· July, 2008

Stories about Politics from July, 2008

Israel: Olmert to Resign Following Kadima Primary

Ehud Olmert said yesterday that he will not stand for the Kadima primary in September. According to Al Jazeera English, Olmert said: “I have decided I won't run in the Kadima movement primaries, nor do I intend to intervene in the elections.” Bloggers had a strong reaction to Olmert's resignation.

Brazil: Live blogging the local elections debate

  31 July 2008

Nova Corja [pt] will be live blogging the second debate for the local elections in Porto Alegre, Brazil. “The concept is the same: surpassing policy analysis in the posts with a stack of beer (the only way to bear it) broadcast live through our Ustream, directly from New Corja Corp's...

Serbia: Frontline Club's Live Discussion on Karadžić

From the Frontline announces: “Live discussion about Karadžić tonight Thu 31st July, 7.30pm UK time from the Frontline Club chaired by Ben Brown (BBC). Joining us will be Ed Vulliamy (Guardian and Observer), Kemal Pervanić (survivor of the Omarska concentration camp), Sir Geoffrey Nice (QC) and Gordana Igrić by skype...

Ukraine: “No Place in the EU”?

A Fistful of Euros critiques a “wince-inducingly stupid article” on Ukraine written by “Richard Wagner, a Transylvanian German writer. (Well, former Transylvanian. Like most T-Germans, he emigrated from Romania as soon as he could get out.)”

Lebanon: On Hizbullah and Hamas

“Hizbullah is effective in fighting Israel and ineffective in fighting its domestic rivals. Hamas is ineffective in fighting Israel but effective in fighting its domestic rivals,” notes The Angry Arab News Service.

Barbados: Setting Standards

  31 July 2008

As the government is granted a US$5 million International Development Bank loan to upgrade the national standards system, Barbados Free Press continues its call for standards to be adopted with regard to public accountability and transparency.

Dominica, U.S.A.: Politics & People

  31 July 2008

Chris at Dominica Weekly has “taken a strong interest in the US Presidential Election”, which leads him to consider the state of politics in his own country: “Perhaps the most effective thing we can do is speak our truth to power, speak up for what we need, and demand certain...

Cuba, Venezuela, U.S.A.: Empty Dialogue?

  31 July 2008

Cuban bloggers Babalu and Ninety miles away…in another country focus on U.S. Republican senator Arlen Specter's upcoming Latin American trip, during which he hopes to meet with both Raul Castro and Hugo Chavez: “The Cuban government has made clear that the only thing it is interested in is the unilateral...

Guyana: Death Announcement Ban?

  31 July 2008

Living Guyana reports that the President plans to ban the broadcast of death announcements because they “are too negative and make people unhappy”, yet MediaCritic notes: “There is still no proper strategy to fight the rampant exploding crime in Guyana.” GT…Keep It Real chimes in: “Presi trying to jack up...

Italy: A National Registry for Roma People?

Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's new right wing Cabinet recently launched plans to carry out a national registration of all Roma people in Italy, including fingerprints of all children. Italy is home to an estimated 150,000 Roma and Sinti people (often referred to as Gypsies). The ensuing, heated public debate over whether this measure amounts to racial discrimination is overflowing in the online space of Italy and beyond.

Serbia: More on Belgrade Rally

Eric Gordy of East Ethnia writes about yesterday's pro-Karadzic rally in Belgrade: “Meanwhile the only element of the meeting that made news was the violent confrontation between skinheads and police, who this time around did not have orders to let the hooligans destroy anything they wanted.”

No to Kuwait's New Internet Law

  30 July 2008

Kuwaiti bloggers are angry at a proposed new Internet Law, which they claim would make their days as free bloggers numbered, after Attorney General Hamad Al Othman announced that a new law dealing with Internet crimes will be issued soon. Abdullatif Al Omar takes a closer look at the Kuwaiti blogosphere and their reactions to the impending law.