The Burmese military-derived government has released hundreds of political prisoners, signed a ceasefire with the country’s largest ethnic rebel group and allowed the opposition National League for Democracy to re-form.
Canada
Vancouver’s cyber-stasi: a Facebook counter-revolution
Facebook and Twitter is supposed to bring people together. Yet in Vancouver a citizen-led virtual witchhunt is underway for those involved in a recent riot — with potentially profound implications for mass surveillance and control, writes Inga Ting.
‘Cheeky Australian’ in shock Canada election scandal-gate
Canadians were prevented from learning the results of their own elections yesterday, until social media lent some assistance.
Canada goes to the polls
Canadians go to the polls this week to decide whether to grant a third term to Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, who have been in minority government since 2006, reports William Bowe.
Poll-bound Canadians at sixes and sevens over coalition concept
Canadians head to the polls on May 2 for the fourth time in just seven years, writes Greg Barns and Randall White.
MacKerras: the conservative case for electoral reform across the Anglosphere
The Conservative Party got the better of the Liberal-Democrats in the negotiations for coalition government. And a new electoral reform agenda will likely go their way, too.
Political snippets: Markets, not polls, the best guide to public opinion
I just don’t believe that public opinion moves in as dramatic a fashion as these and the other polls so I’ll stick with the market as providing the best guide and it is suggesting Labor is just above 52% nationally.
Crikey Clarifier: Oh Canada, what is a refugee sponsorship program?
Despite Tony Abbott’s strong rhetoric, the opposition leader laid out a plan to increase refugee numbers through a refugee sponsorship program. What does it mean?
G20 goes wild: inside the protesters’ camp
Inside the G20 leaders have pledged to slash budget deficits by half in just three years, but outside the summit over 550 protesters have been arrested in violent protests. Two Toronto Star journos spent six days with anarchist demonstrators .
Population in Australia: 2050 versus 1950?
There’s a difference in population between crowded and congested. The real issue they ignore is that Australia and Australians must change their ways — that business as usual is inadequate.
graph pr0n 
What made all of Canada pee at the same time?
With apparently 80% of Canadians watching the gold medal ice hockey match between USA and Canada, it may seem unsurprising that there was a direct correlation between toilets being flushed across the land and the quarters of the game. Too tense to pee in the last quarter?
The conflicted role of the Governor-General
The role of the Governor General — Australia’s head of state — is pretty low key in Australia these days. But Australia should look to Canada’s recent constitution woes as it looks towards the possibility of a republic.
Thatcher is dead — the cat, not the former British Prime Minister
“Thatcher has died”: This text message sent by Canadian Transport Minister John Baird to a person at a gala dinner informing them that his beloved cat, named after the Iron Lady, had died, sent MPs into a panic.
Why would Canada grant refugee status to a white South African?
By granting a white South African refugee status, Canada fails to acknowledge that racial discrimination is outlawed in the South African constitution and that crime affects all colours.
Human rights good for Canadians but not for Australians
Canadians share with Australians many of the same values and have a similar outlook on life, however…
Canwest and INM still struggling
Canwest Global Communications Corp is selling its indirect interests in four Turkish radio stations to keep itself alive and out of receivership, while INM are facing a 200 million euro debt.
Canwest: “The cheque’s in the mail…”
Canada’s biggest media owner, Canwest, its banks and noteholders are still dancing around each other, as the debts mount and the deadlines extend.
Canwest, Indy edge closer to the precipice
Canwest Global and the UK’s Independent News & Media are treading a scarily similar path to oblivion.
BC-STV vs MMP: a psephological case study
The old British dominions of Australia, New Zealand and Canada make for an interesting psephological compare/contrast exercise, writes Malcolm Mackerras.
Richard Farmer’s political bite-sized meaty chunks
Meaty snippets from the home of government, Richard Farmer writes.
