19 December 2007

Stories from 19 December 2007

Russia: Putin's Year

Vladimir Putin has been in the news a lot lately. If it's not the overwhelmingly overwhelming majority of Russians voting for his party, then it's Time Magazine naming him as its Person of the Year. Below are some initial reactions to today's piece of Putin news from Anglophone Russia bloggers.

19 December 2007

Russia: Some More on Medvedev

Streetwise Professor writes about the man some (or many?) believe will succeed Putin as Russia's president in 2008: “I have not commented about Putin’s anointing of Dmitri Medvedev because I...

19 December 2007

Russia: Yegor Gaidar's Book

Streetwise Professor reviews Yegor Gaidar's new book: “I believe that Gaidar is right that down this path lies ruin. I fear, however, that Russia will have to find this out...

19 December 2007

Russia: Middle Class

Dr. Sean's Diary writes on Russia's middle class, a subject that has inspired “a lot of informed journalistic comment – […] – but seemingly little in the way of academic...

19 December 2007

Czech Republic: Jan Švejnar

Czech president is due to be elected Feb. 8 by a joint session of both chambers of the parliament, and Dr Sean's Diary writes about a likely contender for the...

19 December 2007

Panama: Holiday Hand-outs

During the holidays, the streets seem to fill with more children begging. Chiriqui Chatter provides thoughts on this practice and deciding to whom to give that coin.

19 December 2007

Morocco: Eid al-Adha

In my last post, I shared the thoughts of foreigners on Christmas (or a lack thereof) in Morocco. This week, we'll change focus to the celebration of Eid Al-Adha, the holiday which Muslims celebrate as a commemoration of Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah (God).

19 December 2007

Bolivia: Two Regions, Two Documents

December 15 marked a pivotal day in Bolivia, when two regions celebrated their newly created documents. In La Paz, members of the ruling party formally presented a controversial Constitution. On the other side of the country, in midst of hunger strikes, members of a provisional assembly in Santa Cruz approved an autonomic statute that sits in opposition. Bloggers participated in both celebrations and also hope that there is still an opportunity for the country to close this divide.

19 December 2007

Bahamas: Hail to the Chief?

Larry Smith at Bahama Pundit agrees that The Bahamas 2007 Special Report, a book published with public funds in order to help attract foreign investment, is really a “hail to...

19 December 2007