Stories about International Relations from September, 2009
Middle East: The Cupcake Revolution
A cupcake revolution is taking the Middle East by storm and sweet-toothed bloggers are tracking its development. Jillian C. York reports from the frontline.
World: Tweeting Gaddafi's Address to the United Nations
In his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi more than made up for lost time. His speech trailed on for six times the allotted slot, as world leaders laughed and yawned. On Twitter, users had a ball reacting to the speech.
Video Contest: Citizen Embassadors for the 64th UN Day
Actor George Clooney explains how you can participate and be one of the 5 winners who get a chance to be a part of the 64th UN Day in the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
Egypt: Blogging Farouk Hosni's Defeat
Egypt's Culture Minister Farouk Hosni has kept bloggers busy over the previous few days. His failed bid to secure a seat at the helm of UNESCO has polarised the blogosphere, with some even cooking up conspiracy theories to justify his defeat.
Barbados, Guyana: forest outpost?
Living in Barbados examines an audacious 16-year-old proposal to establish a Barbadian outpost in the interior of Guyana, thus addressing the problems of overpopulation in one country and underdevelopment in the other.
U.S., Europe: “R.I.P. Missile Defense”
A roundup of blog coverage of the Obama Administration's decision to abandon plans to build the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic: A Fistful of Euros; Edward Lucas; Poemless; Ukrainiana; FP's Passport; Leopolis – here and here; and Robert Amsterdam's Blog.
Ukraine: Media on Ukraine-Russia Relations
Foreign Notes and Window on Eurasia review some of the coverage of the Ukraine-Russia-U.S.-Europe relations that have appeared in Ukrainian newspapers.
Turkey: Next Country to Recognize Abkhazia?
Window on Eurasia reports that “there appears to be a chance that Turkey, despite denials by its officials, might break the embargo against recognition [of Abkhazia] because of Ankara’s desire to play a greater role in the Caucasus region, its own long-standing experience as the only country to recognize the...
Ukraine, Russia: “Operation Barbierossa”
Ukrainiana reviews “two fact-meets-fantasy scenarios [of the beginning of a Russo-Ukrainian war] outlined in a Russian television program.”
The Egyptians Tweet Farouk Hosny's Defeat
Bulgarian candidate, Irina Bokova, 57, was elected the head of the UNESCO, defeating Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosny. Instead of mourning the loss, Egyptians celebrated his defeat on Twitter.
Bangladesh: The Importance Of Learning A Foreign Language
“If manpower is our strength, proper foreign language training at home will be a small step in equipping them better to settle down in foreign territories. A change of perception at our language expertise and workforce, especially the young, is vital now,” comments Bangladesh Corporate Blog.
Cuba: gift packages
The Cuban Triangle analyses the US Commerce Department's new regulations on sending gift packages to Cuba. “These regulations are another good, humane move…. It recognizes that Americans in general might have something positive to contribute.”
Belarus: Internet Issues
Andrei Khrapavitski of Belarusan American Blog comments on Evgeny Morozov's TED talk on “the ways the Internet can actually help oppressive regimes stifle dissent.”
ILO Mission to the Philippines
A blog was set-up to highlight and report the activities and findings of the International Labor Organization High-Level Mission to the Philippines. The ILO mission aims to investigate the alleged human rights violations experienced by Filipino workers under the incumbent government.
Egypt: Will Farouk Hosni be Unesco's Next Director General ?
Egypt's culture minister Farouk Hosny is vying for Unesco's top post. Marwa Rakha sums up the reactions of bloggers towards this nomination and the election process.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: International Peace Day
Marking International Day of Peace, letzi83 notes that Armenia also celebrates its independence from the former Soviet Union on the same day and says her mind automatically makes a connection between the two events. unzippedblog also weighs in and says that despite sounding naive, maybe there's room for hope and...
India: China Backs Insurgency
Subir Bhowmik reports that China has started backing rebel groups inside India.
Taiwan: Kaohsiung set to screen film amidst controversy
The Kaohsiung Film Festival came under pressure from China over its decision to screen The Ten Conditions of Love, a documentary about exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer. As a result the Kaohsiung City Government decided to screen the documentary in advance of the film festival. Echo Taiwan criticises the Kaohsiung...
Laos: Monk Chat Blog
The Monk Chat program in Vientiane is a venue where Lao monks and foreigners can exchange in dialogue about their culture and religion.
Uganda: “We Want Obama” Campaign Launched
A campaign called “We Want Obama” is launched in Uganda: “Today, Invisible Children launched a new “We Want Obama” campaign focused on getting President Obama to go on the record committing the United States to take urgent action to end escalating LRA violence in central Africa.”
Poland: Raphael Lemkin and the Katyń Massacre
Raf Uzar writes about Raphael Lemkin's life and work and the current discussion of the Katyń massacre in Poland.
