Global Voices Online

UDPS Liege comments on the prelude to a demonstration scheduled for Wednesday in the DRC (Fr): “This morning at Victoire Square, the police just chased newspaper vendors and other types of vendors away and arrested others who were doing outreach for the demo. The police's actions do not intimidate us and we are still convening everyone for Wednesday. We ought to urge the freeing of all those who were arrested.”

Inga writes about watching the opening ceremonies of the Asian games on Kyrgyz television as well as about some of the athletes from Kyrgyzstan competing in the games.

Zarchka writes about her experiences teaching English for the past month in a Yerevan school.

Is there a need for technorati bomb for the African blogosphere?, asks Black Looks: “I am not sure some sort of “TECHNORATI.COM BOMB” (as in google bomb) type exercise with the tag AFRICA + add your country tag irrespective of topic on every single post for the next 6 months might work? Could work but then again maybe it just doesnt matter and who cares a toss anyway?”

Africa Beat writing about Japan and Africa: “Did you know that Ethiopia once “looked East”…to Japan. Or that in Madagascar, an early attempt to gain independence was prompted not by Western liberalism, but by a desire to pursue Japanese-style economic development?”

The National AIDS Coordinating Agency in Botswana is engaged in a new campaign to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS, reports the Nata village blog.

According to Andres Duque: “over the weekend, El Tiempo, the leading Colombian editorial newspaper, predicted that the bill would not only survive tomorrow's House of Representatives vote but also pass the next hurdle when it's sent for final review by a special commission of the House. That would send it to President Alvaro Uribe's desk for a signature (he already promised that he would sign it if it landed on his desk during his re-election campaign earlier this year).”

Newly redesigned FayerWayer is reporting that PlayStation 3 has finally arrived to Chile [ES], where it is selling for US $1.679 at Galería Eurocentro in Santiago. The most affordable price, writes Leo Prieto, is found in Iqique for US $1.320.

Angelo Izama writes about the French-Rwanda diplomatic fall-out, “It is not news that France and the Kigali regime are on competing sides of the politics in this grave-filled but resource-rich Great Lakes region. The contest to assign blame for the genocide is a dangerous extension of that competition. It is, however, constantly shrouded in the humanitarian discourse on conflict.”

Get this: “a Turkish percussionist who's a veteran of New York's salsa scene.” Don Ball Carbajal introduces Ayhan Sicimoglu and his fusion of Turkish-Latin rhythms.

Jeff Barry introduces Maria Kodama: “Maria Kodama, the widow of Borges
María Kodama is a well-known figure among porteños but those not familiar with the life of Jorge Luis Borges, who died in 1986 at the age of 86, may be surprised to know that his widow is still very much alive.”

Veteran Argentine blogger Mariano Amartino celebrates five years of Uberbin [ES], waxing nostalgic in geek speak: “with respect to content management systems (while today we fight against comment spam, content thieves, and gurus who sell “respectable” air), Movable Type launched its first version one week before I began blogging; but the “geek option” was blogger with remote publication and the “non-geek” version was Pitas.com.”

My Chronicles... on Islamophobia and America. “Certainly, Muslims have an identity of their own and need to display it just like Christians, Jews, Hindus, etc. To fear Muslims for displaying their symbols and identities is not correct and only creates wrong perceptions of America in the eyes of Muslims.”

Ukraine List links to a Flickr set of photos of Pirogovo, the open-air museum of Ukrainian folk architecture.

“Dog's Own Country?” lists issues that pose challenges in the state of Kerala. “Though Kerala has been able to achieve the standards of developed countries in relation to human development, the physical infrastructure and the manufacturing sector is more or less stagnant. This calls for effective and timely government intervention so as to increase infrastructure which will in turn promote investments in the state.”

United We Blog! on the issues posed by the large scale presence of the Maoist camps all over the country. “In the bizarre scenario of two large armies bubbling inside barracks to explode in a country which doesn’t require one, or if it needs one for something which neither of them can do, the challenges to the people and their leaders are many.”

Ukraine List writes about a Ukrainian folk song that's been Anglicized and become a ubiquitous Christmas song in the West: “Carol of the Bells” aka “Shchedryk.”

indi.ca on inflation in Sri Lanka and how burying money in the backyard is a better investment than saving it in a bank. “In Sri Lanka the surest investment seems to be burying your money in the backyard or putting it on a plane. This month inflation is almost 20%.”

Ukraine List writes about Ukrainian Mennonite heritage of Matt Groening, the creator of the Simpsons.

Nash Holos is concerned about the lack of Ukraine coverage in the world media.

All Things Pakistan remembers a trip to North Pakistan in 1992. “For those of you who are familiar with Pakistan’s road transportation system of early 1990s, the bigger your vehicle was the later you reached your destination.”

Leopolis writes about prime minister Victor Yanukovych's low-key visit to Washington, D.C.

Kamangir writes about Iranian photographer Jahangir Razmi who took 70 pictures of an execution in Kurdistan on Aug. 27, 1979. One picture won the Pulitzer Prize.The blogger adds It was, however, awarded to an unnamed photographer - the only anonymous recipient in the 90-year history of the award.On his blog you can see the photo.

View from Iran reports that New York Times site got filtered too. Reporters withour Borders expressed its deep concern for the future of internet in Iran where censorship is the rule.

Guyana Providence Stadium, which has been tracking the country's progress in preparing for the 2007 ICC World Cup Cricket Tournament, republishes an article from the Stabroek News about a possible World Bank loan to deal with Guyana's flooding problem.

An interesting snippet from Jeremy Taylor who is confused about a radio news report quoting Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Health.

Mayvelous is writing from Fiji to report that Fijitimes has ceased publication after the new leadership ordered the newspaper to not publish any material against the new leadership. Earlier the military dismissed the government of prime minister Laisenia Qarase. “Yo Mr. Sheehy, if they don't allow to post on Fijitimes, you can always put it up on strangepants. Most welcome on mayvelous too.”

Links to Russia- and Ukraine-related AIDS stats and other resources at Michelle Knisley's Greetings from Kiev.

“Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion. Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave, eats a bread it does not harvest, and drinks a wine that flows not from its own wine-press… Pity us, Pity Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine… The Middle East. The World,” Yazan said.

If you have spiky hair and intend to visit Dubai, read this first: “One of my friend's cousins was recently pulled aside by Dubai Police at Mall of the Emirates. He had a spiky hair style. They asked him to wash his hairstyle out, he told them that he wasn’t going to and they took him to the police station, filled out an incident form and sent him home. If he is caught again he will be fined / arrested and I can only assume he will have a criminal record over a hair style,” samuraisam said.

About 50% of women in Saudi Arabia own cars, yet they can't drive them!

Shobrawy posts a picture of veiled Somalian women in the capital, Mogadishu, taking part in a protest against a US-proposed draft UN resolution to ease an arms embargo and deploy peacekeepers. From the picture and look how these ladies hold the guns; I would be willing to bet its the first time they've held one,” Shobrawy said.

Kieren McCarthy reports about the setting up of an online participation website for the ICANN Board meeting in Sao Paulo.

Jeremy Taylor takes aim at the mainstream media for their coverage of the Venezuelan elections: “Viewing these social divisions through the lenses of Cold War ideology (who's left and who's right, who's friends with Fidel) is not only pointless but destructive.”

Today's installment of Gallimaufry's “16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence” highlights the election of Antigua and Barbuda's Dr. Jacqui Quinn-Leandro as President of the Inter-American Commission of Women.

The Manicou Report notes that Abu Bakr (leader of the Trinidad-based Jamaat Al Muslimeen, which staged an unsuccessful coup-d'etat in 1990) has been exonerated of conspiracy to murder charges.

China media project explains the Chinese government's promotion of harmonious culture in media policy.

Diligence China blogs about the development of green technology in China with regard to its potential and threat.

Hizi introduces a special dish from Nan-Ning, lemon duck, to his reader (zh).

The opposite end of China has upload a music video of a song, “Gulzarangza”, via youtube to the blog: The video is a perfect re-creation of a dream I have… something involving a happy harem of dancing Uyghur beauties, more or less.

ESWN translates a blog post on top ten Chinese media events of 2006.

Robert Koehler from Marmot's Hole blogs about the debate on eradication of prostitution in South Korea.

Jamie from Two Koreas blogs about the union demonstration against bills on irregular work. The demonstrators were received by water cannon at freezing weather. You can find a video link in the blog.

Vadim explains that to be a business success in Tajikistan, one needs a (metaphorical) roof.

Afghan Warrior discusses the recent NATO summit and how it impacts Afghanistan. Safrang has additional comment, saying that the outcome of the summit is bad news, but need not be a failure, for Afghanistan.

Tolkun Umaraliev writes about the charms of Central Asian bazaars, saying that anyone visiting the region should make visiting a bazaar their first destination.

Onnik Krikorian rounds up news on Armenia's 2007 parliamentary elections.

Sean Roberts looks at attacks on Kyrgyzstan's opposition since recent protests that ushered in a new constitution weakening the president's power and concludes that someone within the presidential administration and perhaps the president himself is trying to send a message to the opposition.