Stories about International Relations from March, 2013
US Attorney General Praises Saudi Reforms
US Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. is in the Saudi capital Riyadh – where he praised judicial reforms in the kingdom. On Riyadh Bureau, Ahmed Al Omran writes: The day before Holder’s press conference a Saudi court in Riyadh sentenced two prominent human rights activists to long jail terms and...
British Security Firm Profits from Mali War
Ramzy Baroud writes [fr] about the conflict in Mali on Pambazuka: British security firm G4S will rake in enormous profits due to the crisis taking place in Mali, Libya and Algeria. Recognized as the biggest security firm in the world, the group was downgraded at the time of the Olympic Games in London last...
Moldova Without Government: What's Next – East or West?
On March 5, Moldova’s Parliament passed a no-confidence motion, dismissing the country's pro-European three-party coalition government led by Vlad Filat. Just a few weeks earlier, Moldova seemed to be the greatest hope on the European Union’s Eastern borders. Now, it is headed for a serious political crisis. Diana Lungu reports.
The State of Torture in the World in 2013
On January 23, 2013, an excerpt from the annual report of l'ACAT-France, A World of Torture 2013, makes a fresh assessment of the state of torture in the world [fr]: “A report called A World of Torture in 2013, assesses torture practices that continue to be alarming, from Pakistan to...
Malaysians Support Army Offensive Against Sabah ‘Terrorists’
Members of the ‘royal army’ of the Sultan of Sulu arrived and occupied some parts of Sabah in North Borneo last month to assert their claim of the territory. After three weeks, the Malaysian government sent its troops to expel the 'terrorists'. Most Malaysians have expressed their support to the military offensive to drive out the invaders
Hissene Habre Victims’ Long Road to Justice
Jacqueline Moudeina writes on Pambazuka.org about the inauguration of a special tribunal in Senegal, to bring Hissene Habre, former dictator of Chad, before the courts [fr]: “Being a victim, is a condition in which we languish without the ability to recover, as long as justice has not been served. The...
Chinese Parliament's First Spokeswoman Charms Media, But Web Unconvinced
Chinese parliament's first spokeswoman Fu Ying charmed mainland media in her debut news conference, but Web users reading between the lines of her remarks suspected that Fu, despite breaking the role's traditional gender boundaries, is hawking the same politics as usual.
U.N. Passes Sanctions After North Korea's Nuclear Threat
The U.N. Security Council has decided to impose tougher sanctions against North Korea after Pyongyang threatened to launch ‘preemptive nuclear attacks’ on the United Stated and neighboring South Korea. North Korea Leadership Watch wrote about the latest developments, including North Korea staging a mass Army-People solidarity rally.
Iran's President Says “Chavez Will Return with Christ”
“I have no doubt Chavez will return with Jesus Christ and all the other righteous ones,” said Ahmedinejad in his condolence message for Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.
Chavez’ Legacy & How His Death Could Affect the Caribbean
The death of former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez on Tuesday has elicited a wide range of reactions throughout the blogosphere – in Latin America, to be certain – but now across the Caribbean as well.
South Koreans Dub North Korea's Armistice Threat a Daring Aid Ploy
North Korea has threatened to nullify the armistice that ended the Korean War, escalating the already heightened tension in East Asia region and leaving some South Koreans whirling at the brazen threat from their northern neighbor.
China Executes Burmese Drug Lord on Live TV
Naw Kham, a Burmese drud lord was executed through lethal injection in China. Many people in Myanmar are shocked and angered to learn that Naw Kham's execution was aired on live TV. Some are also disappointed over the failure of the government to arrange a prisoner exchange deal with China
Turkmenistan: With Enemies Like These, Who Needs Friends?
People in Turkmenistan and Turkmen dissidents in exile are unhappy about the fact that criticisms of the country's political regime come from various 'foreign experts,' while Western policymakers and politicians inside the country remain mute.
The Conflict in Mali: Who is Fighting Whom, and Why?
Since the bloody conflict in Mali began one year ago, the crisis has evolved in fits and starts, all the while immersed in a historical framework that the mainstream media too often oversimplifies. Here we will try to unpack the complexities of the conflict by putting into context the violent fighting currently engulfing the northern African country.
‘Global Voices Can Help Explain Catalonia to the World’
Interview with Violeta Camarasa, Global Voices Online's Catalan-language editor. Global Voices Català has demonstrated over the past several months that it has the capacity to explain Catalonia to the world, supplementing the mainstream media's historical neglect of the region.
