23 September 2009

Stories from 23 September 2009

U.S., Europe: “R.I.P. Missile Defense”

  23 September 2009

A roundup of blog coverage of the Obama Administration's decision to abandon plans to build the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic: A Fistful of Euros; Edward Lucas; Poemless; Ukrainiana; FP's Passport; Leopolis – here and here; and Robert Amsterdam's Blog.

Latvia: Security Police Questions Blogger

  23 September 2009

Free Speech Emergency in Latvia highlights the case of a Latvian blogger who “harshly criticized the Latvian state and government as being little more than a rapacious mafia and has said in some posts that revolutionary violence against such a system would be justified” – and was later questioned by...

Harvard Forum: Are we satisfied with what we've got?

  23 September 2009

The live-blogging continues, as Michael Spence helps identify questions that are top research priorities for the ICT for development field with input from Yochai Benkler, Rohan Samarajiva, Hernan Galperin, Alison Gillwald, and Bill Melody.

Turkey: Next Country to Recognize Abkhazia?

  23 September 2009

Window on Eurasia reports that “there appears to be a chance that Turkey, despite denials by its officials, might break the embargo against recognition [of Abkhazia] because of Ankara’s desire to play a greater role in the Caucasus region, its own long-standing experience as the only country to recognize the...

Macedonia: Freedom Not Fear 2009

  23 September 2009

Information Policy cites an item on privacy-related citizen education activities that took place in Macedonia during this year's Freedom Not Fear action. The item was published on the website of Metamorphosis Foundation, a Macedonian NGO that was one of the event's organizers.

Sri Lanka: What's Wrong With Our Democracy?

  23 September 2009

Going Global points out that a knowledgeable voter base, a strong political opposition and structural reforms in judiciary are some of the aspects which are lacking for democracy to function properly in Sri Lanka.