Stories about International Relations from May, 2010
Japan: The Strength of Soft Power
“If Japan is cool now, can it possibly stay that way?” Roland Kelts explains Why ‘Cool Japan’ is over.
Jamaica: Feeling It
Active Voice empathizes with her Prime Minister, “because this turn of events has nothing to do with him personally, or the Jamaica Labour Party for that matter. It's just the way the cookie crumbles in countries that are well on their way to being narco-democracies.”
Iran:Deal between Iran and France
Tahe Khand writes that France decided Monday to send home an Iranian agent it had jailed for murdering the Shah's last prime minister, two days after Tehran freed a young French academic accused of spying. The blogger with irony says [fa] why you do not want to believe french government...
Pakistan: Reactions To The Time Square Bomber
Earlier this month an attempted Bomb attack at the Time Square in New York City raised security alerts across USA. A Pakistani-American man was detained in this connection which raised much speculations and triggered a debate on US-Pakistan relations. Pakistani bloggers discuss about stereotypes and how to find a sustainable solution.
Qatar: NYT's article draws fire from locals and residents alike
Shabina Khatri reports on rising tensions between locals and expats as Doha residents extol, protest New York Times depiction of Qataris as coddled, self-indulgent creatures, hated by the foreigners who live amongst them.
Haiti: Help or Hindrance?
The Haitian Blogger asks: “Why does a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the Western Hemisphere need 9,000+ UN troops, US troops and 4.4 million dollars for prisons?”
Macedonia: Bloggers Celebrate 1945 Victory Over Fascism
Several Macedonian bloggers joined the May 9 celebration of victory over fascism in World War II.
Russia: Re-Orientation of Foreign Policy?
RFE/RL's The Power Vertical writes about Russia's plans “to reorient its foreign policy in a more pragmatic and pro-Western direction.” Robert Amsterdam writes about the cooperation between Russia and Turkey.
Russia: The Somali Pirates Controversy
Robert Amsterdam, Streetwise Professor, and Steve LeVine write about the recent controversy involving the Somali pirates, Russian oil tanker Moscow University and the Russian Navy.
Madagascar Leader Rajoelina Drops from Presidential Running
Madagascar transitional president Andry Rajoelina announced in a statement on national radio that he will not be a candidate for the presidential elections scheduled on November 26th, 2010 (fr). Achille in Madagascar hopes that this decision will help the international community decide to financially support democratic elections (fr).
Haiti: Walking the Talk
For Inside Disaster, Emmanuel Midi covers two walks that recently took place in Port-au-Prince.
Russia: Moscow Mayor; Judiciary System
Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog writes about Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov's 15-year General Plan for the city's development. At True/Slant, Mark Adomanis writes about Vera Trifonova’s death in detention and Russia's judiciary system. A Good Treaty writes about Russia's judiciary system and Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov.
Russia, Ukraine: WWII, Stalin, History, Politics
A selection of posts on WWII, May 9, history, Joseph Stalin, and today's political discourse in Russia and Ukraine – at Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog (here and here), Global Chaos (here and here), Foreign Notes, Ukrainiana, Sublime Oblivion, A Good Treaty, Robert Amsterdam.
Mozambique: Aid spat
Donor countries briefly suspended budget support to the Mozambican government over corruption concerns, sparking analysis and debate about aid, corruption and governance.
China and the U.S: The fake chips
Angry Chinese blogger comments on the U.S government's accusation of the inflow of low grade technology products, such as fake chips into the U.S military.
Russia, Ukraine: Proposed Gazprom-Naftogaz Merger
Kyiv Scoop and Jamestown Foundation Blog (here and here) discuss the implications of PM Vladimir Putin's proposal to merge Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz.
Russia, Ukraine: Politics and Demography
Mark Adomanis writes about politics and demography in Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine, Russia: The Crimean Tatar Factor
Window on Eurasia writes about the Crimean Tatar opposition to Russia's military presence in Crimea.
An Egyptian lynched in Lebanon
Mohamed Mossallam, an Egyptian accused of murdering an elderly couple and their two grandchildren as well as raping a 15-year-old girl, has been lynched by the people of the Lebanese village Katramaya. Bloggers react to the news after videos and photos of the lynching were posted online.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Two Multimedia Projects
CAFÉ TURCO highlights two Bosnia-related multimedia projects – The Betrayal of Srebrenica: a Commemoration, and DaytonExpress.
The State of Citizen Media in Madagascar
It has been an eventful for the citizen media scene in Madagascar. The blogosphere in Madagascar has been growing slowly but steadily the past decade, slightly struggling to find its voice until the 2009 political crisis. The sudden precipitation of events that provoked high demand for frequent updates provided a...
