· October, 2008

Stories about Governance from October, 2008

Ukraine: Update on the Economy and Politics

  31 October 2008

Leopolis explains in detail the current economic and political situation in Ukraine: “The stakes are high: Ukraine's economic health, its image for international investors, and a risk of default. Just as the Ukrainian stock market has seen 75% of its value wiped away, the current political crisis may undo every...

Serbia: Courageous Mothers

  31 October 2008

Belgraded contributes an article on what it's like to be a mother in Serbia to the Women's International Perspective, becoming “one of the rare men blogging there.” Showcased in the article is a Serbian blog called Majka Hrabrost (“Mother Courage”), whose author, Krugolina, blogs (SRP) about childbirth issues and has...

Recession hits Singapore

  30 October 2008

Singapore is a major financial center in the world. It is also one of the richest countries in Asia. Unfortunately, it is not immune to the economic aftershocks caused by the Wall Street crash and the global financial crisis. Singapore’s economy is down today, the first Asian country to be hit by a recession.

Maldives: A new president after 30 years

  29 October 2008

Mohamed “Anni” Nasheed has won the run-off poll against the incumbent president of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who has served the country since 1978. Mujey’s Blog has called to embrace this example of democracy where president Gayoom accepted defeat and congratulated Nasheed before the official results were announced.

Trinidad & Tobago: Not Adding Up

  29 October 2008

“Last month the record 2008-9 budget of nearly TT$50 billion was based on an assumed oil price of $75 a barrel. At the time, the price was well above that. A month later, it’s below $64. So even the richest economy in the Caribbean either has to make some serious...

Pakistan: A 6.4 magnitude quake hits Balochistan

  29 October 2008

Let Us Build Pakistan reports that a 6.4 magnitude earthquake rattled the Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan today. More than 100 people have been killed and scores of people are still trapped under the rubbles. The government was quick to declare compensation for the families of the quake victims.

Russia: “Help Svetlana Bakhmina” Petition

  29 October 2008

As of now, 71,250 people have signed an online petition appealing to the Russian president to pardon Svetlana Bakhmina, a former senior lawyer for Mikhail Khodorkovsky's oil company Yukos, who was arrested in December 2004 and sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for embezzlement and tax evasion in April 2006.

Japan: Hospital system in crisis, but how can it be fixed?

  28 October 2008

Gurikenblog takes up the story of a pregnant mother who was turned away by seven hospitals in Tokyo and eventually died of a brain hemorrhage, writing that the basic problem with the hospital system in Japan is that there is a lack of basic resources [ja]. “Certainly talk of suddenly...

Guatemala: Heavy Rains and Flooding Affecting the Poorest Communities

  27 October 2008

The past month has been very difficult for many Guatemalans because of heavy rains caused by tropical storms. Floods and storms affect many communities, but the impact is higher in communities below the poverty line. These communities are often isolated from services or shelters, like the small villages in Peten, Quiché and Zacapa. Bloggers and organizations have provided more information on the environmental disaster.

China: Rumors and Authorities

  27 October 2008

ESWN translated an article from Southern Metropolis Daily on the relation between the spreading of rumors and the lack of trust on the authorities.

Southeast Asia: Impact of Financial Crisis

  26 October 2008

What are the views of several Southeast Asian bloggers about the global financial crisis? First, an authoritative voice: Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. He points out the double standard of the US government in solving economic problems: “We cannot forget how, in 1997-98, American hedge funds destroyed the economies...