David Sasaki

oso: Spinning: Nujabes + Fat Jon ? 14. ask http://tinyurl.com/3a5g6l

"Now there?s a great idea: Could a blog or internet service aggregate connections to those local blogs in such a way as to facilitate health care communications directly between East and West? Sort of a ?Global Voices? for health care?"

Jordan: Film Festivals, Citizenship Law and More

Jordanian filmmaker and blogger Amin Matalqa shares his experiences from the Dubai International Film Festival as he prepares to head to the Sundance Film Festival. Also: abandoned babies and mobile phones.

Egypt: Bidding Farewell to Bhutto

Egyptian bloggers commemorate the life of former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, and lament the state of a world which would allow for her assassination.

Russia: Holiday Charity (via Egoism)

As Russia slips into the festivities of a 10-day national vacation to celebrate New Year’s and Orthodox Christmas, Moscow-based LiveJournal user mymrochka tries to interject some thoughts of charity into the increasingly commercial focus of the holiday season.

Japan: Web visionary Umeda Mochio

My Life Between Silicon Valley and Japan is the widely-read weblog of Japanese web visionary, author, and entrepreneur Umeda Mochio. But despite Muchio’s popularity throughout Japan, his name remains little-known overseas. Chris Salzberg translates a recent interview with Mochio that was simultaneously published in the magazine Central Review as well as on Mochio’s blog.

Sudan: The Aftermath of the Teddy Bear Circus

Sudanese bloggers react to the arrest of a 54-year-old British schoolteacher in Sudan who is accused of insulting Islam’s Prophet, after she allowed her pupils to name a teddy bear ‘Muhammad’.

Ethiopia: Queen of Sheba, Now Available in French

Francophone music blog Roots and Culture interviews Samuel Malher, a religious scholar from Strasbourg who has written the first unabridged French translation of the Kebra Negast, a sacred Ethiopian text. It describes the heritage of the Ethiopian monarchs, who trace their lineage to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and how the Ethiopians became God’s new chosen people when the Ark of the Covenant was taken from Israel to Ethiopia.

Roundups

The constitution and the election in Kenya, Cuba’s divorce rate, crime in Antigua … and lots more in today’s Global Roundups.

oso: Spinning: Jorge Ben ? Mas Que Nada http://tinyurl.com/3ey7s8

oso: Spinning: Anthony Hamilton ? Sista Big Bones http://tinyurl.com/yrm9ek

oso: Spinning: John Coltrane ? Naïma http://tinyurl.com/3bkvtv

oso: Spinning: Radiohead ? Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box http://tinyurl.com/33wrza

One of my favorite quotes of Fajardos' was a reply to a question when he was asked how it was possible to transform Medellin in such a short time. "It's amazing what you can do when you don't keep all the money for yourself and your friends," replied Faja

Kenya Elections 2007: Should Raila Supporters Celebrate?

“And I challenge you to find an election in the Western world in recent times where people have come out with such determination, conviction, and a strong sense of civic duty,” writes Kenyan Pundit a day after her nation’s historic presidential election.

Pakistan: Why Bhutto, and what now for Pakistan?

“More reactions are pouring out in the Pakistani blogosphere and elsewhere as it settles in that a very strong and capable leader is no more,” writes South Asia Editor Neha Viswanathan who points us to several first-hand accounts of recent violence in the streets of Pakistan.

Uganda: Is Uganda mentally, intellectually and creatively broke?

Following an interview with a Kampala city council official, Ugandan blogger Tumwijuke reflects on the lack of focus on art and culture in the city’s development plan. Depending on the influence of some up-and-coming bloggers, however, local media and officials might start thinking more deeply about architecture and urban planning.

Congratulations New, Rising Voices

The Rising Voices citizen media outreach initiative will start out 2008 with five new and innovative projects based in Kenya, Madagascar, Uruguay, Jamaica, and Iran. Here is your first chance to become better acquainted with each of the new grantees.

Morocco: Shock at Benazir Bhutto’s Death

Jillian York and Lydia Beyoud sum up the most recent reactions from English and French-speaking Moroccan bloggers to the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto.

Korea: Three Singers and Military Service

Hyejin Kim and fellow Korean bloggers examine how South Korea’s compulsory military service changed the lives of three of the country’s biggest pop stars and, furthermore, how it changes the lives of all young Korean men.

Francophone Morocco on Eid Mubarak Said

Last week, Morocco celebrated Aid el-Kebir (”Big Eid”), a festival commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and God’s mercy in sparing him. While some bloggers content themselves with offering kind wishes, others focus on diverse topics related to the holiday, writes Lydia Beyoud.

Burkina Faso Soon a Biofuel Producer

Last month, Burkina Faso and the French company AgroEd signed a framework agreement for developing a biofuels industry. Netizens express their skepticism about whether Burkina can become a competitive producer of biofuels, and whether ordinary people, in particular the farmers, will benefit.

Israel: Journalists Face Possible Jail Time for Visits to Enemy States

Three Israeli journalists who visited Lebanon and Syria are facing possible jail time for visiting nations that the government terms “enemy states.” Lisa Goldman, Ron Ben-Yishai, and Tsur Shezaf have been investigated and will spend a maximum of four years in jail if found guilty. Maya Norton summarizes the reactions from Israel’s English-speaking blogs.

China: Official Olympics channel’s unveiling ceremony crashed

Friday was meant to be a big day for China’s main sports channel, CCTV-5, with a lavish ceremony attended by top station executives held to celebrate its official change of name to ‘The Olympics Channel’. Instead, the ceremony provided a very public opportunity for Hu Ziwei, the wife of popular sports announcer Zhang Bin, to grab the microphone and accuse Zhange of having an affair. John Kennedy posts a video clip of the ordeal and translates the online fallout.

Roundups

Guilt and Serbia, the value of election polls in Georgia, photos of Madagascar’s Zoma Market … and lots more in today’s Global Roundups.

oso: On IdeaLab: Congratulations New, Rising Voices: The inaugural group of Rising Voices citizen media.. http://tinyurl.com/32wr2r