Stories about International Relations from January, 2010
Nepal: Renewed Focus On Indo-Nepal Relations
Following two high profile visits from New Delhi-Foreign Minister S.M Krishna and Army Chief Deepak Kapoor, the India Nepal relation is being discussed with renewed vigor in both Indian and Nepali blogs.
Syria: Netizens Discuss SourceForge Ban
A day after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for a free and open Internet, Syrian users noticed they could no longer access open-source software community SourceForge. Bloggers react to the block.
Haiti: Lessons Learned
Carol and Tom in Haiti post a list of lessons learned in the aftermath of the earthquake, while Trinidadian blogger Tattoo writes about the dos and don'ts of disaster aid.
Bahamas, Haiti: Solidarity
A new website is launched by “a group of Bahamian webizens who hope to mobilize in support of a realistic and sensible immigration policy with respect to Haitians and their children.”
Haiti: Media Operations Center launched for Haitian journalism
Réseau Citadelle announces the launch of the Media Operations Center, an initiative from Reporters without Borders and Quebecor, aimed at facilitating the field work of local and foreign journalists in Haiti as well as establishing collaboration between the media and NGOs.
China: Hillary Talks About the Problem of the Chinese Internet
Max R from China Geeks translated human rights lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan's comments to Hillary's talks about the problem of the Chinese Internet.
Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan mends relationships with Russia
Elina Galperin reports that Russia and Turkmenistan signed an agreement to expand bilateral “strategic” energy cooperation, including resumption of Turkmen gas supplies to Russia.
Greece: Fiscal Deficit
This month's updates on the 2009 Greek fiscal deficit – by Edward Hugh at A Fistful of Euros: here, here, here, here, and here. And a warning to Hungary – here: “So, Hungarian politicians be warned – You are not Greece right now, but you could so very easily end...
Iran:Green Cyber Army vs. Pro State Cyber Army
Green Cyber Army says it is going to support Green Movement in the virtual world where Iranian government has launched its own cyber army. Iranian Cyber army recently hacked Twitter and Chinese Baidu but does not claim any direct link with Iranian government.
No IPL Transmission In Pakistan
Spring Of Autumn reports that the Cable Operators Association of Pakistan will not show any match of Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket because they felt that Pakistani players were deliberately excluded from the tournament.
Haiti: Un Geste Pour Haiti Cherie
The Armenian Observer comments on the recording of a song by French-Armenian crooner Charles Aznavour and other French singers. The blog notes that Aznavour also recorded a song in the aftermath of the devastating 1988 Armenian earthquake.
Azerbaijan: Demonstrations in London and Paris for imprisoned video blogging youth activists
On the same day that an appeal court hearing for imprisoned blogging youth activists Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli was adjourned, supporters of the two men protested outside the Embassies of Azerbaijan in London and Paris.
Armenia/Azerbaijan: From Home to Home
Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor interviews journalist Seda Muradyan on her documentary film, From Home to Home, for the Frontline Club blog. The film tells of how Armenians and Azerbaijanis in two villages made an extraordinary deal as the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh flared up.
Haiti: “1+1=3”
More than ten days after the 12 January earthquake in Haiti, with large-scale relief efforts underway, Haitian bloggers and Twitter users wonder what the future holds in store, and how reconstruction efforts will be managed. Others seem concerned that media reports don't always add up with what they observe on the ground.
Bhutan, China: Of Cyber And Border Wars
With quiet diplomacy and tact the tiny Himalayan state Bhutan took on giant China over encroachment and border issues recently. The Bhutanese officials and netizens are usually cautious to protest these issues with China, the powerful neighbor, but some netizens are voicing their dissent anonymously or under pseudonyms.
Ukraine: Citizen Media and Political Forecasting
There was no lack of interest in the outcome of the presidential election in Ukraine, and, as a result, the blogosphere was overflowing with political forecasting attempts on the eve of the Jan. 17 first-round vote. Below are summaries of a selection of polls and forecasts that appeared on Ukrainian and Russian blogs.
Japan: Kawaii Ambassadors
Harvey blogs about the appointment three Kawaii ambassadors by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The government expects they will increase international understanding of Japan and its people.
Japan: Differing viewpoints on the US base relocation issue
The southern Japanese island of Okinawa, the first colony of Japan in the 19th century and the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the WW2, has become in the past months both the symbol and the object of a diplomatic dispute between Japan and the U.S. It began...
Egypt: America and Israel get to choose the new president
The chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Egyptian Parliament, Dr Mostafa El Feki, in his article in Al Masry Al Youm Newspaper, stated that America and Israel have to approve of President Mubarak's successor. Zeinobia blogs the Presidency's disapproval.
India, Pakistan: Cricket Diplomacy
The Acorn comments that “it was wrong to leave Pakistani cricketers out” of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the IPL international players’ auction.
Azerbaijan: 20th anniversary of Baku pogrom and Black January
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Black January, the day when the fledgling independence movement in Azerbaijan was brutally suppressed by Soviet troops ostensibly to curtail inter-ethnic tensions in the capital, Baku. Bloggers in Armenia and Azerbaijan, however, remember the date differently.
