Global Voices Digest

Nepal: Abdication talks and the provocative CD

Nearly a year after Nepal’s pro-democracy revolution, which brought Maoist rebels together with a coalition of opposition political parties, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala upped the ante by suggesting that King Gyanendra and Crown Prince Paras should renounce the thrown. Ujjwal Acharya rounds up the reactions by fellow Nepalese bloggers. Also: much ado about compact disc propaganda.

Africa: Blogging business, investment, and entrepreneurship

Benin is back to follow up on his inaugural introduction to Africa’s business blogosphere. This week: a look at the seven Africans who appeared on Forbes’ 2006 list of billionaires; reflections from a young African fashion designer; a sneak peek at an exciting new online bridge between investors and African entrepreneurs; and thoughts on the rise of franchises in South Africa.

Malawi: Is homosexuality anti-Malawi?, Voices against former President, and Malawian blogger visits Yahoo!

Is there a cultural aspect to homosexuality? Is it un-Malawi to marry someone who is the same sex? Moving to elections, is it illegal for former president Bakili Muluzi to run for head of state again in 2009? And what went wrong at SAVoIP, an African voice over IP venture, to cause its closure?

Bachelet’s First year as President of Chile

Michelle Bachelet, single mother and social progressive, was elected as Chile’s first female president to much fanfare and high expectations a year ago. How did that first year go? According to Chile’s bloggers, Bachelet’s first year in office was more about crisis control than setting out to accomplish her ambitious campaign promises.

Russia: Who is “Maria Ivanova”?

When a March 11 Sunday Times piece on Maria Ivanova – a pseudonymous Russian journalist who allegedly received political asylum in the United States following several attempts on her life – entered Russia’s buzzing LiveJournal community, curiosity led to unintended consequences.

Jordanian Blogs: A Snow Day & Other Mid-March Tales

Naseem Tarawnah’s latest all-embracing dispatch from Syria breaks many stereotypes of the Middle East. First, we get a rare glimpse of snow; then, a personal look into “what it means to be a 30-something single woman in Jordanian society”; also, what’s behind the rising cost of living; and a look at the country’s growing design scene, including a newly established design center at Yarmouk University in Irbid.

China: Officer dismissed for blogging

According to John Kennedy, blogging in China is more likely to get you in trouble with the police than your boss. But then, what if your boss is a cop? Kennedy translates “Confessions of a canned cop” by Hubei-based Wu Youming, who we discover is a much more complex figure than your stereotypical Chinese police officer.

Roundups

Media for tolerance, campus “peacekeeping missions” by Philippine soldiers, Decoration Day in Liberia, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.