jamaicans educated at foreign universities have an advantage in the workplace.

Made in Brazil introduces Overmundo, a collaborative news site meant to “promote Brazilian culture in a democratic way over the web.” All content is Creative Commons-licensed and can be syndicated with RSS feeds. In addition to text, the site also offers audio and video files which can be downloaded.

Jeff Barry has two descriptive posts of protests by opponents and supporters of Argentine Mayor Anibal Ibarra who was given a pink slip yesterday after a court convicted him of mismanagement in 2004's fatal Cromagnon nightclub fire where 194 concert goers died.

Lyndon Allin of Scraps of Moscow links to an amazing story of two Russian cities and the role a 19th-century bribe played in their development.

Maytel 2020 takes pictures of a day collecting honey in Cambodia.

Yosef Ardi points out that Indonesia's government makes it difficult for foreign investors (but not creditors) to do business in the country. “If we couldn't trust foreign investors (FDI) and the government who invited them in the first place can't protect their existence, why the cabinet should waste their time to make an investment policy package? Why not asking Indonesian businessmen instead if that's the nationalism sentiment is all about.” However, the problem is that local tycoons already prefer to invest abroad.

Mack Zulkifli at Brand New Malaysian writes about the irony of politicians and bureaucrats telling those hit by recent fuel price increases to “change their lifestyles.” Many politicos have drivers and government cars to ferry them around. “These people do not have to change their lifestyles. They can afford not to. But no, not us. Yes, dear sir, we have to change our lifestyles.”

On Feb. 27, in the wake of demonstrations calling for the overthrow Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Filipino blogger Bong Austero wrote a post called an “Open Letter to Our Leaders” in which he expressed his frustration and anger at opposition leaders' grab for power. “You know why?,” he wrote. “Because all you do is whine and sabotage this country.” The post was forwarded on email and reposted on other blogs, turning its author into a celebrity. Many responded that he had captured their feelings exactly. Some said it had caused them to think and reflect and others have penned rebuttals.

Mr. Wang discusses how what Singaporeans used to define as success - the 5 “C's” (club membership, credit card, condo, car and cash) has now become out of reach. But the problem now, he concludes, is that Singaporeans haven't come up with new aspirations to replace them.

The blogosphere is busy, as always with news from and about Venezuela. Daniel Duquenal is back from vacation with what he calls a “crazy round up of news.” MIguel Octavio has a thorough explanation of a proposal in the state of Zulia which would grant it more autonomy. Resource-rich Zulia has long contributed much more to federal budget than it receives. Oil Wars has photographs of a protest march against the war in Iraq. And finally, something I had never seen before on a blog: a narrated photo tour of Caracas by Economic Professor Alfredo Ascanio. It's especially useful if you understand Spanish, but just seeing the pictures and hearing Ascanio's voice reminds us of the, at times, intimate nature of the web.

Chef Melissa De Leon takes a trip to Monagrillo to meet legendary cocada maker, Juan Deago. Find out more about the Latin American treat as well as mister Deago's blogging niece, nephew, and daughter in California.

Rana on the bomb basts in Varanasi - a pilgrimage centre in India, and an account by Jagadish whose family was at the same Railway Station as one of the bomb blasts that very time.

Some extremely engaging posts on Street Harassment from India for Blog-a-thon 2006 by Annie, Sowmya, km, Mangs and Akshay.

Kosoof, an Iran based photo journalist & blogger, has taken very interesting photos from women's gathering in Tehran (Persian). Same meeting was attacked by security forces. Slogans in photos are such as education & jobs are women's right or peace, solidarity & equality.

Mat Savelli at Roma Roma posts another installation on his travel in Montenegro: “It's fantastic though because there are seemingly no tourists here (save myself) and absolutely no limits in terms of wandering. It's a bit like being in Rome, except everything is better preserved and you can climb, touch, and explore whatever you want.”

Beyond the political crisis in Nepal, the one of infrastructure is looming large. Blogdai on the crisis of energy and electricity.

Pakistani Government turns into Big Sibling. Metroblogging Islamabad - “The government has decided to fix automatic security cameras in the capital city, Islamabad to keep an eye on reprobates and other subversive activities.”

Fanous informs us that peaceful meeting of Iranian women in Tehran has been repressed by police (Persian). Blogger adds that Iranian famous poet, Mrs. Simin Behbahani was attacked and wounded by security forces. She is 78 years old.

How, asks London Calling, a Taiwanese woman doing an MBA in the U.K., is a Taiwanese person supposed to feel about China? “There are in total 784 Chinese missiles aiming at Taiwan at the moment. If the Chinese party leader orders to attack, China can bomb Taiwan for 10 hours non-stop. What do you think Taiwanese feel about that? How would you feel about that if you were in our shoes?” she asks. Via Peking Duck.

ESWN digs out a translated archived post of a self-description by Massage Milk/Cream, whose blog appears to have been deleted by Chinese censors.

Via Asia Pundit, Non-Violent Resistance is also somewhat aghast at the media circus surrounding the annual National People's Congress in Beijing, especially when the equation of physical endurance versus content is worked out in full.

Angry Chinese Blogger notes that while the Chinese papers have plastered Oscar-winning Taiwan-born director Ang Lee and his “Brokeback Mountain” all over the headlines, claiming his success as ‘a victory for all Chinese, everywhere', most papers gloss over the fact that the film is a story of love between two male homosexuals, or that it remains on Beijing's list of prohibited movies.

Corporate Social Responsibility Asia quotes Gu Xiulian, president of the All-China Women's Federation, as saying that “inequality in employment is still a serious issue”, citing the Labour Law that employers should not raise the bar when recruiting women or reject them on grounds of gender.

At Renouveau Congolais, DRC blogger etngandu posts (FR) pictures of public sites in remote Mbuji-Mayi, the capital of East Kasai province: the Cathedral of Bongola, recently built electric poles and the future administrative headquarters of East Kasai province.

At the group blog Le Blog du Congolais, blogger Anthony MK Katombe expresses (FR) skepticism at European Commissary Louis Michel's enthusiasm and optimism that DRC elections will take place in June 2006. Not impressed with the 26,000,000 voters that have been registered so far, Katombe cites challenges such as minority boycotts of the election. Katombe also deplores the weight afforded minority groups by the international community.

David McDuff of A Step At A Time has translated an open letter to the Russian Federal Security Service written by Svetlana Gannushkina, head of the Civic Assistance Committee, in which she mockingly confesses to “have undertaken activities which may be considered by the addressees of this statement as espionage.” These activities include helping internally displaced persons and refugees in Russia.

Raffi Aftandelian of maaskva: nashimi glazami writes about a Chechen friend who had to share a hospital room with a biased Russian woman. (The post is both in English and Russian.)

Shahram Kholdi, UK based blogger, talks about UK Channel4 journalist's blog about Iran & from Iran. Jon Snow is heading Channel 4 team in Iran and they are posting interesting news and thoughts about Iran on their blog.

You missed this comments further on the recent raid on the Standard by the government of Kenya…”There is increasing evidence that behind the scenes, there is a very serious battle for supremacy going on. This battle began proper during last November’s constitutional review referendum“

Aqumada reports on three explosions in Addis Ababa yesterday. Although no group has claimed responsibility, Aqumada feels that the Ethiopian government is involved.

Malawi blogger, Anti-Bakili Muluzi reports that Malawi's anti corruption stance is impressing Britain.…We very much support what the President is doing in terms of governance generally and the problem of corruption in particular. Clearly corruption is damaging the economy, it’s absolutely right that it should be a high priority to deal with that and it is an on-going process”

A number of African bloggers remember Malian musican, Ali Farka Toure who passed away this week from cancer. Black Star Journal writes “One of the reasons I loved his sound was that while the music of many other African artists popular in the west is overproduced, Ali Farka Touré's music was very simple and organic”

Roy Rojas summarizes the Central American music festival, Papaya Fest 2006 (ES). He's also got a great flickr gallery of images from the week-long festival. Fusildechispas has another review (ES).

Pestiside.hu reviews (unfavorably) the recent coverage of Hungary in the San Francisco Chronicle and the Smithsonian: “Because as it turns out, even when an editor sends a consummate professional with exquisite taste and cultural sensitivities to Hungary to write a feature about the place, it still ends up being illustrated with pictures of dried paprika […].”

There was talk that Grbavica, the Berlinale's Golden Bear winner film, would not be shown in Serbia - but it was and, moreover, was well-received. This and other news in Eric Gordy's news roundup over at East Ethnia.

Andy H of Csikszereda Musings comments on the smart strategy of naming businesses in English to avoid having to use both Romanian and Hungarian languages. He also writes about Martisor, a spring holiday celebrated by the ethnic Romanians, but not the ethnic Hungarians, of the area.

neweurasia reports that the Turkmen city of Turkmenbashi has been without water for two months.

Young Caucasus discusses sex education this week.

ArmYouth Blog writes about purchased diplomas and other problems in Armenian higher education.

Peter writes about French flattery of Turkmenistan's president at neweurasia.

Oneworld Multimedia rounds up the English-language and Armenian-language Armenian blogosphere.

Amira at The Golden Road to Samarqand writes about Christian evangelicals in Central Asia, and pleas for more understanding and respect among both missionaries and local governments and societies.