· August, 2011

Stories about Politics from August, 2011

China: Who Could Have Known The Libyans Hate Gaddafi?

  30 August 2011

One of China's top military analysts at home, has turned the official line on Libya into something of a joke, and abroad, China's nominal support for Gaddafi may end up costing the country oil contracts and much more. Netizens look at the lessons Beijing could stand to learn.

Cuba: Sixth Sunday vs. Women

  30 August 2011

“This Sunday August 28th was the 6th consecutive Sunday in which dozens of dissidents -mainly women- have been violently attacked by the regime’s forces. And, each passing day, the methods of repression are more ‘sophisticated’”: Pedazos de La Isla explains.

Trinidad & Tobago: Missed Opportunity re: Teen Video?

  30 August 2011

Another blogger weighs in on the Granny Quila video: “Yes this girl did a pile…having said that, it would have been a perfect opportunity to show the compassionate side of the State of Emergency, and used as an chance to reach out to disaffected youth.”

Cuba: Las Damas & the Archbishop

  30 August 2011

Uncommon Sense says that the fact that the leader of The Ladies in White has had to approach Havana's cardinal “to intercede…to halt the summerlong repression of the Damas and their allies…reveals everything there is wrong with the prelate.”

Brazil: Mozambique Cedes Land to Brazilian Agribusiness

  30 August 2011

Mozambique is ceding 6 million hectares of land to Brazilian farmers. The idea is to draw on the Brazilian experience in the Cerrado, a biosphere similar to the African savanna, where industrial cattle grazing and soy plantations have already devastated 80% of the richest grasslands in the world.

Russia: Content Analysis of Party Manifestos

RuNet Echo  30 August 2011

LJ-user schegloff analyses [ru] party manifestos of the Russian parties using Wordle word clouds. “Opposition can be identified by the word “must,” patriots by the word “Russia,” ruling party by the word “Unity,” concludes the blogger, speaking of the word frequency in each document.

Malaysia: Generation 709 Calls for Political Reforms

  30 August 2011

Following the Bersih democracy rally last July 9, a group of young Malaysians has come forward to continue the demand for free and fair elections, calling themselves ‘Generation 709’. The group hopes to reach out to more young people and mobilize them for political and civil rights through active use of social media

Trinidad & Tobago: Thoughts on the SoE

  29 August 2011

Outlish puts forward four reasons “why…the state of emergency should not be extended”, while KnowTnT.com sums up the first week of the SoE “from a few different angles.”

Spain: Racism and Intolerance Advance Relentlessly

  29 August 2011

In Europe, xenophobia advances at an immense rate. Author Ana Lucía Sá writes about the situation of immigrants in Spain, the invisibility of the issue of racism and hate crimes in public discourse, and offers comments and analysis from bloggers and organizations that work against racism.

Trinidad & Tobago: The “Granny Quilla” Video

  29 August 2011

Railing against the current state of emergency, a teen posts a video on YouTube; the government interprets it as racist and containing threats against the Prime Minister - Jumbie's Watch agrees, but B.C. Pires says: “The video is OBVISOULSY [sic] an attempt at comedy…doesn’t work very well…but that doesn’t mean...

Ecuador: Journalist Sentenced to Prison for Defamation Flees Country

  29 August 2011

The Knight Center's Journalism in the Americas Blog reports that Emilio Palacio, a journalist from newspaper El Universo “sued for criticizing President Rafael Correa, arrived in the United States Wednesday, Aug. 24″. The post adds: “Meanwhile, the newspaper El Universo published a letter directed at President Correa asking him to stop the legal...

Japan: Noda elected as leader of ruling party

  29 August 2011

Finance minister Yoshihiko Noda has been elected leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, and will become the next prime minister. On the Agora blog, Hiroshi Ohnishi calls [ja] it a safe, if low-key choice, while Seki Obata claims [ja] Noda's virtuous personality is the only way of survival for...