· August, 2010

Stories about Politics from August, 2010

Turkmenistan: WikiLeaks-like service in demand

  29 August 2010

Turkmenistan is a society so veiled in shadows that one wonders whether its own leaders believe in the government’s propaganda. For this reason, the country desperately needs a service like WikiLeaks to help expose the truth, argues neweurasia’s Annasoltan.

Egypt: Ramadan Television and the Muslim Brotherhood

This year in Ramadan the Egyptian TV decided to produce a series about the opposition party Al-Ikhwan (The Muslim Brotherhood). The TV series, which is called El Gamaa, tries to shed light on the history of group and it's founder Hassan El Banna, bringing criticism from many bloggers that it reflects nothing but the regime's point of view.

Russia: Mari Paganism and Charges of “Extremism”

  28 August 2010

OpenDemocracy.net reports: “In their remote forest republic 400 miles east of the Moscow, the pagan Mari people are once again being harassed by the authorities. […] Ethnically kin to the Finns and Hungarians, their profoundly ecological religious worldview challenges Russian-led designs on their republic’s natural resources.”

Russia: “Jailbird Moms”

RuNet Echo  28 August 2010

A Good Treaty writes about two Russian “jailbird moms” – Anna Shavenkova and Yulia Kruglova: “Two court cases in recent weeks have given Russia’s bruised citizenry a few additional reminders that the world is a cruel, extremely stupid place to live. Both these cases involve mothers of young children, but...

Ukraine: Anthem in 14 Languages

  28 August 2010

Ukraine's national anthem performed in 14 languages (Ukrainian, Greek, Tatar, Gagauz, Polish, Romanian, Georgian, Yiddish, Romani, Russian, Hungarian, Belarusian, Armenian, Azerbaijani) – at Ukrainiana.

Russia: Khimki Forest and Bono's “Intervention”

RuNet Echo  28 August 2010

Natalia Antonova comments on Bono's role in the resolution of the Khimki forest situation during his visit to Moscow earlier this week: “There was an “intervention” on behalf of Bono in regards to the destruction of the Khimki forest? Where is the evidence of this intervention?”

Australia: Left Perspectives on Hung Parliament

  28 August 2010

Reacting to Australia's national elections held on Saturday 21 August, one outcome is certain: neither Julia Gillard's Labor government or Tony Abbott's conservative Liberal/National Coalition have won a majority of seats.

Madagascar: Radio Soatalily in Toliary Sacked

  28 August 2010

Tomavana posts on twitter [fr] a report that  Radio Soatalily in the town of Toliary (South East of Madagascar) was sacked by 30 members [fr] of the opposition after their meeting was dismantled by police forces. The government also launched “Operation Strike” to curb down banditry and increasing criminality [fr] on the...

Nigeria: Am I the last hope of my generation?

  27 August 2010

Nigerian blogger Adeola asks, “Am I the last hope of my generation?”: “Nollywood is torn apart by the amount of money that its members will receive for the support or campaign for Jonathan. One useless group called NIGERIA ECOWAS YOUTH or Nigerian Youths in ECOWAS has promised to open a...

Cuba: Double Standard

  27 August 2010

“On one hand they release some dissidents from prison, on the other those who attempt to say ‘I disagree’ get shoved behind bars”: Crossing the Barbed Wire comments on “the double standard policy assiduously practiced by the government as part of its greater foreign policy.”