· March, 2013

Stories about Politics from March, 2013

Lebanon's First Civil Marriage “Approved by Justice”

Lebanon's first civil marriage has been recognized by the Ministry of Justice. Earlier this year, Kholoud Succarieh and Nidal Darwich initiated Lebanon's first civil marriage on Lebanese soil, in a country where only religious marriages could be contracted until then, and where civil status is administered by religious authorities. The couple argues that their contract is legal according to Lebanese law, and submitted it to the Interior Ministry.

31 March 2013

Inside the 2013 Central African Republic Crisis

As rebel leader Michel Djotodia solidifies his control as the new Central African Republic President and the rebel coalition of Séléka announce their control of capital city Bangui, it is important to understand why the failure of the January 2013 Libreville peace deal between the rebels and then-President Francois Bozize, was predictable.

31 March 2013

Trying to Get Through: Hungarians Send Video Messages to Prime Minister

Young Hungarians are shocked by the government's stubborn refusal to acknowledge their protests and their demands for a more democratic decision-making. To get their message across, four young people launched a new blog on March 22, asking fellow citizens to send short video messages to the Prime Minister with their thoughts on his governance.

31 March 2013

Religious Extremism Blamed for Myanmar Riots

The Meikhtila riots in central Myanmar which also spread to other towns have killed more than 40 people and raised fears that religious and ethnic clashes would continue to worsen in the country. Many people have analyzed the roots of the violence, in particular, the rise of religious extremism which have caused division and hate in many parts of Myanmar.

31 March 2013

Crash that Killed Cuban Democracy Advocate Still Shrouded in Mystery

The car accident that killed leading democracy advocate Oswaldo Payá has been shrouded in mystery and misinformation since it happened in eastern Cuba last July. Angel Carromero, the Spanish politician who survived the crash, recently told The Washington Post that the car was run off the road by state security agents. But many observers doubt the veracity of his claims.

30 March 2013

Europe for the People, Not the Markets

From March 11 to 17 European citizens organized a week of protests against austerity measures imposed on the countries of the European Union, know as the European Counter Summit. People from different countries have protested in the streets and commented on the events through Twitter under the tag #EuropeanSpring.

29 March 2013

Beware: North Korea Rockets on Standby

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered rockets on standby to attack US military bases in South Korea in response to recent U.S.-South Korea joint military drills. North Korea Leadership Watch...

29 March 2013

China's Social Web Fawns Over First Lady

China's fashionable first lady Peng Liyuan has not only made the front cover of newspapers home and abroad, but also has attracted a hardcore following on popular Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo.

29 March 2013

Trinidad & Tobago: Warner's Woes

The headlines in Trinidad and Tobago's mainstream media over the last couple of days have focused on a Reuters exclusive report that Daryan Warner, son of former FIFA Vice-President (and now the country's controversial Minister of National Security) Jack Warner, is allegedly assisting the FBI with its investigations into corruption allegations in the international football governing body. Social media users weigh in.

29 March 2013

Regime Critic Goes Missing in Tajikistan

An outspoken regime critic and leader of a minority ethnic community has gone missing in Tajikistan. The country's internet users have largely missed his disappearance. The reactions from those who have paid attention to this case show that xenophobic attitudes run deep within Tajik society.

28 March 2013

Dream a Little Dream in China

My Chinese dream: Judicial fairness. Give back the life of my son. While China’s new leader Xi Jinping likes to talk about his “Chinese dream”, a group of Chinese petitioners...

28 March 2013

Venezuela Gears Up for Upcoming Elections

After the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, online conversations are focusing on the country's next political episode: the April 14 presidential elections. Although electoral campaigns have not officially kicked off, candidates and their supporters are already on the move.

27 March 2013