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China: One Trillion US Bonds and Debt Scandal · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

According to a New York Times report in early September, the Chinese Central Bank has invested over USD $1 trillion on U.S. Treasury bills, bonds and debt securities. Among the one trillion dollar bill, $376.3 billion have been put into the mortgage backed securities of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which constitutes 21% of the Chinese government foreign currency reserve.
Who's mistake?
Back in mid August, Lew Mon-hung, a representative of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference wrote in several mainstream newspapers in Hong Kong to criticize the investment decision. His opinion has been censored by mainland Chinese mainstream media, but distributed widely on the internet. Chenjian is among one of the mainland bloggers distributing Lew's viewpoint:
筆者謹以全國政協委員和金融界人士身份質問中央財金當局有關拍板人：你們這班敗家子哪裏來這麽大的膽子拿國家人民的錢，來買天文數字的「兩房」股票！現在「兩房」基本上已破產，你們如何向全國人民交代？
一個國家的外匯儲備，並非這個國家的淨資產，當外資熱錢流走之時，外匯儲備就會下降。所以外匯儲備公認的投資原則是安全第一，分散爲宜。由此觀之，中國財金當局將外儲的百分之二十以上浪擲於美國「兩房」,是極其嚴重的錯誤
As a member of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and with my experience in the finance sector, I am here to question the decision makers at the central government finance sector: you guys are the family's failure, where do you get the balls to take people's money to buy such a huge amount of fannie and freddie's securities. Now they are bankrupted, how are you to take the responsibility?
A nation's foreign currency reserve is not the net income of the country, when hot money flows out of the country, the reserve will be reduced. That's why it is important to have safe investment, and it is necessary to diversify the risk. To put more than 20% of our foreign currency reserve on Fannie and Freddie, is a serious mistake.
中國光是 向「兩房」已投下相當於海内外給四川地震捐款一百多倍的外儲，如此側重美元資產，依據何在？眼光何在？如此離譜決策有沒有黑幕，人大常委會應立即組織特別 調查組應予徹查，追究責任！
Conspiracy theory
Another article consisted of conspiracy theory that has also been circulated in forums and blogs, One World One Dream reposts the article in full.
中国经济学家都在干什么，受那些所谓主流经济学家提出的高论影响而实行的政策，最后使谁最终受益，使谁陷入深深窘境了呢？那些“主张对内狂引境外战略投资者、让其大赚贱卖的银行原始股；对外大力推出中国优质大型企业或国有垄断企业境外上市，向海外慷慨派送十倍于融资的分红” 的经济专家到底在干什么，他们的底细和真实身份到底是谁？
The writer urges netizens to re-post this article in official websites in order to warn the leader against such financial decision.
ASM is also on the side the conspiracy theory and maps out the steps on how the US government seized away fortunes from the rest of the World (zh).
China becomes a loser
Shi Hanbin, a local finance expert was interviewed by CCTV on the impact of US financial crisis on China on September 22. He further elaborates his viewpoint in his blog:
三个方面的影响。其一，次债危机导致美、欧消费需求下降，将降低中国产品的出口。无论是高附加值产品还是低附加值产品，出口的下降趋势都难以避免，当务之急是鼓励内需。其二，次债危机发生后，美元将继续贬值，目前的大宗商品都是以美元计价的，美元贬值意味着大宗商品价格上涨。同时，大批热钱在美元贬值或有贬值预期的影响下，会热炒大宗商品，推高石油、铁矿石等大宗商品价格，增加中国原材料的进口成本。其三，会对中国的资本市场和金融业带来影响，我国金融机构的损失会继续增加。同时，大批盘踞在中国楼市的热钱，会撤离。因此，绝不可以出台政策救楼市，救楼市的结果只能是让热钱高位逃跑，将对中国经济带来毁灭性打击。
Shi Hanbin also questions how the investment decision was made:
这些决策是怎么出台的？为什么许多决策对中国不利对外国反而是有利的。决策的不透明使人民丧失了基本的知情权和监督权，使得一些可怕的暗箱操作大行其道。
在次债危机中，中国的损失极其惨烈，因此，即使有机会，中国也只能眼睁睁地看着它流走，因为，我们的巨额资金被套或打水漂，我们已经不再是能够找寻并抓住机会的人，而是一个巨大的可怜虫！——在把数千亿美元的财富败了之后，最多也只能做个遭人唾弃的可怜虫了！
Zhanghui noticed that after the first outbreak of sub-prime crisis in Europe back in August 2007, Chinese banks haven't reduced their investment in asset backed securities. On the other hand, there is a net increase of US$59 billion between August 2007 and May 2008. Now, European countries can say no to the US$700 billion “bail-out” proposal, but China cannot.
作为美国的机构债最大的持有人，中国现在不可能清空手中的债券，因为大幅抛售必然造成价格大跌，同时也没有人接盘，更会被美国人认为落井下石，损人不利己。中美两国其实在金融危机中的利益是一致的。某种意义上说，中国政府的支持是美国政府必须的，比西方七国更重要。
Even though the Chinese and American government share the same interest in the crisis, many netizens feel it is a painful lesson for the Chinese. Here is another widely circulated opinion article quoted from Hong Kong newspapers (via dmxianfeng):
勤劳勇敢的中国人，固守千年古训，省吃俭用，多生产、少进口，多积累、少消费，多攒美元、少花美元，结果到头来却要为美国的金融危机埋单。而且，一边谦和地堆起笑脸纳贡，一边还要承受对方的傲慢和谩骂！这就是中国今天所面对的世界经济体系：谁执掌了金融的牛耳，谁就执掌了世界。这悲壮的一课，将给国人留下刻骨铭心的记忆。
There are votes and comments at the China Daily forums on: Should the U.S. Congress pass the $700b bailout plan? Although it might not reflect popular opinion, it's still worth a look.


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Cuba: Back to Normal?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Things appear to be getting back to normal in Cuba post-Hurricane Ike, but Generation Y questions the definition of “normalcy”: “I do not believe that a month ago we had anything resembling ‘normal.’  Furthermore, in the three decades that I have under my belt I do not think I have lived in anything other than what is anomalous.”

source: news-globalvoices

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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East Timor leader at a U.N. meeting · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

President Jose Ramos-Horta of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste delivered a statement at the 63rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Horta mentioned the improving economy of his country.

author: Mong Palatino


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Environment: Maps, Online Communities & Carbon Footprint Calculators · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

Earlier this year, GV Environment listed the web2.0 tools for environment activism. Since then many more tools have been developed. This post will highlight some mashups, online communities, carbon footprint calculators and one online game.
Mashups
Rory of Carbon Smart Blog announced the Greening Africa Map by outlining the goal of the google map mashup and asking others to send in information about projects to be included.
My point is to highlight positive things that are being done in Africa. There are a lot of projects out there, but many are just not visible. The first projects on the map are mostly around Cape Town, just because I live here and have some firsthand knowledge of the area; but I don't want this to be a South African map.
Greening Africa Map
Clean Up The World is an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme. It is a global campaign to clean, fix up and conserve the environment and they have created a mashup to show the communities involved around the world. The activities mapped relate to water, recycling, tree planting, education  and climate change mitigation. To visit the site please click on the graphic below.
Online Communities
Connect2Earth features environment related photos, videos and posts that are submitted by the public. The entries will be voted on by other members and the highly ranked entrants receive mobile phones from Nokia (A sponsor of the site). The winning entries will be shown at the World Conservation congress in Barcelona. Topics discussed include Global warming, waste & pollution, sustainable transport, mobile life & work, natural habitat, wildlife and clean energy.
connect2earth is a space for you to tell the world why you care about our planet
350
350.org is an online community of activists working to raise awareness of the target for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere.
350 is the red line for human beings, the most important number on the planet. The most recent science tells us that unless we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, we will cause huge and irreversible damage to the earth.
But solutions exist. All around the world, a movement is building to take on the climate crisis, to get humanity out of the danger zone and below 350. This movement is massive, it is diverse, and it is visionary. We are activists, scholars, and scientists. We are leaders in our businesses, our churches, our governments, and our schools. We are clean energy advocates, forward-thinking politicians, and fearless revolutionaries. And we are united around the world, driven to make our planet livable for all who come after us.
Carbon Footprint Calculators
Ecorio
Jaimi Heimbuch of Treehugger referred to Ecorio as a super cool app that will be available on the new Android powered G1 Google phone. Ecorio is a mobile application that runs in the background tracking trips. It adds up the miles and shows the carbon footprint and cost of offsetting it.
Dopplr – Carbon calculator for trips
Dopplr is a tool used by frequent flyers to share information about upcoming trips with friends and colleagues. The service shows coincidences and helps people connect. Dopplr added the ‘My carbon’ calculator that shows travelers their carbon footprint by utilizing data from AMEE, an organization better known as the ‘The world's energy meter’.
Online Game
World without Oil
This is an alternate reality game that is interactive and whose outcome is crafted by the players and their interactions.
The premise of World Without Oil was simple and provocative: What if an oil crisis started on April 30, 2007 – what would happen? How would the lives of ordinary people change? Players were invited to imagine how their lives and communities would be different and how they would cope if the world’s oil suddenly dried up. The “plot” unfolded dynamically. First, the players read the “official news” and what other players were saying. Then, using a combination of blog posts, videos, images and even voice mails, they told their own stories of the challenges they were facing.  As the crisis continued, players updated their stories with further thoughts, reactions and solutions.
Anthony Williams of Wikinomics wrote about the game, saying
There is no doubt that fighting climate change will require a massive worldwide effort that could dramatically alter much about the world as we know it today. We need more than just smart public policy. And we need more than a comprehensive retooling of industry and our infrastructure. We all need to give up our oil addictions and that, in turn, will require us to make some pretty profound changes in our daily lives. Alternate reality games like World Without Oil could play a vital role in engaging the public in making those vital changes.
Via Carbon Copy.

author: Juliana Rotich


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Ethiopia: Food aid as a weapon of war · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Can food aid be used as a weapon of war? Ethiopian blogger, Enset writes: “It looks like the Woyane rulers of Ethiopia have taken a calculated risk in using food aid as a weapon in the war against the Ogaden rebels.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Guyana: Perception Rejection  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Living Guyana says: “Not unexpectedly the PPP Government of Guyana has rejected Transparency International‘s grading of Guyana on their corruption index.”


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Haiti: More than Charity  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Haiti Reborn reports that the country's president is calling for “more than just ‘charitable’ contributions to Haiti's recovery.”


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Indonesia: Breastfeeding campaign · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Everything Indonesia blogs about a breastfeeding campaign in Indonesia


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Jamaica: Child Missing  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

After an eleven year-old girl goes missing in Kingston, Abeng News Magazine examines the plight of Jamaica's children: “With no inclination to tackle the complexity of the issues involved and no plan in sight to deal squarely with the crime menace…the youth will remain at the top of the island's list of endangered species…”


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Jamaica: Dirty Water  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Ever since the passing of tropical storm Gustav, my tap water has never been the same”: Jamaican blogger Stunner is having water woes.


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Japan: Photos from Iriomote · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Blogger id:mereco posts amazing photos [ja] from her trip to the island of Iriomote [西表島] in Okinawa, Japan. Photos from the trip include pictures of cows, hermit and coconut crabs, and a box turtle. The full set can be found on id:mereco's Flickr page.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: Taiwanese blogger looking for Japanese boyfriend · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

According to Ameba news [ja], Taiwanese blogger and Japan-lover Shuen Shuen, also known as “Naomi”, announced on her blog [zh] that she wanted to move to Japan and find a Japanese guy to marry. That news is now all the talk of the Japanese bulletin boards [ja], and apparently sparked a storm among some readers of her blog.


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Japan: Uni likes the bathtub · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

At Uni no Himitsu Kichi (うにの秘密基地), Japanese blogger sauta19 posts photos of her cat [ja] Uni following her into the bathroom and on top of the bathtub, a place that only a few days ago Uni had hated. She also announces to readers that she will be showing pictures of Uni at Neko no Wa EXPO 2008 [猫の輪ＥＸＰＯ ２００８], a cat expo in Tokyo on September 28th.


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Malaysia: Molotov cocktail thrown at politician’s house · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A molotov cocktail was thrown at the house of Malaysian politician Teresa Kok. She condemned the act and attributed the “despicable act to certain media groups and blogs that have deliberately demonised and portrayed (her) as chauvinistic, anti Malay and anti Islam.” She adds: “They persisted in reporting similar fictitious and false stories. This may have also stoked the contempt and hatred towards me and my family.”


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Myanmar: Saffron Revolution a year later · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Alternative Asean Network on Burma published a briefer which revealed the intensified repression in Myanmar a year after the crackdown on the monk-led Saffron Revolution.


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Nigeria: Impressive Branding · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Impressive branding in Nigeria, “Etisalat Nigeria witnessed an influx of visitors to its web site as Nigerians sought to reserve special numbers on Etisalat’s network. The website apparently had over 8 million hits in less than one week with thousands already reserving their special numbers on Etisalat’s network. It is now in the the top 100 sites visited in Nigeria!”


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Nigeria: Post-independece political scene · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Omo Taylor analyses Nigeria's post-independence political scene: “Forty-eight years on, I muse, Nigeria is gripped tightly by what I would call demonised Democracy. A government of the people in most cases, by sneaky, snaky, money-corrupt, weak, scheming, power-corrupt, sugar tongued vipers; who have no inkling about ruling the people in integrity, trust, diligence and love, so that the generality of the people could be emancipated.”


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Pakistani Bloggers on the McCain-Obama Debate · Global Voices
Teeth Maestro

Pakistani bloggers found much to analyze in last night's televised debate between United States presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.
What the US approach to Pakistan should be was a core part of discussion, since Pakistan has come under greater scrutiny in recent times and is considered a hot-spot.
In roughly 37 days, the United States of America will be electing its 44th President. Though the elections are limited only to the US, the outcome of the election will have a far greater global impact.
Riaz Haq writes on Haq's Musings blog:
There is a significant concentration of Muslim vote in Florida and Michigan. If, as the anecdotal evidence suggests, Obama gets the lion's share of the Muslim American vote, then he could win the presidency by a thin margin of Muslim votes. Is an Obama win good for Muslim-Americans or Pakistani-Americans?
He summarizes the result of the debate in favor of McCain:
it is clear that Sen McCain is far more knowledgeable about Pakistan than Senator Obama. Mr. McCain has also repeatedly stressed diplomacy and close working relationship with Pakistan and demonstrated his commitment by his actions such as several visits and phone conversations with Pakistani leadership recently and in the past. On the other hand, Mr. Obama has made aggressive statements about Pakistan without making serious effort to understand the issues faced by Pakistanis in FATA.
Pakistan Policy Blog argues extensively for and against both sides:
OBAMA GOOD FOR CIVILIANS, BAD FOR MILITARY Obama’s support for Pakistan’s fledgling democracy and appropriation of the Biden plan, which calls for vastly increasing development aid, is excellent. It is an integral part of a transition toward a full-fledged Pakistan policy.  But Obama seems unaware of the clear and present economic danger in Pakistan
MCCAIN GOOD FOR MILITARY, BAD FOR CIVILIANS McCain has yet to really come to terms with the existence of a civil, democratic government in Pakistan.  He fails to include Pakistan in his proposed League of Democracies.  He seems in denial — or his talking points have yet to be updated — so much that he is confused as to what the president’s name is. “Kardari.”  …. it also demonstrates the greatest flaw in McCain’s Pakistan policy: he has failed to adapt it to a post-Musharraf Pakistan
Interestingly Pakistan Policy Blog coins a keyword “McBama” which could potentially be a mash-up of both policies:
MCBAMA GOOD FOR COMPREHENSIVE U.S-PAKISTAN RELATIONS neither the candidates, nor most in the U.S. policy community, truly understands the comprehensive failure that is Afghanistan.  In respect to a Pakistan policy, Obama’s is more promising.  McCain offers strengths vis-a-vis relations with Pakistan’s military and respect for its sovereignty that Obama fares miserably on.
Temporal at Baithak shares his frustration at McCain mispronouncing names:
John McCain, the “expert” in foreign policy mispronounced Ahmadinejad's name four times in a row and screwed up Zardari's name to boot.
On my own blog Teeth Maestro I also commented on the mispronunciation puzzle:
Probably the most interesting surprise was when McCain could not properly pronounce the name of our President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari to utter a mumbling Kirdari (sic), its not a crime by any standard to fumble with a difficult pronunciation, but when dealing with foreign dignitaries you try your damnedest to ensure that you pronounce their name correctly, lest they be offended. If this was just the start then the Iranian would have a field day ripping him apart since a few minutes later McCain made minced meat out of pronouncing Ahmedinejad’s name to utter something like Ahmadinenene (sic) – Definitely a diplomatic PR disaster awaiting to happen.
Desi in DC writes:
Who would have thought that I would say this but after yesterday’s US presidential debate it seems maybe McCain may be better for Pakistan. I disagree with most of his policies except his foreign policy, In Obama’s case his domestic policies make sense but his foreign policy shows his lack of experience.
Changing up Pakistan discusses the debate extensively to say:
It was a victory, albeit a narrow one, for Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama.  Regardless of political posturing, the U.S. will always act according to its national security interests. If Coalition forces are being killed by militants in cross-border attacks, it inherently threatens U.S. security; that would be true for any country. The difference in this presidential election is that Obama openly acknowleges this reality, while McCain merely chooses to equate it to an attack on Pakistani sovereignty. Ultimately, however, there isn’t an easy answer to this issue, and the next president will be forced to respond to the realities on the ground. Therefore, it may come down to how they tend to respond to major issues rather than their current political stances.
Procastination summarized his LiveBlogging coverage to say that, “I would rate it a draw. Obama didn’t land any knockout punches” and later pipes in with a CBS poll swinging in favor of Obama to say, “That sounds good for Obama & CNN Polling is even better.”
On Teeth Maestro, my analysis is in favor of an Obama-Biden victory:
Pakistan stands at a fork, if the same old policies are followed, the same blind sighted relationship maintained with crooks and dictators running our country the menacing war on terror will only get worse surely something both America and Pakistan wish not to happen. Obama on the other hand represents a fresh change, as per my neutral review of the debate, it is my understanding that if they both support the approximately the same line of action for Pakistan, I would carefully put my eggs into Obama’s basket, he talks with more commitment to the challenges ahead while simultaneously suggesting and a tough guy approach on Pakistan. He wants to solve the issue of War on Terror and not let it linger on longer then necessary. With Senator Biden as his side who has been the only American bureaucrat to fully understand the problem in Pakistan, I feel that an Obama-Biden presidency will be a brighter future for Pakistan.
Photo above, of a television screen showing the presidential debate is by Captain Alcoholica.

author: Teeth Maestro


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Russophone Bloggers Discuss the U.S. Presidential Candidates · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Last week, Israel-based LJ user avva asked (RUS) his Russophone readers – some of whom are eligible to vote in the upcoming U.S. election – whether they supported Barack Obama or John McCain, and for what reasons. The post generated over 300 comments from bloggers based in the United States, Israel, Canada and Russia.
Below are some of the responses, translated from Russian.
Russia-based LJ user ohtori:
“Both are worse” (a quote)
U.S.-based LJ user igorre25:
For Obama. Because I'm for the Democrats. Because I'm against the Republicans. Because they've been in power for too long and have done much harm, which I don't like.
LJ user aster_x86:
The latest Daily Show episodes have basically equalized the weight of both in my view… But I'm more for Obama than McCain, because now it's the Democrats’ turn.
LJ user whichferdinand:
For Obama, because it's less likely that he'll start another war somewhere, and because the money not spent on yet another war will be invested in something wise, like medical insurance for the poor or prevention of global warming. And also because he isn't going to try to make it so that women find it harder to have an abortion.
U.S.-based LJ user madeinmoscow (ENG):
obama
because i do not want ignorantly malicious idiots running this country anymore.
U.S.-based LJ user cema:
For McCain. First, he's much closer to the center. Second, he is not afraid to act the way he feels necessary, not just useful, rare for a politician. Third, he's not as [full of crap] as Obama. Unfortunately, I'm not a citizen here yet.
Russia-based LJ user fedor_s:
For Obama.
1. The war in Iraq and the crisis have started under Bush. Let the other team rule. Isn't that the point of a two-party system?
2. Last time the Republicans won in a somewhat [dishonest] way.
3. It's just that having a [black] president is fun.
Russia-based LJ user svilar:
For Obama. I don't follow the U.S. politics regularly and perhaps I've missed something, but every time I tune in, I get an impression that the Democrats are serving the rational demands of the electorate, while the Republicans serve as a channel for irrational outbursts. I've no opinion on comparative advantages of specific candidates.
Russia-based LJ user illyn:
McCain-Palin.
Since I'm not going to be directly affected by America's internal affairs – I'm first of all for what's “our own.” For the intended right-wing foreign policy. A tough position of the right-wing couple on the Putins-Medvedevs – this is already clearly defined (the way I see it, but I may be wrong, of course). […]
U.S.-based LJ user kblcbka:
Turns out Avva's audience is full of Democrats! Well, here's one more. For the same reasons, more or less:
1. Let the other team rule
2. Don't want them to regulate my private life
3. Let them take and divide, I'm not greedy
4. Obama is fun
[…]
I didn't make myself clear: in item 2, I meant personal liberties, and in item 3, taxes. Exactly how much they'll be taking from me personally doesn't matter, because they won't take away all of it (in this case).
Israel-based LJ user toyvo:
If I were American, I'd be for McCain. I'm not familiar with his personal qualities, but a conservative economic platform is a lot closer to me, and their international [platform] will be the same, IMHO. But abortions and same-sex marriage don't allow me to decide for sure… Though it seems as if McCain is liberal enough in this respect… But this [woman] from Alaska… It's good that we aren't Americans, no? We've got a cute premier [Tzipi Livni] since Sunday, [a woman] :)
U.S.-based LJ user yuly:
For McCain!
He fits basically all the parameters: the economy, security, international terrorism, relations with Russia, energy independence. Social/medical insurance program seems somewhat weak to me, but at least it's achievable. And of course, his undeniable honesty.
Drawbacks:
1. His age, unfortunately.
2. His choice of Sarah Palin as VP, but in my opinion, she is better than Obama/Biden/
Obama – too much lies and empty promises. […]
U.S.-based LJ user yenissey:
A fantastically lousy selection to choose from. Alas, the only thing left in such conditions is to [unite against].
Obama. Why? On the one hand, much of the Republicans’ program is better. But “if Yevtushenko is against collective farms, I am for them” (c) [Joseph Brodsky on Yevgeny Yevtushenko, quoted by Sergei Dovlatov] – an old warrior and a redneck in a skirt, a bunch that under no circumstances should be allowed to run anything more complex than a bike.
U.S.-based LJ user nagunak:
For Obama. For many reasons. Because I don't want to send taxes to Iraq anymore, when roads and bridges are collapsing in the United States, because “drill, baby, drill” is a slogan of idiots, because there is a slight hope that they'll cancel all the unconstitutional changes adopted by the “imperial presidents” Cheney and Bush.
Canada-based LJ user dragon_ru:
For Obama. I'm not expecting anything good from him, but under McCain we'd miss Bush as a very intellectual and thoughtful politician.
LJ user _rowan_tree_:
For Obama. He's a good organizer (to defeat [Hillary Clinton] isn't an easy task), and the Democrats’ program is closer to me, especially in its centrist version :-) McCain is also okay, but if something happens to him, Palin would become president, and [everyone would regret it]. Biden, by the way, is also a rather dangerous character, but at least there fewer chances that he would become president.
U.S.-based LJ user marusja:
I'm not a citizens, but McCain isn't an option. He and [Sarah Palin] are kind of jumpy – may go to war with Russia all of a sudden.
U.S.-based LJ user yucca:
For Obama. He's got the brains and education, and he knows how to negotiate an agreement with people from different parties, and this is important for a president. The medicine part of his program is much better developed, McCain's medical program is no good. In education, I like it that he emphasized the importance of pre-school education. Also, they say he's picked a good team for himself.
I used to like McCain, but he has moved to the right significantly before the election, and a real enough perspective of having Sarah Palin as president makes me shudder.
Russia-based LJ user valery_pavlov:
If you look at the whole process from Russia, I think there's no difference whatsoever. It's like choosing between [United Russia and Fair Russia parties] […].
Russia-based LJ user imfromjasenevo:
great work :)
this is, by the way, the main goal of our propaganda machine – to convince [everyone] that in other countries the election is also a fiction.
LJ user dzz:
If I lived in the States, I'd vote for Obama. Neocons are too convinced that they are right and this has already created many problems. Besides, McCain is terribly predictable, and [with Obama], it's interesting to see what'll come out of it ;)
Russia-based LJ user amarao_san:
We are for a [color revolution] in the United States. We'd like for McCain to win and for Obama to start a [Maidan] over there for them, with [roses], oranges and other colors of life.
Israel-based LJ user emdin:
If I lived in the States, I'd be for Obama, but for Israel and Europe McCain is way better.
Israel-based LJ user pilpilon:
For McCain. Normally, Republicans don't interfere with Israeli affairs that often. And when they do, it's at least understandable what they want and why, often.
U.S.-based LJ user azbukivedi:
I'm actually for McCain, but I want to say something else here. Everyone is writing that we should choose the lesser evil, while I think that America hasn't had such an interesting choice in a long time. This is a new page in history, and it's not about race/sex. They are both bright, talented, love their country and want to change something in it. Their worldviews are different, and McCain's view is closer to mine, but I think America has nothing to be ashamed of in this election. Both are decent candidates, very little dirt in this election, almost everything is to the point and respectful.
Russia-based LJ user awas1952:
McCain – it's a worldwide economic crisis.
That's why I'd prefer McCain: a horrible end is better than a neverending horror.
The crisis is inevitable because too many economic contradictions have accumulated in the world. But Obama can postpone it and thus contribute to the accumulation of additional contradictions, making the crisis even tougher.
Russia-based LJ user very_thin_train:
Of course, for McCain. Because the worse it is for America, the better it is for Russia!
LJ user qaraabayna:
A plague on both your houses.
U.S.-based LJ user syarzhuk:
I'm for Ralph Nader.
Anonymous:
undecided voter

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Sierra Leone: No money, no doctor · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

No money, no doctor, writes a Sierra Leone based blogger, Sandra: “Last week I saw a little boy who was moderately sick. He had lost weight, had many palpable lymph nodes and a chest infection. I decided to treat as outpatient with a strong antibiotic and see the child again on Wednesday…”


text:
Syria: Chilling Eyewitness Blogger Account on Damascus Explosion · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

With very little information coming out on today's massive explosion in Damascus, Syria, one blogger was on the site and rushed back to his computer to describe to the world the scene of devastation and chaos he has witnessed.
Syrian Medad was minutes away from the explosion and gives us an eyewitness account of what happened:
صباح هذا اليوم 27/09/2008 هز انفجار شديد العاصمة سورية دمشق على بعد مئتين متر من سيارتي التي كنت استقلها من منطقة السيدة زينب صباح هذا اليوم باتجاه دمشق عبر مفصل (المتحلق الجنوبي) أي قبل حوالي عشرين دقيقة من الآن تماماً..
الانفجار لم يكن مسموعاً بقدر ما كان محسوساً فقد قفزت السيارة التي كنت استقلها الى الهواء لمسافة نصف متر تقريباً ثم جلست على الأرض في حالة ذهول مني..  ناهيك عن صوت الانفجار الضخم الذي يجب ان يكون مسموعاً الى مسافة بعيدة جداً.. وعند المرور عند موقع الحادث الذي كان قرب الثكنة العسكرية التي تُدعى على حسب قول السائق (قسم الدوريات) كانت أشلاء تتطاير في المكان عددت منها قطع لأربع اشخاص إضافة الى جثة مرمية على طرف الشارع وجرحى لا يحصى عددهم..
The explosion was not audiable as much as it was felt and my car leaped for half a metre in the air. I then sat on the ground in a state of complete shock.. added to that the sound of the explosion which must have been heard over a long distance. While passing by the incident site, which was near a military point, which the driver described as the Patrols Department, I saw body parts belonging to four different people, in addition to the bodies on either sides of the streets and countless injured people…
الانفجار كبير جداً وما زالت سيارة تحترق في الجوار وحائط كبير قد سقط من الثكنة العسكرية اضافة الى اشجار كاملة قد هبطت على كلا الطرفين وقطع بشرية متناثرة في الجوار وسيارات الاسعاف تنطلق بسرعة جنونية وقد اخلت بالفعل عدداً منهم..
الحقيقة لم اشعر بالخوف بقدر ما شعرت بالاسف لما حدث والحمد لله انني كنت بعيداً عن تلك النقطة حتى ولو على بعد مئتي متر، وكما آمنت دائماً لكل إنسان وقته وأظن أن وقتي لم يحن بعد..
عذراً أحب أن أقول بأن الانفجار غير ناتج عن (جرة غاز) أو (انفجار سيارة) بحادث أو أي كذبة أخرى قد تخرج بها الحكومة.. الانفجار كبير اسقط حائطا كاملاً من الثكنة العسكرية والانفجار خارج الثكنة على الشارع تماماً وليس داخلها، وهناك سيارات محترقة وجثث وأموات والعديد من الجرحى.. والوقت كان حوالي الثامنة إلا ربعاً من صباح اليوم أي قبل نصف ساعة من الآن تماما..
سأوافيكم بالتفاصيل فيما بعد..
عذرا لان التدوين غير محبوكة النص بسبب السرعة..
حفظ الله هذا الوطن من كل شر..
Dania, from Syria, has a post entitled 17. She writes:
17 people are killed… and no one knows any thing, no news agency knows any thing, no further details but … 17 people are killed.
200kg of explosive… who, how, and why…
17 people are killed…I can't think right now, my brother was on his way to the airport.
They say it might be an assassination, and they say it might be only a threat to the national security.
17 people are killed
Sasa, meanwhile, posts catches up with the rumour mill and brings us the latest:
So, it's been a few minutes since the bomb, and already people are spending their time wishing up conspiracy theories based on their filthy politics, instead of thinking about the fact that seventeen lives have been lost.
Here's what I've heard already:
- The bomb was near the Sidi Kadad Intelligence Headquarters, responsible for monitoring Palestinians in Damascus – it must be Palestinians taking revenge
- The bomb was on the airport road – it must be Israelis trying to hurt a symbol of national significance
- The bomb was in Sayida Zeinab – it must be the Iraqi problem being exported
- The bomb was trying to undermine the stability of the Syrian government – it must be the Americans
- The bomb was revenge for the killing of a top government official last month – it must be the Syrians
- The bomb was revenge for the killing of Hizbollah official Imad Mughniya – it must be the Lebanese
- The bomb follows other attacks across Syria by religious extremists – it must be Al Qaeda
Just think about the dead – instead of how the attack supports your filthy view of the world.
And Syria affairs expert Joshua Landis links to a Telegraph article for the news. Commentators on his post were quick to respond.
Offended said:
Very disturbing news. What kind of a sick ideology or agenda is behind such attacks?
And IDAF responded:
Luckily it is a weekend and no children were in the damaged elementary school in the location.
Syrian TV was the only source of information and footage so far. Some images here:
http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=83046
From neighbouring Egypt, Zeinobia explains:
This is the first terrorist act that targets the Syrian civilians since a long time. Also it comes after a serious of mysterious assignations assassinations took place across the country. Not to mention it comes at the same time the Syria seems to regain power in the region.
Till now the message behind this blast is not obvious , it is for sure sent to the Syrian regime but for what ?? For its Relations with Iran or the regime itself !!??

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Angola: A new African El Dorado for foreign workers · Global Voices
Clara Onofre

Since the end of the civil war in 2002, Angola has been a shelter to many foreigners. Thanks to the growing economic development, to the rehabilitation of infrastructure and the maintenance of stability in the country, as well as the arrival of several international companies, foreigners feel compelled to try their luck in this country.
There are over 70,000 foreigners living in Angola, half of whom have work permits and are mostly Brazilian, Chinese, Cuban and Portuguese people. From Africa, there are also citizens coming from Congo, Mauritania, Mali, among other countries.
Portugal surely leads the way in the immigration field. Just to give you an idea, by the end of 2007 nearly 60,000 luso-souls had entered the country. This is a considerable amount which exposes the historical and affective ties that unite Angola and Portugal.
However, the Chinese make up an already considerable number in the country. They devote themselves mainly to the construction industry and are known to work hours on end, under sun or rain. In a letter in the ‘The world seen by the readers’ column, in Pedro Doria's blog, Angolan Caco writes:
“Os chineses foram os últimos a desembarcar por aqui, mas já formam o maior contingente. Ninguém sabe ao certo, mas dizem que são mais de 600.000 deles espalhados pelo país – dá algo como 3% da população. Trabalhando em turnos que causam inveja pela velocidade das obras e disposição para trabalhar 24 horas por dia e sete dias por semana. E num fenómeno inesperado começaram a integrar-se na sociedade de forma tão forte que a primeira geração de crianças sino-angolanas já começa a dar seus passos. Os chineses começam a tomar um espaço no coração das angolanas que até agora era dos brasileiros”.
What is the Angolans’ reaction to this mass of people coming from abroad? And how do foreigners deal with coming to this former Portuguese colony?
Brazilian António Spíndola, who was born in Recife and writes on his Spíndola Blog, talks a little about this subject:
“Recebo muitos e-mails perguntando como é a vida em Angola. Em sua maioria são pessoas pensando em vir trabalhar aqui que desejam ou já foram convidadas. Angola é vista como o novo eldorado para os profissionais do Brasil. A ideia que se tem são bons salários e novas aventuras. Entretanto, na teoria a prática é diferente! Há bons salários sim, mas há uma série de dificuldades que se precisa transpor.”
One of these difficulties is getting a visa. The government puts up serious obstacles to the issuing of leave to remain and the whole process is very slow. Discouraging obtaining visas ultimately leads to  illegal residence. It is important to streamline the bureaucracy and give the green light to foreigners wishing to settle on Angolan soil. We need to view the majority of these international citizens as a qualified labor force. As people capable of contributing to the development of a country that for 30 years was deep at war.
The O Lado Negro [Dark Side, pt] blog confirms the mishaps experienced when trying to obtain a visa:
“A minha esposa criou uma empresa em Angola e fomos para lá morar em 2006. Depois de lá estar voltei a Portugal para tratar de todos os documentos que a lei angolana exige para legalizar a minha residência naquele país. Mal empregado tempo que perdi e dinheiro que gastei, note-se que vir a Portugal tratar dos documentos e o que paguei no consulado do Porto para meter esses papéis, ultrapassou os 2500 dólares, mas para nada pois até hoje nem me deram uma resposta em Angola na DEFA (Direcção de Emigração e Fronteiras de Angola). Nem em Portugal no consulado me deram resposta, apenas o funcionário do consulado me disse: – o que o senhor quer, eu também estou em Portugal há 2 anos e só tive a minha residência há pouco. Depois de correr para a DEFA montes de vezes a tentar saber do meu caso sem nunca me dizerem o que se passava, resolvi meter uma reclamação por escrito. Acreditem que nem resposta me deram apesar da minha insistência.”
There are three main areas where professional people coming to Angola find work: medicine, construction and education. Some of them come to give training, others to work in the long term.
Most Angolan people do not see the arrival of foreigners in a good light. They believe it will lead to  economic, professional and cultural damage to themselves. There is also the opinion that foreigners in Angola don't behave appropriately. Desabafos Angolanos [Angolan Disencumbering, pt] confirms this:
“Sou angolana de nascimento, vivi 20 anos em Angola e esse é um país que eu amo e nunca sairá do meu coração. Não gosto de ouvir falar mal do meu país e muito menos do seu povo. Incomoda-me, irrita-me. Não consigo perceber as pessoas que só vão trabalhar para Angola por causa do dinheiro. Não gostam do seu povo, das suas gentes e só são simpáticas e cordiais para angariar simpatia. Essa simpatia chega ao ponto de abrir as portas de sua casa para ganhar confiança. Falam constantemente em corruptos e na facilidade em corromper. Quero ouvir falar bem do país onde nasci, cresci e fui feliz.”
Originally written in Portuguese, translation into English by Paula Góes

author: Clara Onofre


text:
Blogger of the Week: Sami Ben Gharbia · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

This week's Blogger of the Week is none other than Global Voices Advocacy Director Sami Ben Gharbia, known for his dedication to the fight against oppression and censorship.  Sami is originally from Tunisia, but has been based in The Netherlands since 1998.  He blogs at fikra فكرة.
JY: Tell us about yourself.
SBG: I started blogging in French, then, after few years, I decided to blog in Arabic and cover interesting stories that deal with digital activism and the use of new information technologies for social and political change. I speak 4.5 languages. The half is what remained from the Farsi that I've learned during the one and a half year that I've spent in Iran.
I studied law at the University of Tunis but I didn't complete my studies. I always hated Law and preferred to study Sociology. But in Tunisia, at that time, it does not matter what you choose to study, the government educational body is there to choose it for you!
I work as a part-time Advocacy director for Global Voices and I'm also trying, together with my colleagues from nawaat.org, to evolve some of the Tunisian citizen media projects and digital activism initiatives to something more professional and sustainable.
JY: You published the first Tunisian e-book (in French) about your exile from Tunisia – can you share a bit of that story with us?
SBG: Well, when I arrived to The Netherlands after one year of travel following my flee from Tunisia, the first thing I did was write down the story of that trip, which was a very rich and intense experience.
“Journey in a Hostile World” is the subtitle of the e-book. And I think that it gives an idea about how it is to travel the world with an Arab or African passport in a region where all kind of frontiers and mountains of obstacles are built to prevent a wide portion of this specific group from traveling and exercising their freedom of movement in a so called “global village”. In this travel, I realized how difficult, and even impossible, it is to travel from one North African or Arab country to another and how often you can get arrested and investigated only because you are a young Arab and thus have the “bad” passport. I was arrested twice, once in Libya where I spent five days in the security offices because my attempts to travel through the Sahara desert in the direction of Niger was deemed suspicious. The second time was in Damascus (Syria) where, after two days of investigation, I was asked to leave the country. The book tries to also analyze the political situation in the countries that I've visited (Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Chad, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran and the Netherlands) and follows the personages of the story through the use of fiction, theological analysis, political debate, prose and poetry. All the stories are linked by the wire of the journey that leads the personages through countries, cities, events and memories, that trace their relationship with the end of a century (XX) and the beginning of another (XXI).
JY: How did you get involved with GVA? What inspired you to work on the project?
SBG: After the article by Sameer Padania, GV former Video Hub editor, about the Tunisian Prison Map mashup, Haitham Sabbah,  former GV Middle East Editor asked me to cover Tunisia for GV, which I did for a few months, before starting GV Advocacy.
I personally was impressed by the role of GV after the support that our citizen online demonstration, Yezzi Fock Ben Ali, has gained, thanks to the coverage that has been given to it on GV. It was interesting to see that the Anglophone blogsphere was much more supportive toward our action than the francophone one, which we excepted to be much closer to us than the Anglophone one. The same trend has been observed after my Tunisian Prison Map. Those two cases were my very first impression of GV and they have demonstrated to me the place and the very particular identity that this amazing website is shaping within the media sphere.
JY: Do you feel you're achieving more for freedom of expression living outside of Tunisia than inside?
Since I only started advocating when I lived in the Netherlands and not in Tunisia, I didn't experience the problems I could have had in a similar situation in Tunisia.
I must say that I didn't really experience freedom of expression inside Tunisia and I think that after the short political openness during the eighties, Tunisians have lost a huge part of their freedom of expression and free access to information. Living and blogging from outside Tunisia has certainly helped me express myself freely, but the fact that my personal blog is blocked, as are all the other collective blogs that I'm co-running, always remind me of the harsh situation in which freedom of expression has declined year-by-year in my country.
JY: You recently reported on the status of freedom of expression in Tunisia. What is your take on the matter?
SBG: The Tunisian government has realized that censorship is not working the way it wanted it to. The flow of dissident information into Tunisia is a fact and censorship is simply not succeeding in stopping it. It's true that only a small percentage of Tunisian Netizens have the technical skill and the will to figure out workarounds for the censorship, however, the rest of Tunisian Netizens still can access the same information on Facebook or via their RSS subscriptions and mailing-lists. The government is aware of this breach and it seems that it is updating its policy from a simple blocking of dissents websites and blogs to a much aggressive one that include hacking and deleting of websites and filtering of emails.
By getting rid of outspoken websites and blogs (those who, thanks to the service of RSS, social networking websites and newsletters, are providing their readership in Tunisia with independent information) and by filtering emails (it seems that the Tunisian Internet police has recently implemented what seems to be a Deep Packet Inspection (DPI to filter targeted email addresses and content) the regime hopes to destabilize the two hubs that are providing Tunisia with political information and that the censorship couldn't stop.
The other new development is the response of the Tunisian Netizens in general, including bloggers and digital activists, to censorship. The recent ban on Facebook in Tunisia that lasted for two weeks has generated a very strong mobilization to protest the ban of Facebook itself, on the blogs and websites and as a result, access was restored after two weeks by a “personal intervention” from President Ben Ali, who ordered the lifting of the ban.
Now, and for the first time in Tunisia, a Tunisian journalist and blogger, Zied El Heni, who is also a member of the executive board of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists, has taken legal action against the Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI) over the ban on Facebook and the first hearing has been scheduled for November 4th.
JY: We know you love technology – what new developments are you really passionate about?
SBG: I'm very impressed by the new North African blogs aggregator, Berberus.com. It's one of the most efficient tools that helps you follow, explore, and understand the North-African blogospheres and have a sense of the kind of conversations that are taking place in that region of the world. With graphs, tags, hot topics and a very advanced search into the content and comments of the Maghrebian (North African) blogspheres, Berberus.com offers a range of new functionalities that make the navigation of the aggregated blogs and authors a very interesting experience.
JY: You recently attended your second Global Voices Summit. What did you learn from this year's gathering? What new developments do you hope to see for GVO and GVA?
SBG: During the Budapest Citizen Media Summit we have dedicated one day to debate the online free speech topic, from a variety of perspectives (technical, legal, social, political, etc.) by bringing together on-the-ground activists and bloggers, NGOs representatives, tools developers, free speech advocates and researchers. What I personally took from that meeting is that the battle against online censorship/filtering and the defense of free access to the tools that are giving the platforms for people to express themselves (like blogging services, photo and video-sharing websites, and social networking websites) is a global battle that needs to be fought globally by joining efforts of all actors in the online free speech movement. The building of a coordinated global anti-censorship network is one of the ideas that has strongly emerged from the Budapest debate.
* Photo Credit: Georgia Popplewell

author: Jillian C. York


text:
Brazil: A million signatures against homophobia · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Thiago Velloso [pt] publishes the banners for the 13th Gay Pride Rio, which takes place on October 12, and provides info regarding an online petition hosted by the No To Homophobia website in support to the bill that criminalizes homophobia in Brazil. “A million signatures is expected. Do your bit.”

author: Paula Góes


text:
Brazil: Who are the Brazilian bloggers · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Who are the Brazilian bloggers? Pedro Cardoso [pt] and Tine Araújo [pt] are conducting a census [pt] to find out, among others, what academic and professional qualifications Brazilian bloggers have, their relationship with traditional media and their social habits, tools etc.


text:
China: Will a Nobel Peace Prize really hurt our feelings? · Global Voices
John Kennedy

It couldn't have been all so bad when Gao Xingjian was awarded the Nobel prize in Literature in 2000; Zhu Rongji congratulated the former Chinese citizen at the time, and Wikipedia maintains that his winning the Nobel Prize in its 100th anniversary year is a happy occasion for Chinese literature, even with his works having been banned in China.
Now in 2008 that Hu Jia is rumored to be a top contender for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, the news was at least reported, although quickly harmonized away, leaving just those which bear Liu Jianchao‘s harmonious talking point that a Nobel Peace Prize for Hu will without doubt hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, and just the rumor of it already has.
The relevant Anti-CNN post, using a Deutsche Welle report, still stands; some comments:
“诺贝尔和平奖”已经成了一个笑话。囧
现在是谁反华最凶，谁得诺贝尔和平奖，这个由西方国家控制的国际著名奖项的针对性还真强啊，我们中国想崛起太不容易了，希望祖国加油，她们越这样做，我们应该更团结。
过于愤怒？是严重鄙视吧！sb们爱咋地咋地。
是真的鄙视…
这个和平，让我再一次看到了虚伪…
若贝尔奖已经变异！变成反华奖！真是笑话！
回应它作甚？记住就是了．ＤＬＬＭ不是２０年前就得了，搞３.１４的暴徒就是他，自己扇了主子的大嘴巴．
真令人怀疑，若贝尔和平奖评审人员是不是被阉割过？？怎么这么荒唐呀？？！！
若贝尔和平奖=阴谋 颠覆   政府奖?
西方人真正是掩耳盗铃啊，一边还幻想中国去救市一边还对中国说三道四的，难道我们中国人好欺负吗
And from the more influential message board Paowang, comments on the Liu Jianchao ‘hurt feelings’ statement:
# 怪不得最近老生病,原来中了诺贝尔病毒- <0 byte(s)> 徐九十五 2008-09-26 15:35:17 (26)
# 请把和平奖颁发给我- <0 byte(s)> 莫烦 2008-09-26 15:33:54 (23)
# 中国真的强大起来了
提交者 :  草草收场 于 泡网俱乐部 (http://paowang.com/) 北京时间 2008-09-26 15:19:48
答  复 :  外交部回应和平奖  提交者 :  弗洛伊德 于 北京时间 2008-09-26 13:17:56
强大到可以因为别人把屎拉在人家自己手上而我们的感情却收到了伤害
# 我被伤害了？
提交者 :  霜冷铁衣寒 于 泡网俱乐部 (http://paowang.com/) 北京时间 2008-09-26 15:07:54
答  复 :  外交部回应和平奖  提交者 :  弗洛伊德 于 北京时间 2008-09-26 13:17:56
咋没感觉呢？
# Re: 我被伤害了？
提交者 :  cowbman 于 泡网俱乐部 (http://paowang.com/) 北京时间 2008-09-26 16:22:04
答  复 :  我被伤害了？  提交者 :  霜冷铁衣寒 于 北京时间 2008-09-26 15:07:54
又被人代表着,被伤害了一次
# 笑
提交者 :  猫瓜 于 泡网俱乐部 (http://paowang.com/) 北京时间 2008-09-26 16:48:05
答  复 :  Re: 我被伤害了？  提交者 :  cowbman 于 北京时间 2008-09-26 16:22:04
反正不被人戴三个红表，就被人戴三个西表，都习惯了
# 强烈要求中国外交部停止伤害中国人民的感情- <0 byte(s)> 小天 2008-09-26 14:52:19 (30)
# 我是不是已经遍体鳞伤了- <0 byte(s)> 我乃朝廷名官岂可降尔反贼！ 2008-09-26 14:41:56 (24)
# md，又被强奸一次。。。- <0 byte(s)> 鸡排骨 2008-09-26 14:10:33 (40)
# 又受到伤害了。。
提交者 :  鼻涕耷不流 于 泡网俱乐部 (http://paowang.com/) 北京时间 2008-09-26 13:26:38
答  复 :  外交部回应和平奖  提交者 :  弗洛伊德 于 北京时间 2008-09-26 13:17:56
这得要多脑残才有这待遇啊
# 中国人民的感情比身体重要啊- <0 byte(s)> 能不爱江南？ 2008-09-26 13:25:49 (58)
# 不是Yang佳么.- <18 byte(s)> 枯影 2008-09-27 05:21:32 (87)

author: John Kennedy


text:
Egypt: National Theater on Fire · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

It seems that the Egyptians have succeeded in bringing Nero back to life. And the Egyptian Nero has a long list of places to burn. He started with the Egyptian Parliament a few weeks ago, and now it's time for the Egyptian National Theater.
Egyptian blogger El-Hanem wrote here about today's disaster. She said:
شب حريق في صالة العرض بالمسرح القومي بوسط القاهرة مساء اليوم السبت في وقت يسود فيه الهدوء التام مع استعداد المسلمين لتناول طعام الإفطار بعد غروب الشمس.
وقالت مصدر بالإدارة العامة للدفاع المدني والإطفاء إن النيران بدأت في الاشتعال في نحو الخامسة وخمس وثلاثين دقيقة بتوقيت القاهرة وبدأت بستارة المسرح واستمرت نحو ساعتين ولم تؤد إلى وقوع إصابات باستثناء بعض حالات الاختناق المحدودة.
وأضاف أن أكثر من 30 سيارة إطفاء انتقلت إلى المسرح المشتعل الذي يقع في ميدان العتبة حيث توجد الإدارة الرئيسية للحماية المدنية بالعاصمة.
ورجح أن الحريق نتج عن تماس كهربائي تلاه انفجار بعض أجهزة التكييف داخل قاعة المسرح وهو ما أدى إلى انهيار جزء من ديكورات وواجهات المسرح المطلة على ميدان العتبة.
A fire started in the National Theater's Hall in downtown Cairo at 5pm today. The city was calm then as it's the holy month of Ramadan now and Muslims here were getting ready for breaking their fast.
Sources at the Fire Fighting department said that the fire started at 5.35pm Cairo local time, when the  theater's curtains burned and lasted for about two hours. Fortunately, there were no victims there except for some minor injuries due to smoke inhalation. More than 35 trucks moved to the burning theater located in El Attaba square, which is by the way where the Cairo Fire Fighting department headquarters is located.
The fire was most probably due to an electric spark, followed by an explosion in one of the theater's air conditioning systems, which in turn destroyed parts of the theater's decorations.

author: Tarek Amr


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Iran:Filtering in Iran in One Web Day in Oxford · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

In One Web Day in Oxford, a small exhibition of Kosoof‘s works portray Iranian bloggers, who struggle with censorship and Internet filtering in their country. Watch them here and here.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Japan: Dropping out of Graduate School · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

At Hatena's AnonymousDiary, a former student of a Japanese graduate school describes their experience and why they decided to drop out [ja]. The student explains that in their lab, what mattered most was not experimental techniques or fundamental knowledge, but just the amount of time that students spent at their desk. The student writes that this environment makes it difficult to acquire skills in other fields, and reports that there are many cases of depression in other labs.


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Morocco: Rural Women · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Peace Corps volunteer Duncan Goes to Morocco explains what life is like for women in the rural community where he lives.


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Morocco: Schools Closing · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

The View from Fez reports that the Moroccan government plans to shut down 60 Qur'anic schools around the country, all of which are associated with Sheikh Mohamed Ben Abderrahman Al-Maghraoui, who earlier this month decreed that the marriage of nine-year-old girls was permissible.  His declaration is an affront to Morocco's 2004 Family Code, which set the age of marriage at 18 for both genders.


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Paraguay: The Mennonite Community · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Muna Annahas writes about the long history of the Mennonite community in Paraguay.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Peru: The History of the Internet · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Roberto Bustamante of El Blog del Morsa [es] posts about the need to write and document the history of the internet in Peru, and provides some interesting data regarding that history.

author: Juan Arellano


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Afghanistan: How to Win · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust takes issue with an essay about how to “win” in Afghanistan.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Afghanistan: Students on Hunger Strike  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Azar Balkhi reports that following the language dispute in the Balkh province of Afghanistan, in which students of the local university entered into a clash with the police, the protesters went on a hunger strike.


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Afghanistan: Surge East · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust thinks that long-term development goals are a critically missing piece of the Western agenda in Afghanistan.


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Afghanistan: What kind of government · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust notes some of the problems with the American conceptions of Afghan society, and how that is influencing bad policy.


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Bahamas: Culture of Agriculture  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“There’s a myth, see, in the world, see, that says that technology is hierarchically stacked and that agriculture is better than horticulture which is better than foraging and fishing…and in this world, it’s true that agriculture failed in The Bahamas.  But what nobody tells you is why it failed.”: Nicolette Bethel has a different view.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Bangladesh: Five layered tea · Global Voices
Rezwan

Claire b writes in Travel Blog about her recent trip to Srimongol in Sylhet division where the tea-estates are in Bangladesh: “My guide urged me to try the 5 colored (layered) tea apparently famous in the region..it was one of the best cups/glasses of tea I’ve had.”

author: Rezwan


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Bermuda, U.S.A.: Presidential Debates  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A Bermudian's View weighs in on the first US presidential debate and says he is looking forward to the upcoming vice-presidential debates: “Given what I’ve seen of Palin…I’d say all Biden has to do is show up. I keep waiting for Ashton Kutcher…to pop out and tell the American people and the rest of the world that is watching that ‘You’ve been Punk’d!'”


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Deaf Awareness Week: Organizing Offline activities Online · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

This last segment of the Deaf Awareness Week (part 1, part 2) shows us how the deaf use their videos to organize their communities and strenghten their offline ties.
In Colombia, the organization of the 4th Deaf Youth Conference is under way, and on the following video, Sandra and Eliécer, organizers of the event, show us and the rest of the Colombian deaf community the recreational park where the conference will take place this year, this time in Colombian Sign Language and voiceovers in Spanish:
Other conferences are also being organized for the Deaf Community in different countries. This video invites viewers to participate in the First Latin American Spiritual Conference for the Deaf, and in this other video, the invitation is for the activities in Costa Rica during the Deaf Awareness Week.
As part of the innitiative to get more deaf people videoblogging, eloypr created a video tutorial in sign language explaining how to open a blogger account and get the “signoblog” (Signblog) started.
Image is Hand by John-Morgan, used according to Creative Commons attribution license.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Dominica: Independence · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Dominica Weekly posts photos from the opening ceremony of the island's 30th anniversary of independence.


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D.R. Congo: Legislator faces rape allegations · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Congolese blogger Alex Engwete [Fr] calls for a major politician to step down, amid accusations he raped a 12 year-old girl [Fr].

author: Jennifer Brea


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Egypt: Kidnapped Tourists Freed · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

Nineteen people, including 11 foreign tourists, who had been kidnapped 10 days ago were freed today unharmed in a pre-dawn raid by the Egyptian special forces.
Zeinobia, at Egyptian Chronicles, dedicated a post here to the Egyptian special forces fir their heroic role in the rescue.
I do not know if anyone of them will ever read this but thank you for bringing joy, faith and hope to people who are really missing a lot these days, thank you for standing up as usual as expected when it needed.
Those kidnapped included 11 foreign tourists – five Italians, five Germans and a Romanian – who were snatched in a remote border region of Egypt, which has cave paintings thought to be about 10,000 years old. The region is accessible by desert vehicle from the conflict zones of Darfur and eastern Chad.
Meanwhile, The Arabist links to news sources and announces:
The word is the 19 hostages are now free and healthy.
Writing in The Skeptic, Elijah Zarwan earlier reported:
Sudanese government officials are telling reporters that the Sudanese forces killed six men accused of complicity in the abduction of 11 tourists and eight Egyptian guides after a high-speed chase through the desert. The Sudanese say they captured two people involved, who said that the hostages had been moved to Chad. If all the reports coming out have been true, then the hostages have been moved from Egypt, across the border to Sudan, across the border into Libya, then back into Sudan, and again across the border into Chad.


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Ghana: How not to use party colors · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

How not to use party colors in Ghana: “The Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Seth Charles Oteng, on Thursday expressed concern about the organisation of social functions under politically coloured atmosphere.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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India: Recent bombings and economics · Global Voices
Rezwan

Pass The Roti On The Left Side comments on the second bombing incident in Delhi in recent times: “While you can pitch this in communal terms or identity terms of various kinds.., ultimately, this is driven in my opinion by economic factors which are understood in politics through communal and caste-based and other mobilizations, actions, etc..”


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Iran: Rural heritage of Guilan · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Kourosh Ziabari, Iran based blogger, wrote an article about Iranian northern province, Guilan and has published several interesting photos.


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Jamaica: Cell Phone Etiquette  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican blogger Stunner is amazed that “people can't get it through their heads that it is a common courtesy to silence their phones when at a function.”


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Japan: Fluctuations in Yen-Dollar rate · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Japanese blogger kawase_oh [為替王] analyzes recent fluctuation in exchange rates [ja] between the yen and the U.S. dollar, and also between the yen and other major currencies. The blogger says to look out this week for the Bank of Japan's Tankan survey [日銀短観] on Oct. 1st, and to the announcement of euro zone policy interest rates on the 2nd.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: Group Bookmarking with 4dk · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Osamu Higuchi at Higuchi.com introduces a free bookmarking service [ja] (in Japanese) called 4dk [ja], where bookmarks are visible only to those within a closed group. Higuchi refers to this idea as “group bookmarking”, explaining that it is different from the “group catharsis” of open bookmarking services like del.icio.us and Hatena bookmarks [ja]. The group bookmarking concept can be useful for closed work or project situations, where company information can be shared without fear of it being leaked, as well as for closed “mail-magazine”-style news.


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Japan: MIRAI brings together gadgets and the Internet · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Alpha Bloggers announces a free event [ja] in Tokyo entitled, “Mirai: synthesis of gadgets and the net” (MIRAI：ネットとガジェットの融合), to be held on October 20th from 7pm to 10pm near Kudanshita station (see map [ja]). The event will discuss the possibilities of a future in which gadgets and the Internet are united, through a set of three different sessions: “New services and new gadgets”, “Possibilities and future of PCs”, and “Digital camera and digital video in a net era”.


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Japan: The psychology of prostitution, and why it should be legalized · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

id:fromdusktildawn delves into the the roots and social context of prostitution [ja], arguing that by looking down on women who work in the sex industry, men offload feelings of guilt about their lust for prostitutes onto the prostitutes themselves. The blogger claims that by legalizing the 5 trillion yen prostitution industry, funds could be invested in countering problems of homelessness and poverty. The case is then made that the goal of work in a market economy is ultimately to satisfy someone's desire, and that women in the sex industry are in this sense “creating value”.


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Kazakhstan: Above and Beyond · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust wonders if the retirement of the U.S. space shuttle will make Baikonur space launch site in Kazakhstan even more important than it already is.


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Kazakhstan: Measures to Support Banks · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog says that Kazakhstan’s government is considering raising $6 billion in funds to bail out domestic banks, should they be unable to pay back their loans.


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Kazakhstan: New landmark of Almaty · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam posts pictures of Esentai district, which will include Mariott hotel, residences, offices, retail etc – a projects that changed the Almaty cityscape.


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Kenya: Recycling center overwhelmed · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A recycling center in Kenya is looking for help: “The Karen Langata District Association (KLDA) runs a bottle bank at the Langata Link complex where residents of Karen and Langata can drop off empty glass bottles for recycling. Lately they have been receiving huge amounts of bottles and the glass company responsible for collecting these is not able to cope.”


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Korea: Ceremonial Expenses · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

What is your biggest expense? A website, www.career.co.kr, did a survey of 1,676 employees, and asked them which of their expenses they consider worthless. The highest percentage answered drinking and the second highest was for payment of other peoples’ ceremonies.
The top answer could be understood anywhere. Then, what do congratulating other people’s happiness and condoling others’ sadness mean? It might be wasteful but it’s still significant.
Many bloggers advise on how to deal with payment for other peoples’ ceremonies.
바야흐로 ‘시즌'이 왔다. 고궁과 공원마다 카메라 앞에서 닭살스런 포즈를 취하고 있는 신랑 신부가 줄을 잇고, 하루가 멀다 하고 청첩장이 날아든다. 경조사, 이렇게 대처하자! 경조사를 대처하는 우리의 자세 A to Z우리의 고민은 여기서부터 시작된다. 축의금은 얼마를 내야 할지, 다른 사람들은 얼마나 내는지, 휴일인데 가족들과 함께 참석해도 되는지…. 결혼식은 경사니까 그렇다 쳐도, 부고를 받으면 마음이 아픈 와중에도 머리는 더 복잡해진다. 향불은 어떻게 피워야 하는지, 상주에게는 어떻게 위로해야 하는지….
흔히들 경조사는 품앗이라고 한다. 하지만 품앗이의 형식과 내용이 달라진 지는 이미 오래됐다. 바쁜 일손을 도와주던 옛날과는 달리 요즘엔 ‘현금'으로 품앗이하는 것이 대세가 된 것이다. 통계청이 지난 2월에 발표한 자료에 따르면, 2007년 2인 이상 전국 가구의 월 평균 경조사비는 4만 3215원. 이를 연간으로 환산하면 가구당 51만 9000원에 달한다. 특히 2003년에서 2007년 사이의 경조사비 지출 증가율은 18.7%로 같은 기간의 소비자물가 상승률(11.6%)을 웃도는 것으로 나타났다. 경조사비가 가계에 상당한 부담을 주고 있는 상황이긴 하지만, 사회활동을 하는 데 필요한 지출 중의 하나인 것만은 분명한 사실. 미리미리 예비비를 마련해 두는 것도 생활의 한 지혜가 될 수 있겠다.
We usually regard “matters for congratulations and condolences” as “poomassi” (exchange of work). However, forms and contents of poomassi have already changed for a while. While we helped parties who face those matters before, giving ‘cash’ instead becomes the general trend. According to information from the National Statistics Office in February, the standard fee that a more than two person- household spends every month in 2007 was about 43,215 won and therefore the annual expense is 519,000 won. From 2003 to 2007, the increasing rate of the expense is about 18.7 percent and is more than the rate of the consumer price which was 11.6 percent. The fee for ceremonies gives a considerable burden to family budgets, but the reality is that it is a necessary expense for social activities. Preparing a reserve fund is the wisdom of your life.
What does the payment mean?
새로운 회사로 옮긴지 두달이 좀 넘었습니다. 꽃피는 춘삼월에 회사를 입사하고 계절의 여왕인 오월이어서 그런지 짧은 기간동안에 사내 직원들의 결혼식이 꽤 많았습니다.. ^^ 결혼식 뿐만 아니라 돌잔치 등으로 축의금, 상을 당하신 직원들에게 조의금 등으로 경조사비가 좀 나갔네요.. 다른 부서 직원인 경우에는 팀에서 2~3만원씩 걷어서 팀이름으로 경조사비를 냈지만, 같은 팀원인 경우에는 5만원 정도 축의금이 지출되었습니다. (이번달에만 같은 팀원이 2명이나 결혼을..^^) 마눌님에게 용돈을 받아 쓰는 처지이기에, 마눌님에게 경조사비 지원 요청을 했지요..
마눌님 曰 : 오빠는 앞으로 축의금 받을 일도 없는데..
좀비 : ^^;; 그렇다고 안 낼수는 없잖여..
이게 다 ‘외상장부'야..
축의금,조의금을 나는 얼마를 했었는데 누군 얼마를 더 했고, 덜 했고, 안 했고..이번에 축의금,조의금을 받았으니, 앞으로 가서 반드시 해야겠고.. 더 해줘서 고맙고, 덜 하고 안 해줘서 삐지고.. ^^;; 뭐, 여튼 그렇습니다..품앗이 개념으로 본다면 최소한 받은 만큼 주고, 준 만큼 받기를 원한다고 할까요..저는 제 결혼식, 딸내미 돌잔치, 부모님 회갑연의 방명록을 챙긴 적이 없습니다. 목록을 본 적이 없다는 거죠.. 그래서 누가, 얼마나 했는지 알지를 못합니다.. 자리를 같이 해주셔서 감사드리고, 혹 못오셨어도 마음으로는 축하를 해주셨으리라 여깁니다. 타인의 태도에 의해 좌우되는 것이 아니라, 다만 제가 같이 축하해야 할 일이 있거나, 같이 슬퍼해야 할 일이 있을 경우 제 여건이 허락하고, 마음이 가는 한 자리를 같이 하고 제 상황에 맞게 축,조의금을 드릴 뿐이죠. 경조사, 이런 일은 2MB 정권의 대북정책처럼 당신이 한 만큼 나도 하겠다와 같이 너무 계산적이지 않는 것이 좋겠슴다…여튼 최근 경조사비가 좀 많아지다 보니 부담이 되기는 하네요.. ^^;;
하긴 제가 또 결혼할 일은 웬만해선 없을 터이고(^^), 아이를 더 낳지 않는 이상 돌잔치도 없을 것이고, 부모님 회갑도 다 지났으니 그것도 없을 것이고… 앞으로는 축의금을 받을 일은 별로 없을 것 같습니다.. (에잇.. 둘째를 가져 버릴까 부다.. ^^::)여튼 어른신들 같은 경우 이런 경조사에 경조사비를 챙겨서 주신 분들을 기록한 방명록에 많은 신경을 쓰시는 편입니다.. 이런 말씀도 하시죠..
Wife: We don’t have any occasions left to get ceremony fees…
Me : It doesn’t mean that I don’t have to pay…
Sure, I don’t have any other occasion to have another wedding (^^). I am not going to have another baby and therefore I don’t need to go through the first birthday party for my child. My parents’ 60 year old birthday parties are already gone. In the future, I really don’t have any chance to get ceremony fees. (Maybe I should consider the second child^^). Anyway, the elderly emphasize name books that how much visitors paid for ceremonies and describe…
This is like a ‘credit note.’
We usually check whether I gave money for congratulations and for condolences, and whether others paid that much or less.. This time, we received this much money and therefore we should pay this much next time… feel happy to receive more and feel anxious to receive less.. If we consider this as poomassi, that’s true that we should give as much as we receive and we would like to receive as much as we give… I have never checked the name books for my ceremonies, such as my wedding, my daughter’s first birthday party, and parents’ 60 year old birthday party. So I don’t know how much visitors paid. I appreciate them for visiting for congratulating my ceremonies and even though some of them couldn’t come they sent the congratulations in their hearts. I don’t want to be influenced by others’ attitudes. I would like to express my heart sincerely and appropriately. About these occasions, the current government has the same attitude toward North Korea—We will do as much as North Korea does. I hope that we don’t calculate like that toward North Korea… anyway, honestly speaking, I feel the pinch in increasing payment for congratulations and condolences.^^;;
To not a few bloggers, the payment brings other meanings. Kkuks81 talks about what the payment means.
내가 나이 먹었다 느껴질 때
[…]7. 축의금(경조사비)이 많이 나간다.
나도 많이 받고 있고 그 만큼 많이 나가고 있다. 상당히 부담이 되지만 결국 나도 똑 같은 일을 한두번 이상 겪게 될 것이기 때문에 직접 가지는 못해도 투자나 인맥관리차원에서라도 꼭 경조사비를 내게 된다.[…]
I also receive more, but I have to pay that much. I feel hard-pressed, but I will also have the same occasions. Therefore, as investment and as human networks, I have to pay even though sometimes I can’t attend.[…]
What does the payment mean in society?
성공적인 직장 생활을 위한 노하우
[…]3. 경조사를 빼먹지 말자
직장 생활 중에 힘든 부분중에 하나가 경조사가 아닐까 싶습니다. 금전적인 면에서부터 거리가 멀다면 가야하나 말아야 하나 망설이게 되고요. 하지만 다른건 몰라도 경조사 만큼은 꼭 가야 합니다. 업무와 연관짓는 것이 좀 비인간적인 것 같지만 현실은 업무적인 요소도 많이 있다고 봐야 합니다. 경조사는 더 이상 길게 쓰기가 좀 뭐하군요. 직접 경험해보신분들은 아실테고 경험이 없다면 무조건 선배를 따라 다니시면 됩니다.[…]
[…]3. Don’t skip occasions of congratulations and condolences.
One of the most difficult work-lives will be about occasions of congratulations and condolences. About money parts and sometimes about geographic distance, we hesitate whether we have to attend or not. However, you have nothing but shouldn’t disregard those matters. It sounds inhumane to link these to your business. But in reality, it is very connected to business aspects. I don’t have to explain about this in detail. People who have been through already know what it is. If you’re a novice, just copy what the experienced do. […]
Money is not the only problem.
경조사, 신경쓰여요.
나이가 드는 증거, 그 하나! 참석해야 할 경조사가 점점 많아진다는 겁니다. 작년에는 결혼식에 세 번, 장례식에 두 번 다녀왔는데, 올해는 4월의 결혼식으로 그 스타트를 끊네요.근데 말이죠, 이게 꽤 스트레스라구요. 적당히 입고 가면 좋으련만, 결혼식에서는 신부 측 하객들 꽤나 신경쓰고 다니게 되잖아요. 더군다나 이번에 결혼하는 언니는 저에게 리셉션 역할까지 부탁을 하는 거에요. 결혼식장이 레스토랑이라 도착하는 손님 자리로 안내해 드리고,
방명록에 싸인 받아놓고 선물이나 그런 것들 다 챙겨 놓고 하는 일을 부탁받았으니까 신경이 더 쓰이게 되는 거죠.
고민고민 하다가 옷을 사버렸습니다. 튀지는 않아야 하지만 그렇다고 너무 점잖아도 안되고, 가격도 생각해야 하고..
여기저기 뒤지다가 골랐습니당.
Proof that I am aging. There are more occasions to attend other peoples’ ceremonies. Last year, there were three weddings and two funerals. This year, it starts with a wedding in April. But you know what. This is quite stressful. It will be good I can just have casual clothes. But in the wedding, congratulators (especially bride’s side) choose clothes cautiously. What is worse, the friend who will marry this time asked me to take care of the reception desk. I have to guide congratulators to the restaurant and take care of gifts and money with the name book. It gives me more stress. Being in agony, I had to buy new clothes. The clothes should not be so noticeable, but too much serious clothes are not good either. But I have to be concerned about the price. Digging around, I chose one.
And it could be a universal problem.
한국에 있을때와 마찬가지로 여기 호주에서도 각종 경조사가 있을 경우 각출을 합니다. 조금 과장하면 한국에서는 ‘도데체 내가 회사에 돈을 받고 다니는것이 아니라 돈을 내고 다니는 거 아니야?’ 할 정도였는데 며칠전 여기 호주 회사에서도 책상에 앉아 있는데 누가 굉장히 커다란 카드와 봉투를 내미는 것이 아니겠습니까? 카드에는 출산을 축하한다 어쩌고 저쩌고 직원들이 간단한 인사말들을 적어놓았고 그래서 대충 눈치로 어 그 여자 출산기념선물을 사줄라나보다하고 몇푼 넣었던 기억이 있습니다. 그런데 오늘 New.com.au의 기사에 ‘제발 사내에서 경조사비좀 그만 걷었으면 좋겠다'는 기사가 난것입니다. 얼마나 웃음이 나던지…. 한국이나 호주나 사는것은 다 똑같고 회사원들의 애환도 똑같습니다. 기사의 처음에 써있는 글이 너무 웃깁니다. ‘날 좀 내버려두라고 내가 얼마나 쥐꼬리만큼 버는지 알아?’ 그리고 밑에 줄줄이 써있는 기사 내용은 경조사비 내는것을 피하는 방법입니다. 돈 대신 집에서 케익을 만들어서 주라나? 돈 내고 말지….

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kyrgyzstan: Head of Central Election Commission resigns · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Genderstan reports that Klara Kabilova, former head of the Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan, made a statement about receiving threats from Maksim Bakiev, son of President Kurmanbek Bakiev. In her statements she mentions that he swore at her and threatened her safety.


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Lebanon: A Blogger’s Debut · Global Voices
Nash Suleiman

In his blog debut, Only Lebnane talks about his opinion regarding the Lebanese society and how its foundations are becoming more sectarian and political.

author: Nash Suleiman


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Lebanon: Army Soldiers Targeted…Again · Global Voices
Nash Suleiman

Forty five days after the first bombing of a bus transporting army soldiers in Lebanon, another bomb exploded in Tripoli today, killing at least four soldiers and wounding over 20 people.  The initial report indicates that the bomb was planted in a car targeting a bus carrying army soldiers in the city north of Lebanon. In the midst of speculations over an upcoming local war or an intense armed conflict between political parties, the Lebanese people can’t seem to catch a break to enjoy the holidays following the month of Ramadan, or adjusting to the never ending struggle to stabilize their economical situation.  The media has been busy as expected reporting on the event and contacting political figures for their responses, and the blogsphere has had its say too.
A post on Lebanese Tag offers informative details and images from the scene:
A car bomb exploded Monday near a military bus carrying troops on their way to work in northern Lebanon, killing at least five people and wounding 25, Lebanese security officials said.
The officials said most of the casualties were soldiers. It was the second deadly attack targeting troops in northern Lebanon in less than two months.
A senior military official told The Associated Press that three soldiers were among the dead, but had no breakdown of the number of injured among the troops.
The security officials said the car packed with explosives was parked on the side of the road and was detonated by remote control as the bus drove in the Bahsas neighborhood on the southern entrance to the northern port city of Tripoli.
They said the explosives used were mixed with metal balls to maximize casualties.
Middle East Watch, a news blog dedicated to the Middle East region also reports on the event not long after it happened:
Lebanon's LBC TV reports that the car-bomb was detonated by remote control just as the minibus carrying Lebanese Army soldiers went by. Those who were less seriously wounded were taken to Tripoli's main soccer stadium for treatment.  The explosion was the second targeting a Lebanese Army bus in less than two months. At least 18 people were killed, many of them soldiers, on August 13, when a bomb hidden inside a duffel bag exploded outside a passenger bus in Tripoli's city center.
Tripoli's Sunni-Muslim mufti Malek Sha'ar insists that those behind this lastest explosion were not from Lebanon and that they were attempting to sow discord inside the country. He said the people behind this act are trying to sow discord among Lebanon's different religious groups but he said all Lebanese will unite to fight this attack
Now Lebanon published a post rounding up responses from the Political figures upon hearing the news:
…Former PM Najib Mikati, who is from Tripoli, told LBC on Monday morning that the explosion was “a terrorist and criminal act against the army, who has been targeted since the Nahr al-Bared events…
…Marwan Hamadeh told LBC that the reconciliations in Tripoli did not remove weapons from the streets and did not stop explosions, “which were not planned in Lebanon, but which come from the outside…
…Interior Minister Ziad Baroud called for an exceptional meeting of the Central Security Council for Monday afternoon, and Police Brigadier General Antoine Shakur visited the site of the explosion in Tripoli.”
Rodge at Ouwet Front, posted his reaction to the Tripoli’s bus explosion, and accuses Syria for being the mastermind behind this incident in an effort to execute its regional agenda:
2 days after the explosion in Damascus, and about 45 days after the first one of its kind, here they are again, this morning an explosion hit a mini bus transporting Army soldiers and some civilians, some 10 killed or injured are reported, and I’m confident the same people planned and executed the 3 explosions.
Now the question should be what is the relation, and I think many of you girls and guys have already answered the question, cause it seems, and since the summer of 2007, the Syrians are trying all they can to return to Lebanon through the north gate, mainly Tripoli, and at the same time they are implementing their own part of the deal done with the Americans and Israelis, so they are assassinating some of the officers involved in Hariri’s death, while blame it on the extremists.
Holger Danske, who blogs at his personal space Holger Awakens, argues in his latest post that the hand behind today's explosion is Fatah Al-Islam which has been operating in north Lebanon for the past two years now:
…There is no question in my mind that this was the world of Fatah al Islam which is the al Qaeda linked group that vowed revenge against the government and its military after they were squashed in operations in northern Lebanon. Fatah al Islam is a Sunni group and of course, the landscape of Lebanon is dominated by Shia Hezbollah…
…The Lebanese have tried to sweep Fatah al Islam under the rug ever since last year but as we can see, they aren't going away and they certainly haven't given up their vow of revenge. I would have to say that this bombing is going to probably force the government into a huge crackdown in the nothern areas and if that happens, it could really get bloody – and not just with Fatah al Islam …
Manuela Paraipan posted an interesting article, discussing how extremists are benefiting from the instability in Lebanon and how the Army can't contain such groups due to the same reasons:
My point is that this group of extremists can be contained, but for that you need the army to go to the places well known to many in the country, take away the weapons [this time for real], put check points in the problematic areas, and the intelligence to keep them under surveillance. The problem is that here even when they act its a half measure. They need more approvals, more green lights from countless leaders, self called leaders, imaginary masters and so on. This type of mentality harms the  security of the country. I have no reasonable explanation [I am not interested in excuses] for it.
After reading the news on her laptop in the morning, A Diamond in Sunlight reacts to the event while watching it from abroad:
And this morning the cheers stopped when I sleepily turned on my laptop to read the news over breakfast.
At first I didn’t quite believe it. I saw “Deadly blast rocks Lebanese city” on the BBC news site and thought: there’s something wrong with the BBC today. Its broadcasting old news – this bombing happened in August.
But it didn’t. I’m so sorry for the people of Tripoli, who already face the challenges of deep poverty and political powerlessness. And I am terribly sorry for the Army, whose soldiers and commanders do not need these terrorist attacks when they are trying to build a strong institution for all Lebanese to be proud of.
And blinkx.com uploaded a video clip capturing the scene moments after it happened while Friday Lunch Club linked to a picture that shows the blown up car and the targeted bus.


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Lebanon: Terror strikes in Tripoli again · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

A remote control car bomb ripped through a military bus this morning killing four soldiers and a civilian in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon. Today’s bombing is the second deadly attack targeting troops in northern Lebanon in less than two months. Twenty five other people were injured in the blast, which tossed the car a few meters from the blast site during morning rush hour. This attack follows the deadly attack on the Lebanese army that took place on August 13, 2008. During the August 13 attack, 18 soldiers and civilians were killed by a roadside bomb near a bus carrying troops on a busy Tripoli street.
Following are the first bloggers’ reactions to today's attack:
Jnoubiyeh posts a transcript of a local TV news about the bombing in which the local and international politicians condemnations and first reactions are mentioned.
Lebanese Tag posts the preliminary details that have surfaced as a result of the attack and also posts photos from the blast site.
Check back for more bloggers’ reactions later.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Liberia: Update from Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

An update from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Liberia: “A witness told commissioners of Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) grisly accounts of how fighters of the defunct ULIMO-K faction slaughtered and ate eight civilians in 1993 in Lofa County.”


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Maldives: Why are expatriate labors here? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Innovative Thinker is concerned about the living conditions of the expatriate workers and criticizes Maldives dependence on these workers.


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Mongolia: Brain Drain Remains Harsh Problem · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Asian Gypsy reports that brain drain problem Mongolia faces is more evident now than ever, as overseas Mongolian online communities sprout and more Mongolians are active online, whose locations are mostly outside of Mongolia.


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Myanmar: Aid still needed · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Five months ago, Tropical Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar which killed more than eighty thousand people and left 50,000 missing and 20,000 injured. It was the worst natural disaster which devastated the southern part of Myanmar.
The ruling junta of Myanmar was initially criticized for the slow relief work and for refusing the entry of international relief groups. Thanks to international pressure, the junta welcomed relief efforts from other countries. After several months, relief groups noted the improving situation inside Myanmar, with regards to the coordination of humanitarian assistance. A report from Refugees International:
“Aid agencies today report an unprecedented level of access and mobility in the Ayeyarwady Delta, which is a tribute to the successful fight by the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asia Nations and the United States for humanitarian access. But the gains in delivering relief supplies, gathering information about needs and supporting local communities are at risk without continued commitment to food security, livelihood and early recovery activities.”
The report also highlighted the need to sustain relief operations:
“While a large majority of cyclone victims have received some sort of assistance, and most are receiving regular food aid, the process of transitioning from relief to self-sufficiency will require international help well through 2009 and perhaps beyond. The international community must continue funding humanitarian assistance and begin livelihood and other early recovery activities that will allow the gradual phasing-out of emergency aid.”
But “hardliner isolationists” continue to block foreign aid:
“Nonetheless, hardliner isolationists are still determined to prevent further international involvement in Burmese affairs. This obstructionism has raised hurdles for relief operations, such as the failed attempt to impose strict guidelines on international agencies.”
These “hardliner isolationists” could be the leaders who are wary of U.S. involvement in the humanitarian process since they fear the U.S. will topple the junta. A government document was uncovered which accused the U.S. of delivering only drinking water, instant noodles and medicine in refugee camps.
It is good to read news of recovery:
“The resilience of those who have been most affected is inspiring. A surprisingly high proportion of the Delta's paddy fields have been planted despite the destruction created by Cyclone Nargis. Still, close to a million people will rely on food assistance for many months to come. In areas such as agriculture, fishing, health and education, an enormous recovery and rebuilding task lies ahead for the affected population as well as for those seeking to assist them.”
Education officials are doubling efforts to help students. International artists are still raising money for victims.
Healthcare was provided to cyclone victims because of influx of donations and volunteer doctors. This was validated by the World Health Organisation which recognized the crucial role of government doctors, nurses and midwives in providing urgent medical treatment to cyclone survivors. An interesting suggestion from the WHO:
“One set of lessons from Nargis should be the introduction of swimming lessons for women, and family evacuation training designed to encourage men to look after older children – which requires greater strength – while women should care for babies.”
The optimism of the WHO was not shared by the Global Hope Network International:
“Most of the hardest hit places of the Ayeyarwaddy delta still refuse entry to foreigners. It is a dangerous place to work. Our teams of national workers continue to risk their freedom and lives by helping the desperately suffering. People are perpetually hungry and are not getting enough food to remain healthy. Months after cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar, the situation remains grim and dangerous.”
Other disturbing news: Some local leaders are extorting money from villagers. Prices of commodities, like salt, are still high. Food and rice shortage could worsen because of illegal rice trade in Myanmar’s borders. About 5,000 refugees were forced out (relocated) of humanitarian camps a few weeks ago.
Only 112 orphans are officially registered in government-run orphanages. However, the initial UN estimate of children orphaned was about 2,000. Where are the other orphans? It is feared that many orphans have been recruited into the Tatmadaw, Burma’s armed forces.
New Mandala interviewed an aid worker who provided us with a believable and concrete situation inside Myanmar. The hardest part of the humanitarian work:
“Communication between agencies and the field was the most difficult problem faced. Communication infrastructure was minimal, highly regulated and controlled. It was very difficult to get a clear picture of the type and extent of damage suffered. On many occasions the only way to transfer information was to travel to other offices and collect hardcopy or transfer directly to computers. The lack of trust from aid agencies to the government and the government to the aid agencies created an environment of secrecy where many people were very hesitant to share information about their activities.”
An inspiring experience:
“I never felt unwelcome at anytime during the response. Generally the reception was positive although culturally the population is guarded about commenting or complaining openly about any ‘issues’. I think one of the most amazing things early in the response was the reaction and sharing between the affected population…The sharing of supplies between households to ensure everyone received adequate assistance was also heartening.”
Kyimaykaung ponders on the series of tragedies which struck Myanmar:
“I observe that Burmese crises are becoming closer together and more severe, which makes sense in the light, or rather darkness, of the junta's ratcheted up oppression and the accompanying systemic problems, from infrastructure to bureaucracy to an enormous army to environmental degradation.”
Pictures of the affected Myanmar communities and children orphans.

author: Mong Palatino


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Nepal: Critique on revolution · Global Voices
Rezwan

Revolution in South Asia blog posts a translation of an article (from Farsi) titled “Nepal Revolution: Great Victory or Great Danger,” which is an explicit polemic by the Communist Party of Iran (MLM) — targeting the path taken by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).


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Nigerien rebel group denies departure of top commander · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

On its blog, Nigerien insurgent group Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice [Fr] denied the reported departure of Commander Kindo Zado, one if the movement's vice presidents, a former Nigerien army officer who defected to MNJ last year.


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Pakistan: Media propaganda · Global Voices
Rezwan

Teeth Maestro is furious because without concrete evidence the international media suggested that the two Somali suspects arrested in Germany were intending to join terrorists in Uganda and Pakistan.


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Pakistan: Zardari flirts and the Blogosphere reacts · Global Voices
Muhammad Farhan

The president of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari met with the US Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin in New York recently and used flirtatious words during the discussion. It seemed more like a courtship than a political meeting. Zardari made the following comments:
“You are even more gorgeous in life. . .”
“Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you”
When a photographer asked to shake hands for the second time, Zardari responded candidly:
“If he is insisting, I might hug. .”
Pakistani blogosphere has responded to this critically; some joked about it while others were furious at him. Let us have a look:
Altaf Khan at The Pakistani Spectator writes:
Just after showing his intense mourning (with ashen face) of the assassination of his late wife Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari met the beauty Queen of Alaska and the Republican runner for the Vice President, and twice admired her stunning looks. Sexy and dazzling Palin was ecstatic, though now as she is being painted as a Barbie doll for the foreign presidents by the Democrats, there is another row to haggle upon for the political analysts. […]
Shakir Lakhani at Chowrangi mentions that the president's behavior was against Islamic principles:
I wonder how the president of an Islamic Republic can even think of hugging a woman who is not closely related to him. But Mr. Zardari even said (that) he would hug her if his aide insisted (the aide had merely asked him to shake hands with her). […]
Dr. Awab Alvi at Teeth Maestro notices:
It seems to have been the perfectly scripted conversation as temporal had predicted well before the actual Sarah Palin and Asif Zardari meetup. There maybe some fanatics in Pakistan who may even cringe at seeing him shaking hands with a women, but whatever the objection and whether we like it or not it has become a routine in western interactions and I might even suggest that such flirtatious comments might even be the norm but I dare to say, at least not on camera. It is quite possible that Sarah Palin considered these as a complement, but if you were to observe the video footage of the exchange she does feel a little uneasy.
Adnan Siddiqi was not courteous to Zardari in his words:
We must thank Zardari as he represented (the) Pakistani nation, especially Pakistani men in front of (the) Americans. Yesterday when Zardari met Sarah Palin then he could not control his emotions and showed all his teeth (not sure they are genuine since I heard they were pulled out when he was in jail) and expressed love in a typical (..) style which is common among Pakistani men. […]
During the whole meeting Zardari was not found mourning about BiBi like he is used to mourn in every press conference in Pakistan.
On my own blog I depicted the meeting and the flirtatious life of President Zardari in a humorous video. Here is the video of an original news report [ur].

author: Muhammad Farhan


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Palestine: Retaining a sense of humanity in Gaza · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

As the situation in Gaza deteriorates from one day to the next, many are struggling not only with the enormous difficulties of daily life, but with the change in values they see around them, in a society that has become dominated by Islamist thinking. In this post, a blogger in Gaza writes a passionate cry of despair.
Averting Depression describes his state of mind:
Is it possible? In front of me there is nothing except to live in Gaza, and Gaza can do nothing but kick my dreams or kill them with the spark of a foolhardy idea, or an irresponsible decision. It is only possible for me to retain my humanity amidst this mass of ugliness.
After writing this post, Averting Depression had a terrible nightmare which left him in tears, and he wondered whether the post caused it:
العقل و الفم مليئان بالأسئلة التي تتكاثر كما تتكاثر الأرانب, و العقل عقيم عندما أحتاج الاجابات .
My mind and mouth are full of questions, which are multiplying like rabbits; my mind is unproductive when I need answers.

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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Senegal: Would you mind fasting with us? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

George writes about Ramadan in Dakar, Senegal: “This Ramadan in Dakar, I had a most interesting invitation from a couple of friends. “…Would you mind fasting with us?”, they asked. What was the significance of this invitation?”


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Sudan: Returning to Sudan, US Politics and New Media · Global Voices
SudaneseDrima

In this round up of the Sudanese blogosphere, we delve into Sudanese commentaries on Sudan, US politics, and new media. It's good to see that Path2Hope finally overcame her writer's block. Apparently she needed a space to vent her anger after she returned to Sudan:
It really is amazing how a little bit of anger can do wonders for any writer's block. So I've been home less than a week and already something has happened that made my blood pressure hit the roof. I'm at the medical center to have some tests run and the lab person goes to get a syringe, which was humongous in size – so much so, that I thought I had gone to the vets by mistake but that's not the point.
Anyways, he tells this other woman to re-write my number on one of my samples (mistake number one)…and she looks a bit confused looks at the record book and jots down some number that isn't mine (mistake number two). What really annoyed me is that I was right infront of her, she could have just asked my name instead of going on some guessing spree…a lab is no place to practice one's clairvoyant skills!
… Why is it that we find it so hard to be professional in this country??
Meanwhile, John Akec has another complaint about Southern Sudan:
… In fact, we have been told by a respectful host of philosophers and educationalists that little knowledge is dangerous.
… By the way we conduct our affairs in South Sudan, we clearly display how much we need to seek and find wisdom: be we the ruled or the rulers. Without the exercise of wisdom by all concerned (stakeholders), it is impossible for me to imagine how we are going to survive as autonomous region in united Sudan or an independent sovereign state should we secede in 2011.
The complaints continued. However, this time Drima directed his towards John McCain after watching Palin's foreign policy interview with CBS (Drima is the author of this roundup):
Uh, um, chili is not cold, and I went to the supermarket because light travels from the sun when I yawn and then he disagreed since 1987 beyond Tom Cruise until monkey banana.
Gosh, this is so bad, it’s not even funny.
… Seriously McCain, given your not-so-young age, the least you could have done is pick a more articulate and qualified candidate for vice presidency, you know, just in case God forbid the situation arises.
Speaking of US politics, Kizzie had this question to ask:
9/11, Hurricane Katrina and now Hurricane Ike. Did Bush curse America?
As for Black Kush, he had this to say about America:
When America sneezes . . .
. . . the rest of the world catches a cold.
The current global financial crisis which strated in America will surely bite everyone. The high oil prices have made travel really expensive in Sudan. Paradoxically, it is cheaper to fly to Egypt and back than to Juba from Khartoum one way . . . Add that to the hike in food prices.
The cold is spreading.
Finally, Amjad commented on the attempted banning of YouTube in Kuwait:
A couple of months ago YouTube was officially blocked in Sudan. Today we hear that YouTube is officially blocked in Kuwait. Who's next?
While as of this moment the reason of blocking YouTube in Sudan is unknown, Kuwait has officially declared why it decided to block YouTube in Kuwait, even though the reason might not be valid to everyone. The reason Kuwait provided is that YouTube contains inappropriate videos offending our religion.
… UPDATE: Apparently the ban order has been reconsidered and got canceled for now. YouTube is not blocked in Kuwait.

author: SudaneseDrima


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Tajikistan: Another Journalist Targeted · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Ian says that another journalist has become the target of the Tajik government’s ire: the state prosecutor is charging him with slandering the president and destabilizing the country.


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Tajikistan: Real number of people in trouble · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Vadim uses statistics, open source data, news articles and logic to come to the conclusion that more than 20 percent of Tajikistan’s population is going to be in trouble if no assistance comes from international donors.