Stories from 23 May 2011
Myanmar: Farmers receive lengthy prison sentence
Aye Nai reports that farmers involved in a land dispute in Myanmar were given 8 to 12 years of prison convictions by a court. The land is owned by the military. The farmers are accused of stoning, cursing, damaging property, trespassing and violation of export/import law.
Philippines: K+12 education reform
Sarah Maramag discusses the new education program of the Philippine government. Two more years of schooling will be added to the basic education cycle.
Greece: Is it time for the #GreekRevolution?
The peaceful mass popular protests in cities across Spain, calling for democracy and protesting bipartisanship on the eve of elections, caught Greeks by surprise after a year of fruitless protests in Greece against IMF/ECB imposed austerity measures. Many Greek netizens reacted in solidarity to the sight and sounds of the “Spanish Revolution” and considered their own predicament.
Greece: A Lukewarm Reaction to Attacks on Immigrants
Greek blogger To Vytio (The Jerrycan) writes an elegiac post [el] on his return to Athens from a weekend trip, finding the city gripped in violence, fear, apathy and scary rhetoric. “Our mortal leap was the reaction to what happened in Athens against the immigrants. Lukewarm, blasé. With [right-wing extremists],...
Ukraine: No Bail For Ex-Interior Minister Lutsenko
Foreign Notes writes that Ukraine's ex-minister of Internal Affairs Yuriy Lutsenko has lost an appeal to be released on bail and is “back behind bars.”
Poland: Taxation
Politics, Economy, Society explains the Polish taxation system.
Hungary: Orbán Government and Romania's Hungarian Minority
Hungarian Spectrum writes about the relationship between the Orbán government and the Hungarian minority in Romania.
Russia: Medvedev and Press Freedom
Vadim Nikitin of Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog writes that while the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev “had no problems embracing iPad and Twitter,” he “seems to be a late adopter when it comes to good old fashioned press freedom.”
Slovenia: Law on Mayor/MP Conflict of Interest; New Family Code
Sleeping With Pengovsky reports that “a law establishing a conflict of interests between holding an office of mayor and MP at the same time” has been passed in Slovenia, and also writes about the attitudes towards “the new Family Code which – among other things – was meant to allow...
Russia: Daghestani Media Online
Window on Eurasia reports that “virtually all Daghestani media outlets now have online versions.”
Russia: EU’s Roma to Move to Russia?
Window on Eurasia wrote in early May that “rising tensions between the Roma and the titular nationalities of the European Union have sparked reports in Moscow that some of this often-despised community are about to be moved to the Russian Federation, either on their own or from a deal between...
Russia: History of Russian Pop
A translation of History of Russian Pop (the Russian-language original appeared in Russkii Reporter) – at RussiaWatchers, here and here.
Russia: Parking and Driving in Moscow
English Dad in Moscow writes about and posts photos of parking and driving in Moscow.
India: The Death Of a Terrorist
“I find it difficult to conceive of a time in the future when terrorism will cease to exist,” comments Sourav Sengupta while sharing his reflections on the death of Osama Bin Laden.
Pakistan: Imran Khan's Sit In Protest
XYZ at Cafe Pyala has some thoughts on the two-day sit in (dharna ) protest by Pakistani politician Imran Khan to block NATO supply routes from the Karachi port. The goal of the protest is to raise voice against the continuing American drone strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
Pakistan: Is It America’s War Really?
D. Asghar reacts on the recent terrorist attack in a Pakistan naval air base by asking these questions: “Is it ‘America’s War’ really? If so then why is Pakistan facing the worst of it. Why is Pakistan taking so many casualties on a daily basis?”
Greece: A Proposal to Reform the Police
Greek blogger Leonidas Irakliotis proposes several measures [el] to reform the police and restore public trust, in light of recent police violence and failure to deal with a wave of anti-immigrant attacks in Athens. “As long as we tolerate this incompetence, we will suffer from an under-performing police force; resulting...
Greece: No Peace without Justice
“I cannot remember, in living memory, any instance where I felt a distinct similarity between the events happening in Greece to the Nazi Germany pogroms against Jews and communists of the 1930s.” Technology blogger Cosmix breaks with his usual subjects to dissect the causes of recent rampant violence against immigrants in Athens,...
Caribbean: Reflections on the Rapture
So the world was supposed to end this past Saturday - at least according to some religious sects. Caribbean bloggers write about how one man's delusion had an impact on the region and put a humourous spin on surviving the end of the world.
South Africa: What's next for Judge Aikona Motata?
Pierre comments on the news that the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) in South Africa has found that race remarks made by judge Nkola Motata constituted a prima facie case of gross misconduct: “Among other things, Motata seemed to have channelled his inner Julius Malema [the controversial president of the ANC...
Africa: The role of music in African cinema
Beatriz Leal Riesco explores the role of music in African cinema: “Since the early days of African cinema, music has formed part of a (self) conscious discourse concerning the problematic realities of Africa. Its use has rarely been gratuitous and goes far beyond the traditional—and much less experimental—Western customs of...
