Stories about International Relations from April, 2010
China and U.S: Sending Amercian students to China
C. Custer from china/divide comments on the U.S government's plan to send students to China for learning more about the world.
India, Pakistan: A Celebrity Marriage Tests The Relation Between Two Countries
A cross-border marriage between an Indian tennis star and a former captain of Pakistan cricket team is the hot topic among the mainstream media and the social media of India and Pakistan. Bloggers of both countries engaged in intense debate on this wedding.
Kazakhstan: Uranium World Bank Becomes A Reality?
Joshua Foust weighs the perspectives of Kazakhstan’s plans to serve as the primary global “bank” for refined uranium products.
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan: Rights Activist's Extradition Pondered
Dushanbe writes that the authorities in Tajikistan say they are still pondering whether to extradite Kyrgyz human rights activist Nematullo Botaqoziev, who was detained in Dushanbe in late February.
Bangladesh: Kantha Artist And An Accidental Saint
Anil Advani introduces to us Surayia Rahman, a self-trained Kantha artist from Bangladesh. She “guided hundreds of poor women in Bangladesh to create masterworks – exquisitely embroidered tapestries that have been gifted to dignitaries and are admired in collections throughout the world.”
Russia: Anglophone Commentary on Subway Attacks
More Anglophone discussions of the March 29 Moscow subway bombings, the politics around it and the commentary it has generated: Sean's Russia Blog – here and here; FPA's Russia blog; A Good Treaty – here and here; Dzutsev's Weblog; DI's Russia Blog; A Step At A Time – here, here...
Qatar: Expats outraged by plans to scrap visa-on-arrival policy
Effective May 1, Qatar plans to scrap its visa-on-arrival policy for dozens of nations currently exercising the option. Dismayed expats worry about seeing their families and predict that the additional paperwork will deter tourists from visiting the tiny Gulf country.
Lebanon: The Lebanese Experiment
Ibrahim Arab writes an Arabic post in which he recounts his warning to an Iraqi television program that replicating the Lebanese type of elections and power sharing in Iraq is not good at all.
Russia: LJ Opinion Poll on Subway Blasts
520 bloggers responded to this LiveJournal opinion poll question (RUS) on March 29-31: “Who could be behind the Moscow subway blasts?” 11% blame “terrorists acting on orders from Western special services,” 16% point at “terrorists acting on religious grounds,” 33% think “Russian special services” are behind the attacks, and 40%...