Stories from 25 February 2008
Slovenia: RIP Janez Drnovšek
Slovenia mourned former president Janez Drnovšek today; Sleeping with Pengovsky and Dr. Filomena paid tribute to the man who “has influenced Yugoslav and Slovenian politics profoundly, giving a stellar performance in a relatively short period of time.”
Czech Republic: Still Some More on the Election
Belatedly, another link on the presidential election in the Czech Republic: The Reference Frame writes that “one of Klaus's numerous tasks in the second term will be to abolish the global warming religion in the European Union that will be under the Czech Republic presidency in H1 of 2009.”
Montenegro: Milo Djukanovic
A Fistful of Euros writes about Milo Djukanovic, prime minister of Montenegro: “By 1991 he was the youngest Prime Minister in Europe. By 1998 he had squeezed out various rivals to become the most powerful man in the country. Which he still is today.”
Ukraine: Baba Paraska
Ukrainiana writes about Baba Paraska, “an elderly activist easily recognized as the icon of the Orange Revolution,” and her birthday wishes to president Yushchenko.
Ukraine, Russia: “An Octopus of Cash and Gas Flows”
Ukrainiana sums up the results of Yulia Tymoshenko's recent visit to Moscow: “It’s still unclear when and to what extent the current matryoshka system will be redesigned in favor of a more transparent one. The system Ukraine has today — an octopus of cash and gas flows — hinders energy...
Ukraine: Yanukovych's Real Estate
Ukrainiana translates and comments on Victor Yanukovych's controversial statements about the state-owned real estate he is allegedly attempting to privatize at “at a discount price.”
Ukraine: More Sketches by Olechko
Lots of new work by Olechko, including this sketch of “devoushkas at a cafe.”
Russia, Ukraine: February 23
Scraps of Moscow, Ukrainiana, and Windows to Russia! write about the Defender of the Fatherland Day (formerly known as the Soviet Army Day). Feb. 23 also happens to be president Victor Yushchenko's birthday, and, as Window on Eurasia points out, it is also the day on which Stalin’s deportation of...
Russia: Lev Ponomarev; Solovetskiy Stone
Robert Amsterdam reports on an investigation launched against human rights activist Lev Ponomarev, who has been “accused of committing slander against the Russian Federation, and is currently being prevented from leaving the country.” Also, Amsterdam writes about the Solovetskiy Stone memorial and the authorities’ plans to remove it from Lubyanka...
Russia, U.S.: The New York Times’ Russian LJ
Lyndon of Scraps of Moscow provides a comprehensive review of the New York Times‘ Russian-language LJ community, a platform for a “translator-assisted online dialog” between Russian bloggers and the newspaper's regular readers and its Moscow bureau staff: “a very interesting and creative step, with the potential to realize the full...
Pakistan: YouTube and the World
Pakistan's act of blocking access to YouTube may have had consequences far deeper than initially planned says iFaqeer.
India: Foreign Policy and the US
Sepia Mutiny on the future of US's foreign policy in South Asia.
India: Changing names
A range of gender issues at Mumbai Girl – from changing names once married to the idea of skimpy clothes being provocative.
Nepal: Identity and autonomy
Bahas on the idea of the Madhesi identity and autonomy in Nepal.
Bangladesh: Book fair
Bangladesh From Our View on the 23rd Ekushey Book fair.
Korea: Debates over Privatizing Insurance
One of the hottest issues just before the next administration took office in Korea was about the privatization of health insurance. With the new administration, the national health insurance seems to be not logical anymore and will switch to privatization so that other private companies can step in the medical...
Burkina Faso: teachable moments, missing bathrooms and road rage
Pity the school teachers of the Peace Corps. While their compatriots toiling in health clinics or with micro-credit programs pretty much work loose hours and come and go from social events in the capital city at their leisure, teachers are stuck at home with a inflexible schedule, classrooms full of hundreds of students and loads and loads of homework to correct each night.
Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Antigua: T&T Wins 20/20 Cricket
Discover TnT Blog reports that “the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket team…last night captured the Stanford 20/20 Cricket Tournament in Antigua.”
Cuba: Reactions to Raul
Cuban bloggers’ responses to news that Raul Castro has been appointed President of Cuba…Babalu Blog: “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss”; Child of the Revolution: “The appointment of a 76-year-old hardliner…as the effective number two rather than younger apparatchiks…has surprised everyone”; Uncommon Sense: “For those who think...
Barbados: Carbon Footprint
Living in Barbados says that it's time for Caribbean countries to get serious about their energy consumption.
Bermuda: Education System
Bermuda Longtail thinks that “discipline is an aspect of the education system that…needs some careful consideration when we look at revamping the education system.”
