Socio-political Web: Very worldwide

Iran "remains a staunch opponent of Internet freedoms - or any freedoms at all," The Guardian reports - and yet "Farsi has made it into the top 10 languages on the Net." Iranian bloggers, especially women, are "keeping Iranian freedoms alive," according to The Guardian, which adds that there are an estimated 70,000-100,000 active blogs in Iran, "the vast majority in Farsi." In South Africa, StudentVillage.co.za is a fast-growing social site and sign that the genre is increasingly location-based. A tiny "Internet center" in a Bangladeshi town has helped people find affordable health care, apply for passports, hold online weddings, find overseas jobs, and stay in touch worldwide; don't miss this insightful Washington Post article. Here's a view of Web benefits from India, an author working on two collaborative books. A day in the life of a teen blogger in Nepal is described in her words here. Finally, a vibrant discussion - with posts from all over the world – on the program of $150 laptops for children in third-world countries can be found in the International Herald Tribune, building on a story on the subject by John Markoff of the the New York Times.