Stories about International Relations from July, 2014
77 Years Ago, a War That Killed Millions Began Between China and Japan
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on the anniversary, as relations between Beijing and Tokyo have chilled over issues ranging from island disputes to the growing nationalism in both countries.
Kiev Kowtows to Washington … on Twitter
Ukraine's new foreign minister, Pavlo Klimkin, is in hot water on the Russian Internet today, where bloggers are drawing attention to his first subscriptions on Twitter. RuNet users have noticed that some of the first accounts Klimkin chose to follow are US politicians John McCain and Mitt Romney, the neoconservative American think...
“How I Almost Became a Spy”: This Tajik Editor-in-Chief Considers the Absurdity of Alexander Sodiqov's Arrest
If meeting with foreigners and asking questions constitutes spying, then Tajikistan has a lot of spies, muses Umed Babakhanov, Editor-in-Chief of the independent Tajik news agency, Asia Plus.
Andrey Mima on Banning the Internet in Russia
RuNet Echo translates a column by Andrey Mima about a new draft law in Moscow that will require websites to store all Russian users' data inside Russia.
What Would Happen If the Ban on U.S. Travel to Cuba Were Lifted?
If the ban on U.S. travel to Cuba is lifted, private entrepreneurs residing on the island could bring in over $47 million in revenue each year.
Australian Activist Jock Palfreeman Is Taking On Bulgaria's Prison System From the Inside
People are calling for a Twitter "Day of Solidarity" with Palfreeman, imprisoned for murder. He says he was defending himself after trying to stop an attack on two Roma boys.
Albanian Activists Condemn ‘Terrorist’ Murder Verdict in Macedonia
Balkan Insight reports that an ethnic Albanian NGO in Macedonia has condemned a recent court verdict convicting six Albanian men for the execution-style murder of five ethnic Macedonians on Christian Orthodox Easter in 2012. The NGO claims that the entire investigation and verdict were politically-motivated and set against the six...
Vietnam Says China Oil Rig in Disputed Waters Violated International Laws
Nguyen Thi Lan Anh of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam explains why China made an error in moving an oil rig in the contested waters between China and Vietnam. China’s act of locating its oil rig in contested waters in the Paracels is more than a dispute over sovereignty. It...
‘The Tajik Government Has Made an Honest Mistake': Scholars in Washington DC Discuss Alexander Sodiqov's Detention (+Audio)
On June 27 scholars gathered at different universities as part of an international discussion on the wrongful arrest and detention of Global Voices community member Alexander Sodiqov in Tajikistan.
There's a Good Chance Your World Cup Jersey Was Made in Bangladesh
Manufacturers have earned at least $500 million in export orders to sew World Cup jerseys for fans around the world. People in Bangladesh are also buying up the gear.
