NEWS/BLOG

Internet Censorship Increases

The governments of at least 25 countries now block websites for political, social or other reasons, according to a study by the Open-Net Initiative. A total of 41 countries were investigated.

The most powerful filters are in China, Iran, Myanmar, Syria, Tunisia and Vietnam. The strictest social-filtering is found in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, where pornography, gambling and gay and lesbian sites are blocked.

Censorship is narrow in some countries such as South Korea, which only blocks information about North Korea. No filtering was found in Russia, Israel or the Palestinian territories.

The OpenNet Initiative is a collaboration of researchers at Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Harvard University and the University of Toronto.

WorldTeach Seeks Older Volunteers

WorldTeach volunteer teachers, who work in many different parts of the world, have traditionally been younger people, mostly recent college grads, but now the organization is actively seeking individuals who are in mid-career or retired.

Teaching abroad can be a cure for professional burnout, according to the statement of one volunteer quoted at the organization’s website. “After a few months in Costa Rica, you will feel and look at least 15 years younger!” this person vows. Although WorldTeach doesn’t target prospective expats, this could be a great way to get to know a country like Costa Rica before deciding to move there.

Positions are available in many different areas of the world. The organization emphasizes that teaching experience isn’t necessary although some volunteers have extensive teaching experience. There is a participation fee, but internships, scholarships and grants are available. See http://www.worldteach.org/

Expats in Spain Flex Political Muscle

For the first time, expats are campaigning in local elections in Spain, according to a BBC report. New political parties have more expats than Spaniards on their list of candidates.

An estimated 1.5 million foreign residents, mostly British and German but also Americans, Canadians and Latin Americans live here. Most have settled on the Costa Blanca around Valencia and Alicante, on the Costa del Sol and in the Balearic Islands.

For more than a decade, European Union residents have had the right to vote and run as candidates in local elections. More than 300.000 Europeans are now registered to vote. Some believe they have been ignored by existing political parties and are starting their own.

The hot issue is urban planning. Property scandals and a failure by local councils to abide by planning laws have had a negative impact on many expats living in Spain. The entire town council of Marbella was recently fired over its alleged involvement in a huge property scandal.

Under the controversial “Land Grab” law in Valencia, dozens of expatriate homeowners have been forced to pay thousands of euros to local developers for “improvements in local infrastructure. The so-called “improvements” refer to resort properties. And thousands of expats in coastal regi"ons are in danger of losing their homes to bulldozers.

The once-beautiful coastline around Alicante and Marbella is scarred by unfinished developments. Locals say the unfinished development at La Marina in the province of Alicante is the biggest in Europe.

Another issue of pressing concern of expatriates is crime, especially robberies. Expats are also asking for more health centers and public transportation. Some, too, are campaigning for better schools and, in particular, bilingual Spanish-English schools, because today’s expat population includes not only retirees but young families with children.

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Sarkozy Wins in France

The right-wing candidate Nicolas Sarkozy claimed victory in France’s presidential election by a margin of 6% after a massive turnout of voters.

He campaigned on promised to “liquidate the legacy of May 1968,” end the “nanny state,” loosen the grip of “political correctness,” quash the power of unions and break the 35-hour week so that the French can “work more to earn more.” He also wants to tighten immigration laws. Some observers are predicting more rioting in the streets as a result.

His opponent, socialist Segolene Royal, was the first woman to get this close to the French presidency. She managed to get 47% of the vote, which indicates that her political career is far from over.

Turkey’s Court Cancels Election

Turkey’s highest court has annulled a presidential election that had been dominated by concerns over the rising influence of political Islam. An association of Turkish industrialists and businessmen, TUSIAD, urged the government to call for an immediate general election.  As many as 700,000 protesters took to the streets in Istanbul to demand the resignation of the government..

Opposition legislators challenged the validity of the election in the Constitutional Court. The court’s decision to declare the election invalid is likely to worsen tensions between the secular establishment, backed by the military, and the Islamists who currently hold power. The governing party’s candidate failed to win a first-round victory.

Turkey has been an example of a Muslim country with a secular government which has encouraged modernization. The military, which has ousted four elected governments since 1960, issued a stern warning. The threat of a possible military coup rocked Turkey’s financial markets.

Turkish Market Plunges

Turkey’s booming economy has been hit hard by political events. The Turkish benchmark index, the IMKB-100, had dropped nearly 10% in two days after protesters began demanding the resignation of the country’s Islamic-rooted government The Constitutional Court declared the recent election invalid, opening the way for early general elections. Turkey’s currency, the lira, slid against foreign currencies including the dollar.