Washington, DC. Economist. Here is my website: http://www.donnawelles.com/
Latest posts by Donna Welles
Russians React to Obama's Reelection
With America's presidential elections finally over, Russians are reacting to Barack Obama's reelection, voicing fears and hopes about topics ranging from the Reset to America's waning global hegemony. Politicians and netizens have already begun weighing in.
Russia: Religiosity & the Murdered U.S. Ambassador
Responding to the attack on U.S. embassies across the Muslim world (specifically the murder of Ambassador Christopher Stevens in Libya), Russian bloggers have addressed the perceived growth of religiosity in their own country, and used the incident as an opportunity to discuss the wider consequences of political unrest.
Russia: 40th Anniversary of Canada-USSR Hockey Series
RuNet blogger Vladimir Kharitonov honored the 40th anniversary of the “Summit Series” – eight hockey games played on two continents between the USSR and Team Canada in September 1972. Although Canada emerged with more wins, the series allowed the Soviet Union to showcase some of its hockey talent that had...
Russia: Pussy Riot's Guilty Verdict
'The judge said one of the reasons for a “real sentence” was to “caution others”. ' - Russian and anglophone Twitter users respond to the guilty verdict and two-year prison sentence handed down to Pussy Riot members.
Russia: USA's Hammon Leads Russia to Basketball Semis
Twitter user @zhenya_jane wrote on the U.S. native Becky Hammon‘s contribution to #London2012: “She's 35 years old, 168 cm tall. Becky Hammon is in the starting lineup of the Russian national basketball team. Thought they wouldn't take her.” In 2008, Hammon faced ridicule from Americans when she gained Russian citizenship...
Russia: Bloggers Honor Tupac Shakur
Highly intelligent and socially aware, Tupac Shakur embodied the plight of contemporary African Americans who struggle to overcome poverty and racism. RuNet bloggers have honored him by his story from beginning to end on the anniversary of his birth. (June 16, 1971 - September 13, 1996)
Russia: Alexander Semin – Insight into NHL/Post-Soviet Relations
Euphoria spread across the nation on May 20, when Russia defeated Slovakia 6-2 in the Gold Medal match of the 2012 World Hockey Championship. The tournament provides insight into the modern interrelationship between NHL and post-Soviet Russia. Additionally, Alexander Semin provides an example of an instance where these two cultures diverge.
Russia: NHL Stars Return to 2012 World Hockey Championship
Undefeated after seven games, and boasting an All-Star lineup, the Russian national team will face Norway in the quarterfinal round of the 2012 World Ice Hockey Championship. Many bloggers have framed the story as a homecoming for Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin, with others reflecting on their complicated past in Russian international competition.
Russia: Putin's Return Rouses Online Polemics
In the wake of protests against Vladimir Putin's inauguration, the reactions of Russian bloggers demonstrate a wide spectrum of opinion online. That oppositionist activism has suddenly taken on a more radical tone has only further inflamed the passions of already polemicized observers.
Russia: Open Hostility in Moscow Surrounding Putin's Inauguration
Both civilians and those charged with keeping order in the city displayed open hostility on May 6 when protesters took to the streets of Moscow in anticipation of Vladimir Putin's inauguration. Donna Welles reports.
Russia: Tolstoy's ‘War and Peace’ Legacy Today
RuNet Echo continues its series examining the 200th anniversary of Tsarist Russia's Victory over Napoleon by examining Leo Tolstoy's novel 'War and Peace' and the role it plays today online. On the RuNet, discussions about 'War and Peace' and Tolstoy's literary style are common, addressing a variety of issues both linguistic and social.
Russia: The Battle of Borodino Lives On
After 200 years, through the works of artists such as Leo Tolstoy (as well as legal disputes about the historic preservation of the battlefield), the Battle of Borodino continues to inspire passion and incite controversy. In this post, RuNet Echo returns to the historical and modern contexts of Russia's victory in the Napoleonic Wars.
Russia: The Tsar's Victory Over Napoleon, 200 Years Later
Across Russia, celebrations have commenced honoring the 200th anniversary of Tsar Alexander I's defeat of France's Napoleon Bonaparte. Russian and English language bloggers have been tracking the celebrations and lingering cultural impact of the war.
Russia: Evgeni Malkin's Journey to the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Evgeni Malkin - a Russian-born ice hockey player who currently serves as the alternate captain for the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins - has led his team to the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Russia: Watching News of Patriarch Kirill's Watch Travel
Observers watched this week as a controversy that began in the Russian blogosphere concerning an altered photograph of the Patriarch's watch on the official site of the Russian Orthodox Church spread to Western blogs as well as to mainstream Western sources.
Russia: US Envoy's Use of Twitter to Further Transparency
Michael McFaul, the US Ambassador to Russia, used his Twitter account to voice his concerns that diplomatic protocols had been violated when it appeared his schedule had been leaked to journalists at the NTV television network. Donna Welles reports.
Russia: Moscow's Modern Muslim Experience – In Context
Moscow's growing Muslim population exemplifies the modern experience of Russia's ethnic and religious minorities amid the backdrop of historical events that have molded the Russian perception of outsiders and thus influence modern societal and governmental policies towards them.
Belarus: The 2011 Minsk Metro Explosion – A ‘Hall of Mirrors’
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Vladislav Kovalev and Dmitry Konovalov - the men convicted and sentenced to death for their actions surrounding the April 2011 explosion in a Minsk subway station - have been executed despite international appeals to Belarusian President for clemency.
Russia: First Woman in Space Turns 75 Years Old
Just days before the world celebrated International Women's Day last week, Valentina Tereshkova - the first woman to enter space - celebrated her 75th birthday.
Russia: Fake US Ambassador Twitter Account Wreaks Havoc During Vote
A fake Twitter account of the US Ambassador to Russia briefly disrupted US-Russia relations during the March 4 Russian presidential election. Donna Welles reports.
Russia: A Last-Minute Overview of Pre-Election Blogging
Sunday's presidential election contrasts greatly with Vladimir Putin's first race in 2000, when his sole platform was counter-terrorism in the North Caucasus. Donna Welles offers a last-minute overview of pre-election Russia blogging.
