Stories about International Relations from September, 2011
Pakistan: The Relation With The US And Its Importance
Chowrangi discusses the recent stand-off between USA and Pakistan and its implication on the war on terror.
Laos According to WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks has released a set of Laos files that confirmed the country’s underdevelopment, endemic corruption in the bureaucracy, and the fragile state of its environment. Here are some online reactions and excerpts of the Laos cables.
Why don’t South Asians talk to each other?
South Asians consist of one fifth of the planet’s population and they have similar cultures. And yet some kind of loose confederation between South Asian countries looks like an unattainable dream. Dheera Sujan at South Asia Wired wonders why South Asians usually do not talk to each other.
Global: Key Quotes and Tweets from the Internet Governance Forum
As the Internet Governance Forum is a truly epic event both online and offline, it's hard to do justice to the complexity of the discussions and debates that are currently taking place in Nairobi, Kenya. Discover with Global Voices some key tweets and quotes from participants, accompanied by short commentaries.
Cameroon: Calm Before the Storm?
Cameroon's presidential election will take place on October 9, but the lack of stake in the outcome felt by the general population is leading to a lack of interest. The threat of post-election violence and ethnic tension is also hanging over the country.
Wikileaks Cables on Laos
Wikileaks has released a set of cables that involve Laos. Blogger Lao Bumpkin identifies the relevant topics in the uploaded files.
Cuba: 14 on Trial for Girl's Death
“It seems that we’re destined to remain in the dark about yet another case that we’ve only found out about through foreign newspapers and independent bloggers”: Rosa Martinez, writing at Havana Times, doesn't understand the authorities’ silence on the death of a Cuban minor.
North Korea: Kim Jong-il Plans to Solve Famine by Breeding Giant Rabbits
Zimbabwe Metro site posted a list of eccentric acts and plans carried out by North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-il. It includes Kim's plan to solve famine by breeding giant rabbits and revelations that Kim being one of the world’s largest buyer of Hennessy, German cars and Uzbekistani caviar.
Ethical Issues in Doing Business in North Korea
Uhro van der Pluijm from Omkar Gopalakrishnan's Posterous blog wrote about ethical issues in doing business in North Korea.
El Salvador: Digital Newspaper Publishes Wikileaks Cables
“Almost 100 US State Department cables from the US Embassy in San Salvador have now been published on the website of El Faro. The collection of cables from WikiLeaks offers a behind-the-scenes look at US diplomacy and assessment of its tiny ally in Central America. Most of the cables come...
Protecting African Forests: Wangari Maathai's Legacy
Wangari Maathai, a prominent Kenyan environmental and political activist and 2004 Nobel prize winner passed away on September 25. She was the first African woman to be awarded the prize and is recognized worldwide in the fight to protect the environment on the African continent.
China: If This is Neocolonialism, Bring It
The new US ambassador to China Gary Locke's public appearances since his appointment in July have shown him to be a man with class that Chinese government officials just can't compete with. Or so most Chinese netizens say. It's actually just an elaborate scheme aimed at making China lose face.
Global: Interview on NATO's Evolution
We Magazine‘s Ulrike Reinhard interviews NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, Dr. Stefanie Babst on video about the “we” in their work, and how NATO has evolved over time as an organization – touching on globalization, gender equality, multi-national defense spending, political leadership and communication.
Russia: Racial Propaganda in the State-Owned Media
Drawing on a rich tradition of "political technology" honed under both the Tsarist and Soviet police states, the Russian media are now rife with paid stories planted to advance specific agendas. Will Partlett examines what appears to be a recent example of this practice.
Cuba: “Capitalism of the Castros”
Iván García explains that “the Cuba of the 21st century is split in two. The islet of the gentleman and the atoll of the comrade.”
Haiti: Duvalier's Lawyer Disrupts Press Conference
mediahacker posts audio of “one of Jean-Claude Duvalier’s lawyers…attempt[ing] to shout over Gerardo Ducos, a researcher for Amnesty International, as he [spoke] to reporters…about his organization’s call for prosecuting the former dictator.”
Israel: Beyond ‘us’ and ‘them,’ Lihi Yona is an Arab Jew
Israeli woman Lihi Yona, a Moroccan Jew descendent, reclaims her Arab roots and complicates local identity politics on a bus ride to Jordan to attend a Lebanese band performance. The Hebrew version is followed by an English one: I am an Arab Jew.
Russia: Cyber Security Code of Conduct?
The Russian government is attempting to spread the system of Internet controls abroad. Russian bloggers are interpreting these attempts as either the current regime's basic self-preservation instinct, or, even more troublesome, as inadequate thinking about the Internet.
Bulgaria: Meeting to Support Palestine's UN Bid
A silent meeting in support of Palestine's bid for a UN seat and independence took place in Sofia on Sep. 20, organized by the Bulgarian-Palestinian Association for Friendship and Development. There was coverage by Press TV and here are photos from the event on Facebook (Bulgaria to support independent Palestine...
Colombia: President Santos’ Tour of Asia
Last week, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos toured Japan and South Korea for seven days with the goal of strengthening commercial ties. In Japan, he signed an agreement to protect reciprocal investments, while the Koreans promised to accelerate the process for a free trade treaty. Bloggers and Twitter users commented on the trip.
Ukraine: Vitaly Portnikov's “Winter Time”
Foreign Notes posts a loose translation of Vitaly Portnikov's latest analytical piece [ru] on the political situation in Ukraine.