Global Voices Online

Ukraine roundup: flu and politics - at What's Up, Ukraine? and at Jamestown Foundation Blog, here and here; the latest on the tense relationship between the Ukrainian president and PM - at Ukrainiana, as well as two posts - here and here - on one of the 18 presidential candidates, Vasyl Protyvsikh, head of Ivano-Frankivsk Chamber of Commerce and former head of Ivano-Frankivsk Customs, aka Vasyl Humenyuk, whose new last name translates as “against all”; Ukraine Today reports that Natalia Vitrenko of Ukraine's Progressive Socialist Party “has been excluded from the Presidential race for failing to pay the 2.5 million deposit”; Window on Eurasia highlights the views of Ukraine's ambassador to Russia on the Ukrainian-Russian relations.

Last weeks' posts on the flu epidemic: Tetyana Vysotska of What's up, Ukraine? falls ill (doctor tells her it's “impossible to have a test on whether it may be a swine flu”) and recovers; Foreign Notes writes that “there is no reason to expect the medical profession in [Ukraine] to be any less corrupt or uphold ethical standards better than other members of Ukrainian society”; MoldovAnn hopes the quarantine does end on Nov. 22 as scheduled; Ukrainiana reports on flu-related “roadshows” of Victor Yanukovych and Yulia Tymoshenko; Greetings from Kyiv writes on day 11 and day 16 of the epidemic; Chernobyl and Eastern Europe reports that medical certificates and masks are now required for Chernobyl trips.

Maud Newton writes about a newly-published anthology of immigrant writing, “Becoming Americans.” Sublime Oblivion examines the views of “Russian political analyst & nationalist Konstantin Krylov” on “international diasporas” and “the diaspora mentality.”

Jamestown Foundation Blog and Ukrainiana - on the politics around the flu situation in Ukraine.

Today's updates on the flu situation: Greetings from Kyiv chronicles Day 5 and Day 6 of the epidemic; Chernobyl and Eastern Europe writes about the precautions taken at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant; Foreign Notes, What's up, Ukraine? and Wu Wei discuss president Yushchenko's address to the nation and other political aspects of the epidemic.

Science Fiction Observer writes about a science fiction dimension of Ukrainian singer Ruslana's 2007 album.

Nash Holos writes about Yury Luhovy's new documentary on the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33.

Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog writes about the results of a Pew Research Center's poll on poverty, wealth and attitudes in Central and Eastern Europe “20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.”

More updates on the flu situation - Greetings from Kyiv: “Flu is all anyone is talking about in Ukraine right now.” Ukraine Today: “Ukraine's best hope now is to pray for an early winter in hope that the virus will not survive Ukraine's bitter cold winters.” Ukrainiana: “People are dying because the hospitals don't have enough oxygenators.”English Russia: photos of Ukrainians in masks. What's up, Ukraine?: WHO's first press release from Kyiv.