Stories about Politics from November, 2006
Russia: “DPNI-Light”
Sean's Russia Blog writes that in Russia, “The race struggle has replaced the class struggle, and the ‘illegal’ stands in for the ‘kulak’.”
Russia: Suleiman Kerimov
Russia Blog writes about Suleiman Kerimov, a Russian billionaire and PM from Vladimir Zhirinovsky's party, who got into a car crash in southern France and is now “in coma with burns over 70% of his body,” while his black Ferrari Enzo has been torn apart and its fuel tank exploded.
Russia, Britain: Litvinenko's Death
The beatroot and Ruminations on Russia write about the reaction of the British media to Aleksandr Litvinenko's death.
Latvia: News Roundup
Homemade booze, politics, and attacks on tourists: All About Latvia provides a news roundup.
D.R. of Congo: Bemba should concede defeat
“…the time has come for Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to concede defeat,” writes Eye on Africa following the rejection of a legal challenge to last month's presidential run-off election by the Democratic Republic of Congo's Supreme Court.
Albania: Ismail Kadare
Wu Wei writes about a talk given by Ismail Kadare in Oxford.
DRC: Insurrection in North Kivu
UDPS Liege wrote yesterday (Fr): “According to the UN Mission in the Congo (MONUC), fighting resumed this Monday morning at Kasengezi, about 20 kilometers from Goma. UN troops from India intervened using helicopters and ground operations to bring the men loyal to [General Nkunda] back to their positions near Sake,...
DRC: “Bemba was to be defeated”
In a long post about Kinshasa's fervor for Bemba despite his defeat, Le Blog du Congolais writes (Fr):”It was written and we knew it: Bemba was to be defeated, for a reason or another. The court however did not this time around have to find the reason. Bemba's lawyers did...
Lebanon: Hizbullah and communal coexistence
“With Hizbullah reportedly planning “surprise” protests this week to topple the Siniora government, many, including Shias, are not surprised by how far the foreign-funded militia is prepared to take the country, and the Shia community, in what seems to be a political jihad against the state,” Abu Kais said.
D.R. of Congo: Bemba's election challenge update
“Before declaring the definitive outcome, the Supreme Court rejected Bemba’s challenge for lack of proof (the burden of proof being on the claimant). The CEI was found to have acted legally and transparently. One claim – that Kabila had spent government funds on his investiture ceremony – was regarded as...
Lebanon: Minister Pierre Gemayel Assassinated
Lebanon witnessed this week the brutal assassination of its minister of industry and trade. This terrorist act overshadowed all other events and topics in the Lebanese blogosphere. Nevertheless, the posts were as varied and different as the political inclinations of the Lebanese themselves. Here is a sample of what they...
Haiti: Impunity, President Preval and Farah Dessources
On November 15, Farah Dessources, a 20 year old first year University student was kidnapped and killed despite the payment of part of the ransom by her mother. Saturday during her funeral, a demonstration took place in Port-au-Prince, demanding that the Preval government do more to stamp out insecurity. There...
Bermuda: Premier hosts students
Edward Rance reports on a dinner hosted by the Premier of Bermuda for Bermudian students studying in the UK and the post-dinner Q&A session where the students asked the Premier some difficult questions.
Barbados: Fatted calf speech
The Barbados Labour Party publishes on its blog a scanned image of what is alleged to be a page of a speech given by a member of the opposition party containing some controversial statements. Barbados Free Press, however, hesitates to jump to any conclusions about what the statements actually mean.
Bolivia: Morales in the Netherlands
Miguel Buitrago describes Evo Morales’ upcoming travel plans as social unrest continues domestically: “Morales cannot stay outside Bolivia more than 5 days, since he does not have permission of Parliament to travel, he'll go on to the South America – Africa Summit in Nigeria. His final stop will be Cuba...
Bolivia: Questions for Bolivian Ambassador to US
Have you got a question for the Bolivian Ambassador to the US? Now is the time to ask it as Jim Shultz prepares for his upcoming interview.
Cote d'Ivoire: France and UN Resolution 1721
Generation Consciente writes (Fr): “Despite its best efforts, Paris did not succeed in getting the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution that might oust President Gbagbo. After intense negotiations at the UN headquarters, Resolution 1721 regarding Cote d'Ivoire, a French intitiative, was adopted by the Security Council. It maintains...
Belarus: Kozulin Turns 51 in Jail
A former presidential candidate, Aleksandr Kozulin, has celebrated his 51st birthday in prison, in relative obscurity, and with no food – because he's been on hunger strike for over a month already, writes TOL's Belarus Blog.
Poland: On Borat, Election, and Russia
The beatroot writes on Borat's Polish connection, a hungover election official, and the current “Polish-Russian meat war.”
Russia: Image Abroad
ZheZhe [dot] us posts a lengthy entry on media discussions of Russia's image abroad.
Ukraine: Was the Famine Genocide?
Petro Rondiak of Petro's Jotter writes a letter to the editor of a Kyiv English-language publication, disagreeing with his view on the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33; the editor responds.
