July, 2008

Stories from July, 2008

Israel: Olmert to Resign Following Kadima Primary

Ehud Olmert said yesterday that he will not stand for the Kadima primary in September. According to Al Jazeera English, Olmert said: “I have decided I won't run in the Kadima movement primaries, nor do I intend to intervene in the elections.” Bloggers had a strong reaction to Olmert's resignation.

Hungary: Bomb Scare

Hungarian Spectrum writes about bomb scares in Budapest and the response and reactions to the latest one, caused by the discovery of a 2-ton “monster of a bomb.”

U.S., Bulgaria: Julian Tzolov

A Fistful of Euros writes on the case of Julian Tzolov, wanted in the U.S. for “selling auction rate securities (asset-backed bonds with frequent yield resets) to now aggrieved clients. The clients apparently thought they were buying bonds backed by student loans but were in fact buying dodgy mortgages, an...

Czech Republic: Expensive Water

The Czech Daily Word reports on how Czech restaurants are making money on drinking water: “Generally speaking the purchase prices for a .3L bottle of water in wholesale is CZK 4 (yes, FOUR), but if you go to a restaurant, a coffee house or a similar place, you pay CZK...

Brazil: Live blogging the local elections debate

  31 July 2008

Nova Corja [pt] will be live blogging the second debate for the local elections in Porto Alegre, Brazil. “The concept is the same: surpassing policy analysis in the posts with a stack of beer (the only way to bear it) broadcast live through our Ustream, directly from New Corja Corp's...

Angola: Goodbye to Kinaxixe Market in Luanda

  31 July 2008

Anabela Quelhas [pt] is extremely sad to have witnessed Luanda's Kinaxixe Market being demolished. She lists 10 reasons was this 50's market was an important building for Angolan architecture and people, concluding: “Once more, cultural asset is outweighed by the language of money and speculation”. A modern shopping center is...

Serbia: Frontline Club's Live Discussion on Karadžić

From the Frontline announces: “Live discussion about Karadžić tonight Thu 31st July, 7.30pm UK time from the Frontline Club chaired by Ben Brown (BBC). Joining us will be Ed Vulliamy (Guardian and Observer), Kemal Pervanić (survivor of the Omarska concentration camp), Sir Geoffrey Nice (QC) and Gordana Igrić by skype...

Ukraine: “No Place in the EU”?

A Fistful of Euros critiques a “wince-inducingly stupid article” on Ukraine written by “Richard Wagner, a Transylvanian German writer. (Well, former Transylvanian. Like most T-Germans, he emigrated from Romania as soon as he could get out.)”