Stories about Politics from January, 2009
Russia: Medvedev on Markelov's Murder
RFE/RL's The Power Vertical, Robert Amsterdam's Blog, and Sean's Russia Blog comment on Dmitry Medvedev's remarks about the murders of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova in Moscow last week.
Russia: Putin's Response to Dell
Eternal Remont and Scraps of Moscow comment on Vladimir Putin's response to the Dell Computer founder at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Ukraine: KGB Archive
Sean's Russia Blog writes this about Ukraine's plans “the entire KGB archive dating 1917-1991″: “These materials will certainly be employed in the further crafting of Ukraine’s ‘imagined community’ of victimization...
Georgia: Glukhov's Case; U.S.-Based “Georgian Chalabis”
Scraps of Moscow writes about Aleksandr Glukhov's case, and notes on the possibility “that Georgian Chalabis are already being groomed Stateside.”
Moldova: A “Stable” Economy
Moldova's economy has been declared “well-protected […] from the slowdown” by London-based magazine The Banker. Eternal Remont comments: “This one gets filed under, ‘I've been down so long it looks...
Europe: The “Two Cows” Jokes
Inspired by the “two cows” joke that's “been around for years in one form or another,” 20 east comes up with a few ones of his own.
Latvia: Snap Election?
All About Latvia thinks the country is “heading for snap elections” and this may be a good thing: “While the IMF sees an election as a liability because it ushers...
Czech Republic: European Artists Strike Back (at Entropa)
CzechFolks.com writes about a few European artists who have reacted to Entropa by creating “caricatures of the Czech Republic through their eyes.”
EU: Investing in Ukraine's Gas Pipeline?
Wu Wei quotes a Kyiv Post editorial, which urges the EU to consider investing in Ukraine's gas pipeline system, and posts this comment: “But on what terms will this be...
Madagascar: “Unmitigated Disaster”
After two days of upheaval that resulted in an estimated death toll at 80 nationally, and the looting of dozens of stores, a day of relative calm greeted a stunned nation.
Greece: Economy and Protests
BBC's Mark Mardell writes about the state of the Greek economy and the farmers’ protests.
Guadeloupe: A new social movement
Guadeloupe has been in a state of social unrest for about a week now as record numbers of trade unions, cultural and political associations have united around a motto: "Lyannaj kont pwofitasyon", Creole for “Let's gather up to fight against all sorts of abuses.”
Cuba: Raul in Russia
Child of the Revolution, Una Familia en Cuba [Sp] and Havana Times all blog about Cuban President Raul Castro's official visit to Russia.
Cuba: Human Rights & Political Prisoners
As The Cuban Triangle reports that Cuba is about to face a human rights review, Uncommon Sense says that women are also among the political prisoners on the island.
Trinidad & Tobago: Construction Confusion
“Some of the things being revealed are proving to be so massively embarrassing, so massively corrupt that it boggles the mind”: Trinidadian diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch is following the Commission...
Jamaica: Local Obama?
“Jamaicans should ask for nothing but the best from those who would aspire to lead”: Abeng News Magazine‘s Trevor Dawes thinks it might be time for a Jamaican Obama.
Jamaica, Zimbabwe: Hunger Strike
“Do people in Jamaica and the Caribbean care enough about events in Zimbabwe to lend their help to this call for moral action?”: Annie Paul has a friend who is...
Azerbaijan: Democratization Under Siege
Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines comments on the state of democracy in Azerbaijan and wonders about the country's future now that foreign radio broadcasts have effectively been banned and a...
Korea: Death of 5 Evictees in the middle of Seoul
On the 20th of January, residents who were told to be evicted to make way for a new development by February in Yongsan, which is the middle of Seoul, opposed...
Hong Kong: From Censorship Debate to Critique of Christian Right
The debate over censorship of indecency in Hong Kong sparkled by the consultation on the Control of Obscene and Indecent Article Ordinance (COIAO) has developed into a critique of religious...
Kazakhstan: Journalist Arrested for Alleged State Secret Disclosure
Ramazan Yessergepov, chief editor of the “Alma-Ata Info” newspaper, was arrested early January this year by the National Security Committee officers from the provincial branch office of the country's main...
