Stories about Governance from February, 2007
Haiti: Reinforcing Judicial Independence
At Ailleurs Vu d'Ici, Roody Edmé cites (Fr) a recent International Crisis Group report on the Haitian judicial system as “underlining the weakness of our judicial culture when it comes to judges’ ethics and responsibility” and adds: “Legislative proposals are being announced in the Haitian Parliament that seek … to...
Ukraine: Corruption (Cont'd)
A week ago, there were about 200 comments on Yuri Zushchik's post on corruption at the National Bank of Ukraine (including an irrelevant but lively discussion of IKEA – which is yet to open in Kyiv, by the way). Today, there are 320 comments, and the following exchange (RUS, UKR)...
Iran: War and Human Rights Concerns
Concerns about a war between Iran and the US are growing in the Iranian blogosphere by the day. While Iran refuses to halt its uranium enrichment programme, despite the United Nation's resolution 1737, it is also being accused by the US of sending bombs to Iraq. Iran considers the enrichment...
Haiti: Don't stop the carnaval security
Alice Backer has praise for the Haitian government's efforts to encourage Haitians living abroad to return to Carnival in Haiti this year, but asks: “why can't it secure the country the same way it did during the 3 “fat”days of carnival all year long?“
Iran:A conservative site was filtered
Alpar reports that Baztab, a conservative site, was filtered by order of Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.The blogger invites all bloggers and internet users to resist against this illegal act [Fa].
Kyrgyzstan: Turning Around the Economy
The new Kyrgyz government must turn around the economy says Kyrgyz Report. They ask whether or not Prime Minister Isabekov can pull off the task.
Indonesia: Another Adam Air Mishap
Unspun writes about another accident that involves the private airline Adam Air where one of it's plane was forced to do a hard landing resulting in structural damage. Last month another Adam Air plane went missing over the ocean.
Russia: Dissecting Thomas Friedman
In an email to a blogger friend, Lyndon of Scraps of Moscow explains beautifully what Thomas Friedman's Russia column is really about. La Russophobe guest-blogs at length on the same subject at Publius Pundit.
Russia: “Commissars of the Internet”
Read this week's installments of La Russophobe‘s translation project, which attempts to explain why the discourse at so many Russian forums often gets so unbearably filthy – and which, according to La Russophobe, also “exposes how the Kremlin is attempting to take control of the Internet. On Monday, we read...
Iran:Watch Ahmadineajd talking about nuclear energy
Sheltering Sky has translated and put subtitles in English for a very hot video film in Iran.In this film, Ahmadinejad says,in his speech, that a 16 years old teenager girl goes to market and comes back home with a few purchased goods. Then she “discovers” nuclear energy.
Slovenia: Brown Bears
The Glory of Carniola discusses the “unexplored economic potential” of Slovenia's decision to cull its brown bear population.
Hungary: News Roundup
Pestcentric covers the following topics in the most recent posts: the complexities of the Hungarian language; Hungary's “Turkeygate” scandal; Hungarian pseudo-terrorists posting videos on YouTube – here and here; construction of Central Europe's biggest shopping center in Budapest.
Morocco: Election Rigging?
Issandr El Amrani links to an article which claims that Morocco is catching up on gerrymandering here.
India: On Corporate Political Responsibility
The Indian Economy Blog on corporate political responsibility. “But where are the think-tanks, the public policy schools, the social science research endowments and sponsored professorships? To its credit, corporate India has foundations working on setting up village schools or improving rural infrastructure. While these are commendable, they are no substitutes...
Bangladesh: Celebrating the Mother Language day
Today is the International Mother Language Day, an annual event in UNESCO member states to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. This is mostly the international recognition of Language Movement Day called ‘Ekushey February’, which is commemorated in Bangladesh since 1952, when a number of Bangla-speaking people were massacred...
Superstars spice up Philippine elections
Philippine elections is in danger of being reduced again into a popularity contest. Showbiz actors are running again in the Senate. Politicians from both the Administration and Opposition camps are hiring actors/actresses to endorse their candidacies. Since 1998, TV personalities have been topping the Senate race. Candidates are allotting more...
Guinea, Senegal: Lansana Conté Must Leave if He Loves His Country
At Pourquoi l’ Afrique Claudique, Senegalese novelist Ndické Dieye tells (Fr) Guinea’s embattled head of state: “Lansana, leave if you have even an inkling of conscience or patriotism left! Leave to avoid an unnecessary blood bath! … I ask the police … to refuse to execute any illegal order given...
Africa: Manifesto for the United States of Africa
Le Pangolin posts (Fr) a Manifesto for the United States of Africa written by the Working Group of African Students in France. The document was presented to Alpha Omar Konaré, the President of the African Union Commission, in March 2004 and was inspired by other country unions around the world...
Hungary: A Podcast on Ciaran Tobin Case
An expat who killed two children in a car crash in Budapest has escaped punishment – Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar writes more about the case after the childrens’ father contacts him, “detailing what steps the family plans to take next.” He is also featured in this podcast at...
Albania: Observing the Election
Our Man In Tirana writes about observing the election in a “chaotic” town of 80,000 people, where “strangers are a rarity.”
Bangladesh: On corruption and the economy
Journal of a Disturbed Mind plays the devil's advocate in the case of of corrupt politicians and businessmen being arrested. “No matter how unwilling I am to defend the apprehended businessmen charged for corruption, it is true that they were also contributing to the society before their arrest. Some of...
