· January, 2011

Stories about International Relations from January, 2011

Zimbabwe: Myopic Look East Policy

Upenyu analyses Zimbabwe's “Look East” policy: “When ZANU PF looks East I wonder what it is looking at. Is it examining the Chinese Communist Party’s successes and failures and how...

27 January 2011

Bahamas, D.R.: Fish Poaching

Bahama Pundit‘s Larry Smith notes that “a recent report…has confirmed that poaching by commercial fishermen from the Dominican Republic is the greatest single threat to Bahamian seafood resources.”

26 January 2011

Cuba: Obama Eases Several Embargo Restrictions

US President Barack Obama signed into law a series of small legislative reforms to the US embargo on Cuba. Many in the US-Cuba blogging community hailed this as a small but significant step in improving relations between the two countries, while others have criticized the reform.

24 January 2011

A Korean Vessel Rescued from Somali Pirates, Worries of Retaliation Grow

Last Friday, South Korean special forces successfully rescued its 21 crew members who had been held as hostages by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea. Prudent net users have raised worries over possible retaliation and complaints against mainstream media for neglecting important domestic issues and the efforts of the individuals who have actually saved the crews.

24 January 2011

China: Wind power drive target of complaints

Do China's massive state-backed efforts at ensuring energy security constitute a violation of WTO trade rules? United Steelworkers seems to think so, and Angry Chinese Blogger looks today at the...

24 January 2011

Arab World: Racism and the Slave's Head Candy Controversy

Are we - Arabs - racist? It's really hard to tell. Some might argue that racism is against our religion, and that people are never discriminated against because of their skin colour. On the other hand, other tiny aspects of our lives might prove that we are. It seems to be normal, for instance, to make fun of black people [Ar] in the cinema, and even call a candy “The Slave's Head” because of its colour.

21 January 2011

Azerbaijan: Bloggers remember Hrant Dink four years on

Wednesday marked the fourth anniversary of the murder in Istanbul of Hrant Dink, the Turkish-Armenian journalist, editor, and human rights activist who advocated for reconciliation and friendship between nations, and especially estranged neighbors Armenia and Turkey. This year, however, the anniversary was also unexpectedly marked by many bloggers from Azerbaijan.

21 January 2011

D. R of Congo: Obama's invasion of DRC

Why does Ann Garrison say that Obama invaded the Democratic Republic of Congo two years ago: “It makes sense because:1) On his Inauguration Day, Obama became the Commander-in-Chief of the...

21 January 2011

Tunisia: Serbian Tourists Refuse to Return Home

Eleven Serbian tourists spending their holidays in Tunisian resort towns of Sousse and Hammamet have categorically refused to leave this North African country before the end of their tour arrangement. Sasa Milosevic reviews some of the online reactions of these Serbian tourists' compatriots.

20 January 2011

Haiti: What About Aristide?

Wadner Pierre wonders how come exiled dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier has been granted a diplomatic passport to return to Haiti while the country's former democratically elected President has not been extended...

20 January 2011