Stories from 11 September 2008
Russia: Washington Post's Coverage
The Ivanov Report dissects the Washington Post's recent coverage of Russia: “What was somewhat surprising, though, was the level of the Post's attention to the topic: between August 9 and September 2, the Post has published a whopping 37 editorials and op-eds (and I might have missed some) — not...
Lebanon: The Assassination's Echo
Mr Saleh Aridi was about to drive his car when a bomb planted under the driver-seat went off, killing him on the spot. Mr Aridi a well known top adviser to the government minister and pro-Syrian Druze leader Talal Arslan. With his death, the number of assassinated officials in Lebanon mounted to 11 since former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination on February 14, 2005. Lebanese bloggers react.
UAE: Iran Quake's Tremors Felt in Dubai
Tremors from an earthquake in nearby Iran were felt in Dubai and other parts of the UAE, sending thousands of office workers and residents to the streets as high-rise buildings were evacuated, bloggers report. The quake, which measured 6.1 on the Richter scale, struck near Bandar Abbas, while tremors registered in the UAE measured 4.8, according to news reports.
Russia: Personal Responsibility
Estonian blogger Flasher T of AnTyx writes this in response to a post about Russia by the Economist's Edward Lucas: “I am disappointed in Edward Lucas for perpetuating this intellectual farce. They would have us believe that all the evil and injustice of Russia is down to the Chekists, or...
Russia: The Economist's Debate
Vilhelm Konnander and Wu Wei weigh in on the debate on Russia vs. the West currently taking place on the Economist's website.
Russia: Life on an Oil Drilling Platform
White Sun of the Desert blogs – here and here – about life on an oil drilling platform 15 km off Sakhalin Island.
Russia: Pipeline “Victory”
Window on Eurasia writes about Russia's “major victory on pipelines”: “[…] the Russian government will now have full and uncontested control over pipelines between the Caspian basin and the West which pass through Russian territory and will be able either directly or through its clients like the PKK to disrupt...
Russia: Thoughts on Magomed Yevloev's Murder
Window on Eurasia discusses a recent piece on Magomed Yevloev's murder: “Moreover, the West […] is too focused on talking to Moscow ‘about the interpretation of the third paragraph of the fourth point of ht Medvedev-Sarkozy plan’ to be concerned with such ‘details’ as a political murder, ‘lest it put...
Bolivia: Unlikely Tie on the Road Against Brazil
Hugo Miranda celebrates the unlikely 0-0 tie achieved by the Bolivian National football team against Brazil [es] in Rio de Janeiro for World Cup qualifiers.
Mozambique: Is corruption the best place to stand and fight?
After a long period of debate on donor cuts to Mozambican State Budget, Joe Hanlon, a British scholar joins the debate to comment on the Mozambican government positions. In his article tittled “Government stand up to donors-but is corruption the best place to stand and fight?“, Hanlon examines the whole...
Sierra Leone: Movie Stars Wanted
Wanted in Sierra Leone: Movie Stars!, “The search for new movie stars has kicked off in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown last weekend. The programme dubbed “The Next Movie Star” aims at discovering future actors and actresses in the West Africa region. Two people would be selected to represent Sierra Leone.”
South Africa: DRC Band Rocks Highway Africa 2008
A musical treat from the Democratic Republic of Congo at Highway Africa 2008 in South Africa: “Participants at the 12th Highway Africa conference in South Africa were mesmerized as Afro Fiesta musical group from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) took the stage at the Associated Bank of South Africa...
Malawi: Connecting Rural Communities
Victor Kaonga asks, “Will Malawi connects rural communities?”: “As Malawi held the 3rd Africa’s leading ICT forum last week, it was probably a good time to let the country look at its progress reducing the digital divide affecting both rural and urban areas.”
Slovenia: Janez Janša and Magnus Berglund
Borut Peterlin thinks that Finnish journalist Magnus Berglund should be awarded “a Slovenian national medal of honor” for making public PM Janez Janša's graft allegations. There's even a Facebook group (with 662 members so far) devoted to Berglund and the story he broke.
Ghana: Ghana Elections 2008
Latest news about Ghana elections 2008: “Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stated that he would institute pension scheme for farmers should he be elected president in the forthcoming general elections.”
The Balkans: Food
Dr. Filomena posts pictures and writes about the wonderful culinary dimension of travel to Slovenia's “southern cousins” in “the ex Yugoslav republics and autonomous provinces.”
Belarus: Travel Programs for Chernobyl Kids Halted
Chernobyl and Eastern Europe reports that recreational travel abroad for Belarus’ “Chernobyl children” was halted by the state, after a 16-year-old participant of a summer program had refused to return from the United States.
Ukraine: Museums and Embroidery
MoldovAnn visits a few folk arts museums and tries her hand at Ukrainian traditional embroidery.
Ukraine: “Annual Political Crisis”
“Ukraine is reenacting its annual political crisis,” wrote Vitaliy of The 8th Circle a week ago in a post explaining what's happened and is likely to happen next in Kyiv. Foreign Notes reviews Ukrainian media and politicians’ reactions to the crisis – here and here.
Serbia: Radical Party
A Fistful of Euros writes about Serbia’s Radical Party, which seems to be “breaking up”: “What makes the Radicals different from, say, “Attack” in Bulgaria or Vadim Tudor’s Greater Romania Party is Serbia’s unhappy recent history. While “Attack” and such may have a lot of members who fantasize wistfully about...
Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana: Cricketer of the Year
Caribbean Beat Blog reports that “Guyanese batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul has received the International Cricket Council ‘Cricketer of the Year’ award…the first West Indian to claim such a major prize from the ICC.”
