· August, 2010

Stories about International Relations from August, 2010

West Africa: Drug Traffickers and Politico-Military Dictators

  30 August 2010

The UN assistant representative in Africa against drug trafficking Cyriaque Sobtafo recently stated that west Africa is now the hub for cocaine trafficking. Many countries are affected and the sudden death of the son of Dadis Camara generated many speculations about the possible involvement of drug dealers in the event.

Ukraine: Anthem in 14 Languages

  28 August 2010

Ukraine's national anthem performed in 14 languages (Ukrainian, Greek, Tatar, Gagauz, Polish, Romanian, Georgian, Yiddish, Romani, Russian, Hungarian, Belarusian, Armenian, Azerbaijani) – at Ukrainiana.

MENA: Kuwaiti Cartoons Cause Moroccans Offense

A popular Kuwaiti television programme has upset some Moroccan viewers, who say it depicts Moroccans in a negative light. The cartoon, called Bu Qutada wa Bu Nabeel, portrays Morocco as corrupt and its women as greedy, as they try to entrap the Kuwaiti male characters into marrying them. Bloggers react to the show.

East Timor: (Un)Dignified Sculptures of Women in Shangai World Expo 2010

  26 August 2010

In response to recent statements by a Timorese deputy, who reportedly implied that the statues of naked women at the Timor Leste Pavillion in Shanghai World Expo 2010 are not appropriate, João Paulo Esperança critically wonders [pt] if East Timorese women would be considered deprived of dignity in the past, when they...

Russia: “Where's Your Rabbi?”

RuNet Echo  26 August 2010

Oleg Klimov posts two photos from Birobidzhan in Russia's Jewish Autonomous Region – and shares this short conversation (RUS) with a guard at the local synagogue: “‘Where's your rabbi?’ – ‘He left for Israel a long time ago…'”

India-Bangladesh Relations Is Necessity Driven

  26 August 2010

“The present India Bangladesh Relations are mostly necessity driven (could be told reality driven), not that much of Ideology driven, which was showed at the 70s of last century;” opines Kazi Mohoshin Al Abbas at Groundreport.

Azerbaijan: Lilit

  26 August 2010

Gulara Azimzadeh's blog [AZ/EN/RU] reflects on a meeting between Armenia and Azerbaijani youth at an event in Georgia. In particular, she writes, although nationalists and a rhetoric of hatred exists on both sides, there are so many similarities between the two nations still locked in bitter conflict over the disputed...

Haiti: Shifting Focus

  25 August 2010

The Haitian Blogger suggests that the mainstream media is focusing on the wrong thing: “Attention should focus less on the distraction of WyClef Jean’s failed presidential bid…and more on the desperate humanitarian situation on the ground…”