Stories about Governance from September, 2008
Cape Verde: Fuel prices on the rise – why?
The price of crude oil is plunging, but the population of Cape Verde has been faced with price rises of every sub product of oil, and the news ahead is not optimistic. Bloggers want to know why and provide the Government with some suggestions.
Slovakia: Hungarian Minority
Central Europe Activ writes about political views of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia.
Belarus: The Election
Pre- and post-election insight from Belarus – at Andrei Khrapavitski's Belarusan American Blog, here and here: “Both the govt and the opposition elite cared more about the exterior, much less about the substance.”
Montenegro: Independence, 2 1/2 Years On
A Fistful of Euros re-visits the issue of Montenegrin independence: “But, you know: it’s not an economic basket case. Independence was not a disaster.”
Iran: Mr. Ahmadinejad in New York
While Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinjad, addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday declaring that "the American empire'' and "Zionist regime" [Israel] are nearing collapse, pro-democracy Iranians and 3,000 people mobilized by a coalition of mostly Jewish groups, protested against Ahmadinejad's threats toward Israel and Iran's human rights record.
Afghanistan: What kind of government
Joshua Foust notes some of the problems with the American conceptions of Afghan society, and how that is influencing bad policy.
Myanmar: Aid still needed
Five months after the devastating cyclone which killed and displaced at least a hundred thousand people, Myanmar is slowly recovering. Relief efforts may be improving but international aid is still very much needed.
D.R. Congo: Legislator faces rape allegations
Congolese blogger Alex Engwete [Fr] calls for a major politician to step down, amid accusations he raped a 12 year-old girl [Fr].
Morocco: Schools Closing
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...
China: Will a Nobel Peace Prize really hurt our feelings?
Hu Jia's nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize has raised the question: are The Chinese People easily upset by the notion of human rights? Party spokesman Liu Jianchao would have you think so, and many netizens agree. Not all do, however, judging from comments that haven't yet been deleted.
Iran:Filtering in Iran in One Web Day in Oxford
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.
Myanmar: Saffron Revolution a year later
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.
East Timor leader at a U.N. meeting
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.
Guyana: Perception Rejection
Living Guyana says: “Not unexpectedly the PPP Government of Guyana has rejected Transparency International‘s grading of Guyana on their corruption index.”
Cameroon: The president's time
Time flies and things stay the same in Cameroon, writes Cameroonian blogger, George.
Russophone Bloggers Discuss the U.S. Presidential Candidates
Last week, Israel-based LJ user avva asked 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.
Nepal: The money question
Blogger Dai comments on the news that 8 Nepali ministers including the Prime Minister are on foreign tour: “It would be great, if they could donate their allowances to the flood victims of Eastern Nepal.”
Japan: Views on Wall Street Crisis
The ongoing collapse, bail-out and buy-out of Wall Street investment banks, threatening a U.S. and possibly worldwide recession, has triggered no lack of debates in Japanese blogs on the country's strong financial connection with its overseas ally.
Pakistan: President meets Sarah Palin
Deadpan Thoughts on Pakistan president Asif A. Zardari's ‘un-presidential’ meet with US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin: “I am not surprised neither shocked as I am sure Mr. Zardari will have many more gems for us in store as he leads this country to god knows where in the near future.“
Ukraine: A Letter to Russia by Milli Firqa Party Member
Window on Eurasia writes about media coverage and politicians’ reactions to a letter sent by one of the members of a small Crimean Tatar party to presidents of Russia and Tatarstan.
Albania: EU's Visa Regime Liberalisation
Albanian Blogger posts a note on the much-awaited liberalisation of the EU’s visa regime for Albanian citizens.
