Stories about Politics from July, 2009
Cuba: Political Arrests
Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense links to a report that claims “there were 130 political arrests” in Cuba in the month of June.
Bermuda: The Race Card
Bermudian Catch a fire says that neither political party “has an exclusive monopoly on the race card”, claiming that both factions resort to using it.
South Korea: White Guys Blogging About Korean Women
An interesting conversation about a Korean woman questioning a white guy, in this case the blogger, on why he blogs about Korean women at the Grand Narrative.
Bolivia: Attack Attempt on Potosí Prefect
Wilfredo Jordán writes about the recent attack attempt on the home of Mario Virreira, the departmental prefect of Potosí, Bolivia.
Russia: “Leaving the Caucasus, a Taboo Subject”
Robert Amsterdam's Blog links to Kerkko Paananen's translation of an article by Igor Averkiev, “which argues that Russia would be stronger, more secure, and better off if it pulled out...
Moldova: RFE/RL's Blog on Repeat Vote
Natalia Morari is blogging in English at RFE/RL's #moldovavotes, a blog set up to cover the July 29 repeat parliamentary election in Moldova.
Kenya: Water Crisis and Government Inaction
The Mount Kenya Trust Blog decries the worsening water crisis in Kenya, pointing out the wanton waste of resources by an MP (Member of Parliament), and continuing wildlife-people conflict.
Hungary: The Hungarian Guard Banned
A paramilitary association called the Hungarian Guard was banned at the beginning of July after more than a year of investigation by Budapest Court. Guard members and supporters held spontaneous and officially organized rallies in Budapest to save the organization.
Citizens of the World “United 4 Iran”
On Saturday July 25, people around the world will have the opportunity to support Iranians in their struggle for democracy, freedom and basic human rights by attending rallies in dozens of cities around the world.
“Resign or Else”: Portraits of Media Repression in Madagascar
VNR is a young journalist at one of the largest newspapers in Madagascar. When we first talked over the phone, her number was hidden and the first thing she said...
Cuba: Ferrer Arrested
Cuban bloggers react to the arrest of Dr. Darsi Ferrer on the grounds that he allegedly bought construction materials on the black market to repair his house: Blog for Cuba,...
Bermuda: Crime & Punishment
Bermuda's 21 Square takes a look at the country's crime statistics and concludes: “We should be focusing more on improving the justice system rather than worrying about the effectiveness of...
Bahrain: Accusations of Islamist Hypocrisy
The Bahraini Nationalist read the response by the Olama Islamic Council to the Crown Prince's call for dialogue with Israelis: “It’s the usual, humdrum response we’ve come to expect from...
China: Introducing Tibetan writer Jamyang Kyi
Jamyang Kyi is a Tibetan broadcaster, writer and blogger based in Xining. Her blog is very popular amongst Tibetans. High Peaks Pure Earth has translated third letter to her friend...
Kazakhstan: Astana, as it is
The bloggers share with us their impressions from the new capital of the country. Drudg writes in his post, filled with figural turns of speech and euphemisms [ru]: “The streets...
Azerbaijan: An interview with Arzu Geybullayeva
Despite the accent formed from education in the United States and the United Kingdom, Arzu Geybullayeva, now a regional analyst, has become one of Azerbaijan's most well-known bloggers on the country with her Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines blog.
Israel: A Belief In Coexistence – Interview With Activist Ibn Ezra
While Israel as a whole has moved to the right in recent years, there are nevertheless Israelis who oppose their government’s policies towards the Palestinians. Global Voices Online has interviewed activist Joseph Dana, who blogs at Ibn Ezra, about his involvement with the group Ta'ayush ("coexistence"), the state of activism in Israel, and using social media to get the message out.
Japan: No Twitter for Election Campaigns
In response to the government's decision that the usage of Twitter in election campaign activities violates the Public Offices Election Law, Kengo Preston wonders why disruptive methods such as direct...
Cambodia, Thailand: ilovethailand website sparks controversy
The recently launched website ilovethailand.org is causing a stir online. Thailand's Prime Minister announced that the website is intended to restore the country's image and unify the nation in light of recent unrest. The controversy stems from the website's claims about Thailand's “lost territory” — territory that is present day Cambodia.
Trinidad & Tobago: Journalistic Integrity
Trinidad and Tobago blogger KnowProSE.com says that “no preconditions leads to better interviews…and that's where journalism sells out – and social media is beginning to.”
China: Memorable Quotations from Qin Gang
Qin Gang is the spokesperson of Foreign Ministry. C.A. Yeung from Under the Jacaranda Tree cites a number of memorable quotes made by Qin in his weekly press conference.
