The World is Talking. Global Politics

For the ongoing coverage of today's general election in Ukraine, visit Orange Ukraine (an overview of the day, foreign media coverage roundup and more), and Ukrainiana.

In North Carolina, a new Elon University poll shows Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 37% support, followed by John Edwards at 18% and Sen. Barack Obama at 18%.

On the Republican side, Fred Thompson leads with 28%, trailed by Rudy Giuliani at 21%, Sen. John McCain at 12% and Mitt Romney at 8%.

A new Newsweek poll in Iowa gives Sen. Barack Obama the lead in the Democratic presidential race with 28% support among likely caucus goers, followed by Sen. Hillary Clinton at 24%, John Edwards at 22% and Gov. Bill Richardson at 10%.

On the GOP side, Mitt Romney leads with 24%, followed by Fred Thompson at 16%, Rudy Giuliani at 13%, Mike Huckabee at 12% and Sen. John McCain at 9%.

Newt Gingrich “decided Saturday morning not to run for president just has his staff was preparing to launch a Web site to seek $30 million in pledges,” The Politico reports.

Said Gingrich spokesman Rick Tyler: “He had to make a choice between being a citizen-activist raising the challenges America faces and finding solution to America’s problems, or exploring a potential candidacy. It’s legally impermissible to do both. It was the necessary choice. It was the only choice.”

Taras of Ukrainiana has collected videos of campaign advertising by seven Ukrainian blocs and parties - and has translated their messages into English. An invaluable resource for anyone who would like to experience the 2007 parliamentary election campaign the way ordinary Ukrainians have.

While the usual discussions about political cobwebs and oil business intrigues kept the Kazakhstani bloggers busy, two dramatic incidents stood out: A rocket crash potentially threatening the health of thousands of people and the murder of a Russian blogger made the Kazakhstani blogosphere think about the value of a human life.

Iranian President,Mahmoud Ahmadineajd’s speech at Columbia University in New York and university president Lee C. Bollinger’s criticism and tough words during his introduction remarks on Monday 24 September have become a hot topic in media throughout the world. Several Iranian and American bloggers have reacted to the incident. NikAhang Kosar,a leading cartoonist and blogger, […]

Our Man in Gdansk compares “Polish politics and normal, Irish politics.”

LEvko of Foreign Notes posts a bookmaker's predictions on the outcome of Sept. 30 vote - and makes his own.

On 19 September 2003 a conflict among some inmates of Maafushi Jail in the Maldives led to 12 of them being isolated from their cells. Among the isolated was Hassan Evan Naseem, a 19 year-old boy imprisoned because of drug-related charges. Evan insisted that he was not part of the disturbance and it is said […]