Stories about Governance from August, 2007
Bulgaria: “Foreigner Tax”
The Balkan Yankee writes on the ways in which the so-called “foreigner tax” is applied in Bulgaria.
Russia: More on Politkovskaya and Litvinenko
Sean's Russia Blog posts an update on the investigation of Anna Politkovskaya's murder and remind his readers of another ongoing case: Aleksandr Litvinenko's murder.
Ukraine: “What Will the Elections Change?”
Taras Kuzio compares Ukrainian politicians to their French counterparts: “Yulia could become Ukraine’s Thatcher or Sarkozy – Yushchenko will always be a Chirac. Maybe a woman can do what a man could never.”
Ukraine: Crimea
On the last day of summer, here's a translation of LJ user drugoi's photo report on his trip to Crimea, one of the favorite summer tourism destinations in the Soviet times, now facing fierce competition from resorts in Turkey and Egypt.
Egypt: Mubarak Deathwatch
“(F)or over a week now the Egyptian (non-state) media has gone into another one of its Mubarak deathwatch modes,” writes Issandr El Amrani, from Egypt.
Iran:Study says US preparing military attack
Iranian Truth writes that here’s a little story in the news that hasn’t been receiving much press circulation but is definitely of concern:According to SOAS,The United States has the capacity for and may be prepared to launch without warning a massive assault on Iranian uranium enrichment facilities, as well as...
Arabeyes: Who is Using the Tunisian Presidential Airplane?
The Tunisian presidential airplane and the 'unofficial' trips it takes to Europe and the fashion capitals of the world has attracted the scrutiny of the country's most outspoken bloggers. Who is using the president's plane? Who approves the trips abroad and how much is it used for official business? These are some of the questions being raised in Arabic and French, which I am translating today into English.
Russia: Politkovskaya Updates
Sean's Russia Blog is posting updates on Anna Politkovskaya's murder investigation – here, here, here (46 comments), and here.
Russia: “Word of Badmouth”
Copydude writes about various ways of mistreating foreigners in Russia – and about “word of badmouth,” which certain Russian restaurant owners don't seem to know anything about: “According to customer service research, a dissatisfied customer complains to an average of eight other people about a bad experience. In the blogging...
Czech Rebublic: Syphilitic Pornstars
“Dozens of Czech pornstars caught syphilis during the last three months,” Petr Bokuvka of The Czech Daily Word reports.
Ukraine: Animal Shelter
On August 19, Ukrainian journalist Tanya Kremen paid a visit to an animal shelter located near a small town just outside Kyiv. Below are her impressions and thoughts, which she has posted on her blog at Korrespondent.net, as well as a couple of comments from her readers.
Iran:US policy and a web site
Azarmehr says that during his visit to US last Novemeber :”we had a meeting at the US State Department. We were told that the US does not have a policy of regime change in Iran, instead the US policy is changing the behaviour of the Islamic regime! So I asked,...
Japan: Executed Death-Row Inmate was Mentally-Ill
Asia Death Penalty outlines the results in a report by Amnesty International indicating that one of the death-row inmates killed last week in Japan, Hifumi Takezawa, was mentally ill.
Morocco: The Upcoming Elections
With the Moroccan legislative elections looming on September 7, Moroccan bloggers share their concerns about the process and its progress.
Japan: Life out of a Manga Kissa
Results of a survey just released by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has found that thousands of people across Japan bordering on poverty live their lives out of Internet cafes or "manga kissa". Bloggers this week reflected on the significance of the results.
Bangladesh: Military and Democracy
Voice of Bangladeshi Bloggers on the prospect for democracy in the country given the military's maneuvers.
Iran:Crackdown on Professors
Kamangir says according to a new law, all state-run universities are obliged to report any trip their faculty members go to outside the country. The trips have to be reported whether or not they are sabbatical or personal and for pleasure.
Ukraine: Ethnic Russians
Window on Eurasia writes about another way of looking at Ukraine's ethnic Russians and their political preferences.
Russia: Mistreatment of Foreigners
Window on Eurasia reports: “Foreigners working in the Russian Federation are far from likely to be mistreated by government officials and employers than they are to be attacked by skinheads and other Russian nationalist groups, according to a poll of Tajiks now living in Tajikistan with direct experience in the...
Albania: A Vacation Report
Marko Bucik spends his vacation in Albania, a country that is “an endless joy” – despite the fact that “there are almost no street names, no mailboxes, few places have drinkable tap water.”
Morocco: The Death of Butcher Basri
Driss Basri, one of Morocco's most powerful figures during the past 50 years, has died in Paris at age 69. Jillian York brings us the latest reactions from Moroccan bloggers writing in Arabic, French and English.
