Stories about North America from July, 2011
Russia: US Support of Opposition?
LJ user grad46 (Maxim Petrovich) claims [ru] that several Russian opposition groups are funded by US-interests. Until recently an opposition activist himself, Petrovich publishes corroborating documentation, accuses several leading opposition activists of taking American money, and is interviewed [ru] on the issue by Russian newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets.
U.S.A., Japan: The US Declares War On The Japanese Mafia
Investigative journalist Jake Adelstein reported [en] that US President Obama has officially declared war on the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, as it represents an “extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.” Japansubculture.com also published the text of the actual executive order.
Russia-USA: Pest and Cholera of Russia Policies
Vadim Nikitin at Foreign Policy Association blog finds US Russia-policies of both the Democrats and the Republicans negative, after Russian ambassador Sergei Rogozin recently met with two US senators.
Russia-USA: 20 Years Since START I
Hans Kristensen at FAS Strategic Security Blog commemorates the 20th anniversary of START 1, the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty beween the Soviet Union and the USA curtailing the number of nuclear missiles.
Kenya: Facebook Should Unfriend John Mwau
A Kenyan blogger, Daudi Were, has raised an interesting question about whether the U.S. government will be willing to enforce the Kingpin Act against Facebook for apparently doing business with a Kenyan national Mr Harun Mwau who had earlier this year been designated as a drug lord under the Kingpin Act.
Russia: Upsides to Tandemocracy
Edward Lozansky at Russia Blog argues that so called Tandemocracy – power sharing – between Russia's President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin, on the whole has had positive effects for the country, not least in foreign policy.
Iran:Remembering Iranian prisoners in Persia, Iowa
Jahanshah Javid, from iranian.com,displayed the names of 150 current Iranian prisoners on stickers along with ribbons in Persia, Iowa.
China: Netizens response to Barack Obama's meeting with Dalai Lama
Olivia from China Hush translated Chinese netizens’ angry response to U.S President Barack Obama's meeting with Dalai Lama on July 16, 2011 at the White House.
China: NetEase's business
iChinaStock.com has written a post and some slides for introducing a Chinese web-portal company, NetEase’s business model, financials, management, and user experience. NetEase was listed on the Nasdaq in 1999 and its market cap was $6.1 billion in July 2011.
Canada: “First Nation, Last Served”
Writer Mike Morey in Canada questions whether Canada's aboriginal communities will ever be rewarded with the degree of self-governance they seek.
TED Talk by Global Voices Co-Founder Rebecca MacKinnon
In a TED talk on July 12, 2011 Rebecca MacKinnon describes how the internet has become a primary communication channel between citizens and governments, but warns that there is a corporate layer of “internet sovereigns” between the two. Let's take back the Internet," she says.
Cuba, U.S.A.: About that Embargo
Iván García contends that despite the general pragmatism of U.S. policy, “regarding the Cuban embargo, the Americans show a notable stupidity”, calling it “an authentic mirrors game…of course, the ones who blame the embargo for all the misfortunes that have been happening are also lying.”
Russia-USA: Looming lobbying scandal
John Helmer of Dancing With Bears reports about a looming lobbying scandal in Washington, DC, where senior US officials allegedly have been intensely courted by PR-people, employed by Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, trying to influence US policy towards Russia.
Russia, U.S.: RT and American Media
Mark Adomanis of Forbes’ The Russia Hand writes about RT, a Russian TV news network previously known as Russia Today, and the American media.
Serbia: Demanding Apology From Comedian Chelsea Handler
Nearly 44,000 Serbs have joined the Facebook group 'Boycott of Chelsea Handler until she apologizes to the Serbian people,' demanding an apology from the popular American female comedian for the offensive remarks she made about the Serbian nation during a television show.
Puerto Rico: Boricua Artists at the Museo del Barrio
In El Punto Es [es], Mariángel González writes about the Puerto Rican artists [es] participating in New York City's Museo del Barrio exhibition titled “The (S) Files.”
