Global Voices Online

Two publishing ventures in South Africa and in Nigeria aim to publish writings by Africans for local markets, reports African Women's Blog.

“. . . For the first time we have an ideologically driven foreign minister who appears to have some latitude to set policy, whether by default or otherwise. And that sometimes means playing international games that can get us needlessly into hot water,” says Larry Smith in a post warning Bahamians that they should pay attention to what transpires at this week's meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Havana.

Luis M. Garcia is skeptical about reports of large quanities of oil having been found off the coast of Cuba.

Bankele, a Kenyan blogger attending a conference in South Africa, observes that “One significant difference between Kenya and South Africa banking is their (SA) recognition that banking is a necessary service which should be affordable.”

The Digital Citizen Indaba blog, The Blog, writes about the SABC Highway Africa Awards Ceremony. The winners for 2006 Highway Africa Awards for Innovative Use of New Media are…

Pierrot Dupuy wonders (Fr) why mosquito eradication to help fight the Chikungunya epidemic in La Reunion is not done like in Camargue on mainland France, i.e. by air. It would beat the current manual by-land model which he adds, is an onerous “sweating exercise” for the heavily costumed workers who implement it.

At the request of a reader, Madagascar Croissance provides (Fr) an illustrated list of Malagasy signature exports including coffee, vanilla, clove, seafood and specialty fabrics.

A while back, ex-pat blogger Guillaume lamented the recent scarcity of motorcycle taxis in Kigali. Today he follows up with good news (Fr): “Officially, motos were reauthorized since last monday. In truth 3 different papers were needed from 3 different administrations. (…) Since last Thursday, you could see motos in town again. Today, the situations is almost back to normal. Yay!”

Chris Borowski of Traveling Life cites official documents confirming that Polish citizens should not expect visa-free travel to the United States anytime soon.

Drawing on a previous entry, the beatroot announces the Socialist Realism Award contest: “We aim to find the most ridiculous (and by definition, the most fantastic) piece of socialist realism art ever.”

The beatroot writes about homosexuality in Afghanistan and the possible alternatives to sending more Polish troops there.

The beatroot comments on the brief meeting between George W. Bush and Jaroslaw Kaczynski during the latter's visit to the United States.

Paul of Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar posts eight notes and recommendations from his trip to Split, Croatia: “5. Tourists are Tolerated … rather than appreciated.”

Moe Moe encounters illegal workers being chased by police in a busy Singapore street and remembers her own experience as a illegal worker in another country “When you work illegally, you are always kind of scared. I mean, you can't trust your colleagues, you are afraid you will be found out, you are scared you might piss someone off and they would report you. You go out of your house everyday, knowing that there was a 50-50 chance of being found out and thrown out. And then if you were thrown out - you can't come back, ever.”

Vutha writes that the authorities in Cambodian capital city Phnom Penh blocked the Black Box campaign. The campaign was organised to collect comments on corruption from the citizens.

Nirmal Jayasinghe outlines the ‘Insensitive Colombo Citizen'. “Why should I go out? Let them get all the bullets, suffering and whatever results. I don’t care, because I’m not concerned. I’m not involved. I’m the Insensitive Colombo Citizen.”

Cuckoo's Call on what constitutes being macho. “According to a study done on the group from a northeast Mumbai slum, a “real man” is one who is “physically attractive, dominant, aggressive and sexually powerful”. And possibly like actors Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt, who most said were their “role models”.”

United We Blog! on the mistakes that the Maoists are making, causing much grief to those in Khatmandu.

Edward Lucas, the Central and East European correspondent of The Economist, posts his piece on the upcoming Estonian election and one of the candidates: “A Big Man From a Very, Very Small Country.” (He begins with a disclaimer: “I didn't write this silly headline.”) Giustino of Itching For Eestimaa writes about the same candidate's campaign tricks.

Wu Wei cites a comment from a foreign service trainee preparing himself for Ukraine: “…In order to better to absorb the Russian language and culture (although I’m actually going to Ukraine), I plan on renting every Cold War action flick of the ’80s to get in the vibe. I already have Red Dawn and Rocky IV on my list. Any other suggestions?”

Greatbong talks of the coverage India gets in the international Media. “But what about Indians themselves ? Why do Indians, the moment they write for a foreign media outlet, start pandering to the stereotype rather than trying to puncture it? Why don’t they define their own vocabulary instead of talking in the language of condescension?”

ifaqueer on using the term “Progrssive Muslims”. “As to whether there is such a thing as a “Progressive Muslim”, and isn't there just one True Islam which, in its pure form is pretty darn progressive to start with, personally, I don't ever say “Progressive Islam” or “Moderate Islam” or anything; I always talk about Muslims.”

How I learned to stop worrying… on what brought terrorism and extremism to Pakistan. “The nation of Pakistan has its roots in a form of Islamic fundamentalism known as Deobandi. The Deobandi movement began as a reformist movement in India against British oppression. “

Patricia Vargas had abandoned her project El Punto de Vista (ES) which collects submitted photographs of the views from Bolivian's bedrooms, until she found out it was featured in one of the country's national papers (ES).

“Just when the world was about to forget all about Amin and Ugandans could travel around the world without having ignorant chaps asking if Amin was still the President, FoxSearchlight pictures has him well-packaged and ready to be unleashed onto the 21st century,” reports Jay's Idle Notes.

The Bearded Man's bulletin of events related to a labor protest organized by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.

A new book, Half of a Yellow Sun, prompts The World According to Adaure to remember the Biafran War in Nigeria.

“Let the record show – we have got more stuff together in Africa than the world would like to admit,” writes the Concoction, reflecting on a PBS documentary about a life changing experience of three African-American boys in rural Kenya, The Boys of Baraka.

Gilbert Veisamasama, Jr in his Promoting Suva blogs writes about the Tongan community in Fiji mourning their late king. “More than 100 Tongan students at the University of the South Pacific and those working in Suva converged at the Oceania Centre for Arts, University of the South Pacific, to commemorate their late King. Women and men dressed in black with mats wrapped around their waists, looked solemn while attending the service.” King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of Tonga died last week in New Zealand where he was undergoing treatment.

Days in Daechuri reports that 22,000 riot police and 450 contracted construction workers and thugs invaded and occupied the villages of Daechuri and Doduri today (Sept 14 13) at dawn and demolished 68 farm houses. The operation is to clear the land for the construction of U.S military base.

Ohmynews also have detailed citizen report (kr) with photos showing how peace activists and artists defended the villages.

In this depose President Chen movement, media mobilization has replaced political / organization mobilization, For ilya, this phenomena is new and it will have implication for the future development of depose Bien campaign (zh).

Ye Ying in mindmeters blogs an art conversation conference in Beijing, participants are from all over the world. She quotes from a local Artist Ai Wei Wei: we need to know where we come from and what is the essence of our era; outsiders can't help us on this, this is a question related with our soul, and it can't be solved by building a few more museums.

Ai Wei-wei blogs the photos from the conference.

Postive solution comments that the China Daily's “coverage” of the 30th anniversary of the death of Chairman Mao was a disgrace.

On September 11, The China Youth Daily published a breaking story about 4 students being tortured by police for 100 days because of suspected minor crime. Ai chung gives more examples of the effect of “strike-hard” policy in criminal case and urges the government to give it up(zh).

On september 12, the Supreme People's court announced a media spoke person system. Litianlun compares the announcement with the Madrid Media and the Judiciary Principle to show its potential impact (zh).

ESWN blogs a Chairman Hu Jintao Cartoon: “For Whom Did The Secretary General Shed His Tears?” which was published at Guangzhou's XKB (News Express) on September 12. A Hong Kong based newspapers Sing tao points out that in the western world (plus Hong Kong and Taiwan), leaders like Bush, Donald Tsang and Chen Shiu-bian are often presented in drawings. But in mainland China, it has been forbidden to do.

Bingfeng blogs another protrait on Chairman Jiang to give a contrast: “This is what we have before.”

Lyn Jeffery in virtual China discusses how the mob culture in China destroys the development of digg.