Stories about Politics from February, 2010
Russia: Provider Sued For Not Blocking Web Sites
The prosecutor's office of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Siberian region where most of Russia's oil comes from, filed a suit against a local Internet provider that refused to block “extremist” Web site, Regnum reported. However, there's no federal law that requires providers to block the sites.
Slovenia: Tribute to Janez Drnovšek
Two years after the death of former Slovenian president Janez Drnovšek, Sleeping With Pengovsky observes that “most of the nation is on the prowl against any sort of deviation from ‘normality’, be this deviation actual or imagined, personal or political”: “President Drnovšek rarely passed judgement. […] But when he spoke,...
Russia: New Military Doctrine
Irina Filatova comments on Russia's new military doctrine at the Guardian's Comment is free.
Italy, Russia: Berlusconi's Russian Style
IZO links to LJ user maratguelman‘s post (RUS) and writes: “Silvio Berlusconi travels round Rome in a Russian-made VAZ-Patriot car and likes to wear a commando jacket given to him by Putin.”
Russia: “Merry Gnome”
IZO links to LJ user postoronniy-cb‘s post (RUS) and writes: “When prez Medvedev visited Omsk recently, a sign advertising a play for children called We Await You, Merry Gnome was removed from his route in great haste at the last moment.”
Russia: Online Media Competition Lacks Transparency
The Russian Federal Telecommunications Agency announced [RUS] a competition to support online media. Adindex.ru reports [RUS] that requirements for lack transparency and suggests the competition is a way to encourage new media loyal to the government.
Egypt: Fan Page for ElBaradei
Egyptian fans formed a Facebook group in support of Mohamed El Baradei – whom they hope would run for President. The group has so far attracted more than 6,300 fans.
Kenya: What does Kenya really need?
Kipsang asks, “What does Kenya really need?”: DEVOLUTION OF POWER. We’ve been asking for a new constitution for a very long time & God knows we need it. The current constitution carries in it all that’s wrong with Kenya…
South Africa: What do bloggers think of Zuma's child out of wedlock?
I will keep it simple: The South African President Jacob Zuma has had a child out of wedlock despite having 3 wives of his own. What do South African bloggers think of a president with 3 wives, who has been married 5 times and now has a child out of wedlock?
Trinidad & Tobago: Observations
Diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch focuses his attention on a few developments – from politics to crime – in Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad & Tobago: Being the PM
This Beach Called Life admonishes his fellow Trinidadians to “leave the Prime Minister alone”.
Haiti: Thoughts on Power
Following an incident in which children were reportedly taken from their legal guardians and placed in a UNICEF camp, Tara at The Livesay [Haiti] Weblog says: “I am so sad to have learned (as a result of the earthquake) that most everything in the world is based on money and...
Barbados: Cricket Industry
From Barbados, Allegiance blogs about the possibilities for a regional cricket sector: “The idea is not for Government to throw money at cricketers or to interfere with the rules of the game. It is about building an industry in which we appear to have a competitive advantage.”
Barbados, Haiti: The Widening Gap
Barbados Underground says that “the recent catastrophic earthquake which rocked Haiti has exposed one of the weaknesses of modern civilization; the failure to narrow the gap between rich and poor countries.”
Bermuda: Accountability
Bermuda's Vexed Bermoothes bemoans the fact that “government’s debt is scratching the ass of $1 billion dollars now”, but takes heart “that some of Bermuda’s institutions are doing their job to blow the whistle and put on the brakes.”
Russia: Keith Gessen's LRB Piece on Khodorkovsky
Robert Amsterdam's Blog and Foreign Policy Association's Russia Blog link to and comment on Keith Gessen's review of Richard Sakwa's The Quality of Freedom: Khodorkovsky, Putin and the Yukos Affair, which appeared in the London Review of Books. On his blog, Gessen explains how to pronounce Mikhail Khodorkovsky's last name.
Ukraine, Russia: The Plight of Chekhov's Yalta Museum
Rosamund Bartlett, Anton Chekhov's English biographer and director of the Anton Chekhov Foundation, writes about the plight of Chekhov's house-museum in Yalta, Crimea, at OpenDemocracy.net.
Bangladesh: Communal Attack On Jumma Villages
Unheard Voices reports of the attack of Bengali settlers on Jumma indigenous villages in Rangamati district of Bangladesh which left 5 indigenous people dead. The blog is following the developments and the subsequent protests.
Russia: Media Portal Undergoes Check For Extremism
The war on extremism became a universal formula used by Russian authorities to fight the freedom of online expression. Interestingly enough, this practice co-exists with ambitious projects of the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to modernize the country.
Philippines: Outrage over Arrest of 43 Health Workers
The Philippine military arrested 43 community health workers accusing the latter of being communist rebels. The arrested individuals were recently presented in the court. Bloggers comment on the issue
China: Prisoner of Conscience Map
A google map marking and reminding people of the whereabout of the prisoners of conscience in China.
