6 May 2009

Stories from 6 May 2009

Kazakhstan: Farce Vulgaris

Adam tells about new episode in the political farce saga around Rakhat Aliyev (the disgraced former presidential son-in-law sentenced to 40 years in jail and currently living in Europe) and the Kazakhstani authorities.

Mexico: Scenes From an Outbreak

  6 May 2009

Almost two weeks after the outbreak of the H1N1 virus, Mexico City was declared in “state of emergency” suspending activities at closed populated spaces, such as schools, workplaces and restaurants, as well as large public events, such as concerts and football matches. Most residents wore protective face masks and their interactions with one another helped paint a unique and devastating landscape of the streets of Mexico.

China: The fear implied in a real-name internet

  6 May 2009

In China, the internet has become an important platform for citizens’ participation in policy making and criticism of officials. The freedom of the internet is largely guaranteed by the anonymity it offers users. However efforts to deprive the users of such freedom have never stopped. Not long ago, a young...

Japan: Doctor shortage, the medical system in crisis

  6 May 2009

Together with the economic crisis the shortage of doctors (医師不足, ishi busoku in Japanese) is becoming more and more urgent in Japan. As a Fire and Disaster Management Agency survey pointed out in 2007, the causes are the uneven distribution of the doctors mainly settled in urban areas and the...