Stories about Politics from November, 2006
Arabisc: Bahraini Elections, Dying Children and Confusing Freedom!
Bahrain held its second Parliamentary elections in its modern history this week, with about 300,000 voters going to the polls. Amongst them was Bahraini blogger Haythoo, who hoped his ‘party’ would emerge victorious. أنا الأن متوجه لتغطية العملية الأنتخابية.. أتمنى أن يحالفنا الحظ و نفوز بأكثرية نيابية.. يجب أن نعمل...
French minorities: Questioning the Republican Model
Togolese-origined French politician Kofi Yamgnane posts a December 13 conference announcement that questions the limitations of French republicanist integration (Fr): “Integration in the French tradition … is resolutely hostile to any differentiation or separation founded on individual origins … Contrary to the Anglo-Saxon model, the Republican model rejects communities and...
South Korea: My Reflections on Roh Moo-hyun
Citizen reporter, Victor Foo, from Ohmynews! writes an evaluation on South Korea's president Roh Moo-hyun's achievements and setbacks during his term.
The Week That Was in Bahrain
More than 300,000 Bahrainis went to the polls on Saturday to elect 40 Municipal Councillors and another 40 Members of Parliament. This is the second time Bahrainis vote in their modern history, after sweeping reforms initiated in 2002. According to official records, seventy-two per cent of the eligible voters took...
Israel: The Crucial Difference
“Many people were upset about the fact that Olmert was invited to address the OU Orthodox Union Convention in Jerusalem because of his anti-Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel) and anti-democratic policies. He wasn't the only Israeli official who spoke. After Jewish Agency Chief Ze'ev Bielski's call for American Jews to...
Reunion: Sarkozy and Nassimah Dindar
Pierrot Dupuy writes (Fr): “I am learning from different sources, some of which are close Parisian relations of [French Interior Minister] Nicolas Sarkozy, that if he is elected President, he will offer a minister job to Nassimah Dindar … Is the best way to avoid Nassimah the minister for Sarkozy...
Flying Over the Iraqi Blogodrome
Literally this time. I am writing this as my flight to Dubai is actually flying over Iraqi airspace. First time ever. If I were to give a true summary of the Iraqi blogs these past weeks it would be one of sadness, death, and violence. But I am not going...
Sudan: Southern Sudanese are trapped
Africa Blogs explain why Southern Sudanese feel trapped, “Inside the mud-and-wattle structures, eating places by day and pubs by night, littering the Juba streets, people hurdle to discuss the future of Southern Sudan. But they are discovering that it’s becoming harder to discuss the future without discussing the wave of...
Philippines: Boxing Champ Captivates a Nation
Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao is already one of the most popular icons in the Philippines today. His successive victories in the ring inspired a nation in need of a modern hero. The poor adores Manny, who is also called the ‘nation’s fist.’ Politicians take advantage of Manny’s popularity to win...
D.R. of Congo: Bemba's lawyers walk out
11 lawyers representing Jean-Pierre Bemba, the Congolese Presidential-runner up, walk out of the Supreme Court.
Palestinian Still Waiting to Return Home
Palestinian Leila Al Haddad is still waiting at a road block in Arish to return home. She says she has lost count of the number of says she has spent waiting and has come to the realisation that “Israeli decisions are without rhyme or reason.”
Bahrain: International Exposure
Bahrain is getting international exposure in the media with the Washington Post and New York Times covering its elections, which are being held today, reports Desert Island Boy. But it isn't the publicity the government wants in the global spotlight, he says.
Africa: what China wants from Africa
Dr. George Ayittey‘s analysis of China's interest in Africa, “China’s increasing involvement in Africa should be viewed against this backdrop. Despite the euphonious verbiage about “cooperation”, “equal terms,” and “altruism,” the real intentions of China are threefold. The first is to gain access to Africa’s resources by signing with a...
Senegal: Criteria for Recruiting Ministers?
Senegalais Frustre at Blog Politique du Senegal has an unexpected theory about how ministers are recruited in Senegal (Fr): “When [Prime Minister] Macky Sall promises maximal efficiency of our ministers, does that mean that we are going to have an international golf team or an olympic champion in paper crumpling…”
Guadeloupe: Saluting “First and Only” Government
Convention Pour Une Nouvelle Guadeloupe posts (Fr) a declaration made by its founding father Magloire Pelage after he and others ceased power from the French in October 1801. (The revolt was later quelled.) He then adds: “Convention pour une Nouvelle Guadeloupe salutes the constitution of the first and only government...
Guyana: New styles in political talk
Stella Ramsaroop introduces some of the latest additions to the repertoire of rhetorical styles in Guyanese politics, including “Ramotarian dialect”, “Persaudian Grandstanding” and “Ramsaroopian Hyperbole”.
Israel: Driving Shimon Peres
Benji Lovitt from Tel Aviv spent two days driving former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres while on a visit to Atlanta, US.
Omar: CNN Biased Against Syria
Blogger Omar, who lives in Canada, says the media – and especially CNN – are biased against Syria in their coverage of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel's assassination.
Russia: Berezovsky and Litvinenko's Death
Boris Berezovsky's figure in the background makes Copydude skeptical of some aspects of Aleksandr Litvinenko's poisoning story.
Russia: Unusual Protest
The Turkish Invasion and Very Russian write about today's very unusual demonstration in Moscow. LJ user 50×50 posts photos.
Belarus: Lukashenko Rigged Election
According to TOL's Belarus Blog, Aleksandr Lukashenko admits to having rigged the last election. Well, sort of.