Armenia: Ties With Hungary Severed Over Prisoner Row

Following Hungary's release of an Azerbaijani army officer convicted of murdering an Armenian soldier, Armenia has severed diplomatic ties with the Central European country.

‘Free’ Kyrgyzstan Marks Independence

…[D]espite being generally underdeveloped as a state, I am the freest of all other countries that were also born in 1991! Blogger Ilya Karimdjanov offers a ‘Monologue of Kyrgyzstan‘ [ru]...

Mali: Can Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Be Stopped?

The solution to the Mali crisis seems to be vanishing as time goes by. It has been five months now that the country has been divided into two parts. Julie Owono explores the current situation in the Sahel region.

Russia: Moscow's Peculiar Illegal Parking Problem

Russian adventures and misadventures in parking could be a movie plot. But Russia’s parking problems are anything but comedy. It remains to be seen how vigorously the country will deal with illegal parking. If it succeeds, its methods could show what kind of transportation system and cities Russia will have, and even what kind of country it will be.

Bolivia: Consultation on Hold as TIPNIS Communities Reject Militarization

[…] the consultation process on the Bolivian government’s proposed highway through the Isiboro-Sécure Indigenous Territory and National Park (TIPNIS) has ground to a halt. Emily Achtenberg from NACLA blog Rebel Currents...

Ukraine: Humorous Political Ad Sparks Online “Pussy Cat Riot”

After weeks of tensions caused by the adoption of the controversial Language Law and in the midst of an intense pre-election mudslinging period, Ukrainians are finally rewarded with the much-needed comic relief - which they have promptly transformed into something of an online political protest movement.

Combatting Cocaine Production in Bolivia, Colombia and Peru

Drug production and trafficking is a major issue in Latin America that governments are constantly trying to deal with. However, as the continent leaders gathered last April in Colombia for the Summit of the Americas fully agreed, the so far US-led war on drugs has failed in the Region. Peru, Colombia and Bolivia are the three largest illegal cocaine producing countries in the world. What are these Andean Countries doing to combat illegal drugs?

Central African Republic: Less than 3% have Access to Electricity

Louis Philippe Wallot writes in Journal de Bangui [fr]: According to the statistics of the ministry of energy, only  3% of the capital city Bangui  has access to electricity and it is even at...

Controversial Tibet Theme Park Project Launched

Tibetan dissidents have described the USD 4.7 billion Chinese project as the “Disneyfication of Tibet.“ The park will first be used to shoot 'Princess Wencheng', a film about the niece of a Tang-dynasty emperor who married a Tibetan king.

Bolivia: Radioactive Uranium Seized in La Paz?

'If the mineral found yesterday is #uranio (uranium), the first thing they should have done was verify if it was radioactive instead of calling the press!' Two tons of solid material, presumably uranium or radioactive minerals, were seized by authorities on August 28 in La Paz. The potential radioactivity of the material remains unclear.

Hungary: Shantytown Destroyed to Help Real Estate Investment

Some 45-50 people have been living in their makeshift shacks in the abandoned woods of District X in Budapest. Some of the residents have built up self-supporting farms, but in June 2012 the local municipality started to move them out, which is not a unique phenomenon in Hungary's capital.

Chile: Students March in the Thousands for Education Reform

Thousands of students and teachers marched peacefully on Tuesday, August 28, to demand education reform. This massive march is part of the student movement's ongoing efforts to overhaul the education system in Chile.

Pakistan: Long Road to Peace and Security

As Pakistan enters its 66th year of Independence, it is a good time to take stock of the security situation within the country - in order to understand what role the nation will continue to play in the overall security and stability of the region.

Myanmar: Reshuffling the Cabinet

In a bold move, Myanmar President Thein Sein reshuffled[my] his cabinet by appointing non-army officers and removing controversial ministers. Among those replaced included the Minister of the Ministry of Electric...

Trinidad & Tobago: Independence & Governance

Afra Raymond uses the recent firing of a junior minister in the Ministry of National Security, Colin Partap, and Trinidad & Tobago's upcoming 50th anniversary of Independence to think about issues of governance, responsibility,...

Russia: Foreign Ministry Looks to Germany to Justify Pussy Riot Verdict

Russia's Foreign Ministry has made a series of comments that further enraging Pussy Riot's supporters. Spokesperson Aleksandr Lukashevich defended the recent verdict and lashed out at the West for ignorance about the band members' pasts and highlighted perceived double standards regarding interferences into religious services and criminal penalties, citing laws in Germany and Austria.

Lebanon: At Odds with the Smoking Ban

As of September 3rd, smoking will be prohibited in public transportation, work places and closed public places, including coffee shops and restaurants. Mohammad Hijazi explains that the law is unrealistic and that its enforcement will;

Generate a drop of roughly $282 million in revenues, representing 7.1% of GDP in the hospitality sector and lead to a loss of about 2600 full-time jobs.

Colombian Government Plans Peace Talks with FARC

In the blog Crónicas, Santos García Zapata explains the context [es] around the Presidential decision to start peace talks with guerrilla groups. The Congress’ Peace Commission has declared that President...

Egypt: Morsi’s Presidential Team

Yasser Ali, the spokesperson of the Egyptian presidency announced Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi's presidential team. Zeinobia introduces us to the team – so did Julia Lugovska. It consists of 4...

Russia: Protesters Aim for Elected Office

In the lead up to Russia's next large protests planned for mid-September, activists and politicians of the anti-Kremlin opposition are increasingly showing an interest in running for local offices. If successful at the ballot box, could this trend bestow valuable "real world" political experience on Russia's protesters?

Senegal: 18 Dead as Floods Paralyse the Country

Heavy rains led to catastrophic flooding in many regions of Senegal on August 26, 2012 with 18 dead and 42 injured so far. The Senegal government has launched a rescue plan with the help of French organisation Orsec to assist victims. Many locals on the ground feel rescue efforts have not been started quickly enough, leading to angry demonstrations on the streets of Dakar.