· April, 2013

Stories about International Relations from April, 2013

EU Seal Ban Maims Indigenous Way of Life in the Arctic

  30 April 2013

A European Union court in Luxembourg has upheld its ban on the commercial trade of seal products despite a challenge from Canada's Inuit and several Canadian lawmakers that it cripples the indigenous people's ability to make a living.

Saudi-American View on Boston Bombings

Nora Abdulkarim shares a Saudi-American perspective on the Boston Bombings. She explains: I won't try to simplify what is inherently complex. I will simply present and reflect, and nothing more. No fancy theorizing, no overarching message. This post is only meant to be a glimpse at personal identity – that...

Saudis Debate 1,000-Mile Yemen Border Fence

Earlier this month, BBC reported that Saudi Arabia is building a 1,000-mile fence on its border with Yemen. The news was barely reported in Saudi national press, but it was widely and critically reported in Yemeni press. The development was debated tensely in the Saudi Twittersphere. Supporters cited its absolute necessity for the safety of the kingdom while opponents spoke about the tighter siege it will impose on the Yemeni people.

Attempted Coup d'Etat in Comoros

  22 April 2013

Comoros police forces state that they have arrested Congolese and Chadian mercenaries in an attempted coup over the week-end. Linfo.re adds that [fr]: Army commanders did not want to engage in an open conflict with the mercenaries. They believe that “any Comoran casualties over protecting an elite cast is itself a act...

Catalan Wikipedia Reaches 400,000 Article Milestone

  19 April 2013

The Catalan edition of Wikipedia Viquipèdia, a fundamental support to a language and culture historically discriminated against because it belongs to a stateless nation, has registered a record number of active users, with its article count reaching 400,000. At a moment when Catalonia is involved in a debate about becoming independent from Spain, its role in raising global awareness on the issue is crucial.

#Yemen: A US Drone Hits Dhamar

After a three month break in Yemen from U.S drone strikes, a drone last night, April 18th, 2013, killed five Qaeda suspects. Activist and journalist Farae Al-muslimi, from the village of Wessab, in the province of Dhamar, broke the news of the US drone strike, on Twitter.

Children Back in Guinea Bissau After Senegal Fire

  18 April 2013

The blog of the Association of Friends of Children (AMIC) reported [fr] that 20 ‘talib’ children from Guinea-Bissau who had been caught in a raging fire at an Islamic school in the capital of Senegal, Dakar, in early March, have now been handed back to their families. As Rising Voices reported back in...

Portugal: One Arrested in “Screw the Troika” Protest

  17 April 2013

An anti-austerity flashmob called by “Screw the Troika” [pt] in front of the the Ritz Hotel in Lisbon, on April 16, 2013, ended with the detention of a 49 year old woman. The protest against the visit of the IMF, ECB and European Comission representatives in Portugal, was recorded in video...

Madagascar's Economy Falling Behind Africa's

  17 April 2013

While sub-Saharan Africa's economic growth is projected to “outpace the global average“, a study by M. Razafindrakoto et al. from IRD (The Institute of Research on Development) published earlier this month unpacks the causes of Madagascar's economy lagging behind its African counterparts [fr] (Via Madagoravox).

Terrorism Won't Work in China

  17 April 2013

Offbeat China translated an interesting online conversation on why a terrorist attack won't work in China after the Boston Marathon Explosions. The answer lies in the difference between the U.S and China in their media environments.

Filipino Politicians Linked to Offshore Accounts

  15 April 2013

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism reported that 500 Philippine residents, including some prominent politicians, are among those who maintained offshore accounts after it participated in a global collaborative project that reviewed the leaked files of more than 120,000 offshore companies and trusts.

Helping Laos Recover from Cluster Bombs

  14 April 2013

Bryan Thao Worra, a Laotian American writer, reflects on his last trip in Laos where he witnessed the impact of cluster bombs in rural villages. Laos was one of the most heavily bombed countries during the Vietnam War and thousands of unexploded bombs continue to be a threat today.