Life After Chávez – The Economist examines splits emerging in Venezuela’s ruling United Socialist Party as the president undergoes more cancer treatment. “The fissures in the ruling party show only too clearly what is likely to …
corruption
Bo Xilai Controversy: U.K. Asks China to Investigate Death of Briton Linked to Ousted Politician
If there is one truth that has accompanied the downfall of Bo Xilai, the prominent Chinese official who was removed from his post on March 15, it is that every revelation prompts more questions. The story is far from over, and …
“He made the mistake of trying to rally public opinion in favor of his now-defunct bid to join the Politburo Standing Committee -- behaving almost like China was the democracy he said it was -- instead of leaving the decision entirely up to the party. And the party always wins.”
Must-Reads from Around the World: March 9, 2012
Failed Rescue — An attempt to rescue two men held captive by the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram failed Thursday, the Guardian reports. The hostages, Briton Chris McManus and Italian Franco Lamolinara, had been held by the al-Qaeda-linked group since May 2011. Their deaths came hours after U.K. Prime Minster David Cameron authorized …
Fate of Chinese Political Star Fuels Intrigue at Annual Congress
Bo Xilai, the high-profile Chinese politician whose rise has been damaged by a scandal involving a key deputy, spoke at a press conference Friday in Beijing and denied that he had offered to resign or is himself under …
Must-Reads from Around the World: March 2, 2012
Treaty Talk – A fiscal compact aimed at capping euro-zone debt was signed by 25 of the 27 European Union states on Friday. The Guardian reports that the new measures will be put to the test immediately, as Spain and the …
The Endless Pathos and Hubris of L’Affaire DSK
When Dominique Strauss-Kahn awoke in a French detention cell Wednesday morning, he probably wasn’t experiencing the sort of déjà vu one might expect. Because in contrast to his incarceration last May in New York on suspicion of …
Must-Reads from Around the World: February 21, 2012
Ballot for One – Yemen heads to the polls on Tuesday to replace long-time ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh. Interestingly, the only candidate on the ballot is Vice President Abd-Rabbua Mansour Hadi, who took power after Saleh stepped …
Must-Reads from Around the World: February 17, 2012
Poets, Peaceniks and Protesters: Meet China’s Leading Dissidents
As Xi Jinping, the man widely touted to be China’s next President, embarks on a trip to the U.S., Beijing’s desire for political stability remains paramount. The past year has seen numerous crackdowns on dissent and arrests of …
Must Reads from Around the World: Feb. 7, 2012
Syrian Situation – Global Post reports on Syrian Christians’ reluctance to join the uprising against President Bashar Assad. “Syria’s Christians, a fellow minority, believe they need the ruling Assad regime for protection,” …
“The conditions of the Soviet Union and the Stalinist regime are back in Ukraine.”
Not Just a Pakistani Problem: India’s Army Chief Challenges His Own Government
Side by side on the front page of today’s Hindu newspaper are two stories about conflict between the Army and the civilian government in two South Asian countries. One of them, of course, is Pakistan, a country whose political …