Stories about International Relations from February, 2009
MENA: Is the BBC Impartial in its Refusal to Air the Gaza Appeal?
Long respected as a beacon of free speech, bloggers across the Arab world and beyond have been left questioning BBC's integrity after its refusal to air an appeal for the victims of the latest Israeli war on Gaza.
Israel: A Royal Link?
Israeli blogger Yisrael Medad may soon be counting British royalty as relatives. Click here to find out how.
Barbados: Anti-Money Laundering Authority
“I can find little evidence to suggest that AMLA is ‘fully operational’ or even that it exists”: Barbados Money Laundering Advisory has more questions than answers about the Barbados Anti-Money Laundering Authority.
Jordan: Cook for Peace
“Arab Chick and Jewish Girl, two of the most hilarious bloggers hailing from the region, have created a cooking blog to achieve for world peace. No snark, we’re all serious here,” reports Kinzi, from Jordan.
Barbados: More Questions About CLICO
Living in Barbados is unimpressed by the mainstream media's attempt to “[play] at what could be mistaken for some partisan propaganda, throwing out a good dose of brickbats against any comment or criticism of a major financial company”, while Barbados Underground notes that “what has started to emerge in recent...
Georgia: Eurovision Pop Protest
Writing for the new Frontline Club blog, Matthew Collin says that Georgia might use this this year's Eurovision international song contest to be held in Moscow to poke fun at its foe in last year's short lived August war with an entry entitled “Put-In Disco.”
Armenia: Obama and the Genocide
Onnik Krikorian in Armenia wonders whether U.S. President Barack Obama will fulfill his campaign promise to recognize the 1915 massacre and deportation of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire as genocide. While many believe that he will, the blog examines the risk in doing so of damaging efforts to normalize...
China: “Stay away!” Vice president Xi warned in Mexico
Xi Jinping (习近平）, the Chinese vice president, is widely predicted as the next chairman of China, the successor of Hu Jintao. On Feb 11, during his visit to Mexico, he gave a speech to overseas Chinese there. His address includes a passage as a harsh criticism against foreign intervention, which...
Japan: Hetalia Axis Powers and the limits of parody
Hetalia, a satirical manga set mainly during the Second World War and featuring national protagonists of that era, has attracted attention among both domestic and international audiences for its caricature of world nations. In this post, read reactions in translation from bloggers in both Japan, where the manga originated, and in Italy, the country most strongly ridiculed.
Thailand: International schools
Follow that elephant writes about the international school system in Thailand, including how it operates and recruitment of teachers.
Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago: Accountability
“What possesses the leader of a political party to appoint someone who is viewed as the patron of his political party, who is the chairman of a major regional financial entity (CLICO Barbados), as the chairman of government-controlled/national broadcasting company?”: Living in Barbados thinks that the government has some explaining...
South Africa: Senegal shares China's Africa love-spell
Listen to the voices of residents of the neighborhood in Dakar, Senegal where the Chinese would be constructing a national theatre. The residents are not pleased with the construction.
Russia: George Soros on effects of economic crisis
A Step At A Time comments on an article by international financier and philantropist George Soros on the economic crisis and world affairs.
Taiwan: Sovereignty on trial
A recent case heard in the US Court of Appeals is based on the claim the US is the legal occupying power of Taiwan. Michael Turton dismissed the case as “a crank lawsuit”. Taiwan Echo believes the case is important. Also on the topic of sovereignty, Talk Taiwan discusses a...
East Timor: Suai Media Space Challenges the Digital Divide
In this second post of a series to celebrate the 9th anniversary of the arrival of the Internet in East Timor, Sara Moreira interviews Australian documentary-maker Jen Hughes - founder of Suai Media Space, whose main objective is to make the voices of Suai youth heard all over the world - and discusses the fight to minimize the digital divide even without broadband connection in Suai.
Azerbaijan: GONGOs
Blogs dealing with democracy across the globe continue to discuss last week's controversial visit to Azerbaijan by Obama campaign manager David Plouffe. Democracy Digest is the latest and says that the embarrassing event at least exposed the existence of government-organized NGOs (GONGOs) in authoritarian countries. The blog also says that...
Azerbaijan: Plouffe donates speaker's fee
Following the recent controversy surrounding a visit by Obama campaign manager David Plouffe to Azerbaijan, Blogger Interrupted says that his $50,000 speaking fee has been donated to the National Democratic Institute.
Chile: Bachelet's Visit to Cuba
Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has planned a trip to Cuba to improve relations after 37 years. La Pollera [es] writes about some of the criticism that has headed her way because of that decision.
Afghanistan: Newfound Popularity in the US
Patrick Frost notes how much the US media is now concentrating on the war in Afghanistan as the war in Iraq is dropping further and further onto the back pages.
South Korea: Prospects for Peace
Jae Young Lee from Ohmynews writes an analysis on the prospects for peace in Northeast Asia region.
Russia: More on Racial Violence
Moscow Through Brown Eyes posts more notes on racial violence in Russia.
