· August, 2008

Stories about Politics from August, 2008

Ecuador: Abortion a Controversial Topic in New Constitution

  31 August 2008

In a deeply religious country like Ecuador, the topic of a woman's right to choose an abortion is of concern and may determine some voters' decision in the upcoming Constitutional Referendum. Bloggers provide some views about how this controversial topic is seen by the country.

Russia, Georgia, U.S.: Michael Lee White's Passport

  31 August 2008

LJ user olegpanfilov2 links (RUS) to a newspaper story (ENG) on Michael Lee White, a China-based U.S. citizen whose passport was allegedly stolen “during a flight from Moscow to New York” in Dec. 2005. Last week, “a Russian general […] displayed a blown-up photo” of the passport and claimed that...

Zambia: A costly constitutional blunder

  30 August 2008

Cho identifies a costly constitutional blunder in Zambia: “A simple requirement in the constitution to have a presidential running mate would have saved Zambia (and its donor partners) a staggering $70m dollars – that is the estimated administrative cost of the upcoming bye-elections.”

Zimbabwe: Dirty Politics

  30 August 2008

Dirty, dirty politics in Zimbabwe: The MDC has unearthed a plot by the Attorney General’s office and members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to secure convictions against MDC MPs in a bid to reverse the MDC majority in Parliament.

Thailand: People’s coup or putsch?

  30 August 2008

Since Tuesday, anti-government protesters have invaded Thailand’s Government House demanding the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The rallyists, estimated to be as low as 3,000 to as high as 25,000, are members of the People's Alliance for Democracy

Korea: Korean Mata Hari – North Korean Spy Scandal.

  30 August 2008

While the Beijing Olympics was held, Koreans were excited about news of a series of medals. It even seemed that hot attention to political issues and arguments among the citizens since the inauguration of the new President have slowly diminished. The rate of support for the new President, which drastically...

Peru: Views Towards the Indigenous Protests

  30 August 2008

The protests by indigenous groups in Northern Peru are not always understood in other parts of the country. Some bloggers examine attitudes and views by others, who often look down upon the indigenous groups saying that they are protesting for the wrong reasons or incapable of organizing themselves.

Audio slide of Bangkok rallies

  30 August 2008

Newley Purnell has uploaded an audio slide about huge anti-government rallies in Bangkok. The protesters are demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister.

Poland: “Polish Enigma”

  29 August 2008

MHahn of the Women's International Perspective (WIP) writes on WIP Talk Blog about “the trials and tribulations of life in a transitioning country” – Poland: “It is full of inconsistencies, bureaucratic mazes, masked faces, false hopes, and intense pride, but also an enchanting aura wafting through the crevices, a sorrowful...

Armenia: Opposition Truce

  29 August 2008

Unzipped commends the opposition in Armenia for deciding to postpone planned street protests and other political actions ahead of next week's historic football match with Turkey in Yerevan. The move is meant to contribute to the possibility for Armenian-Turkish reconcilliation.

Trinidad & Tobago: Flood Waters

  29 August 2008

As flooding plagues parts of Trinidad and Tobago, Jeremy Taylor says: “It’s odd that a country with a TT$45 billion budget, and a desire to become a ‘developed nation’ by 2020, can’t figure out how to fix its drains.” Jumbie's Watch posts photos.

Guyana: ‘Fineman’ Killed

  29 August 2008

The Guyanese blogosphere is rejoicing over news that security forces have killed country's most feared criminal, Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins, who was wanted for a series of massacres.

Bermuda, Trinidad & Tobago: Reviving the Federation?

  29 August 2008

Vexed Bermoothes weighs in on the call by Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister for regional territories to move towards economic and political integration: “My advice to Bermuda: stay out of it. As a community, we treasure our cultural and family links to the Caribbean. But there’s little benefit to us...

Barbados: Obama's Speech

  29 August 2008

Barbados Underground says that Barack Obama “delivered a high impact speech” at the Democratic National Convention, while Bajan Global Report refers to a story that claims Barbados’ Prime Minister “is…the only high ranking Caribbean official invited to witness the historic first embrace of an African-American as Presidential candidate for a...

Costa Rica: President Arias Asks Dalai Lama to Postpone Visit

  29 August 2008

Costa Rican president Oscar Arias asked Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama to postpone a private visit to the country, citing that Arias won't be in the country to receive him. However, many bloggers believe that the request coincided with a planned official visit from Chinese President Hu Jintao.