Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, has always been a city redolent with tropical blooms. In recent weeks, the country’s opposition has been hoping to add a note of jasmine—of the political, not floral variety—to the air by calling for nationwide electoral reform. On Saturday, however, another scent was added to Kuala …
protests
Couch Potato Briefing: Rambo’s Afghan Warning, Women-Sex-and-Cars, and More
Global Spin’s weekly selection of five rental movies to bring you up to speed on world events, presented by Tony Karon and Ishaan Tharoor
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Rambo III
Anyone wanting to understand why the U.S. continues to struggle in its efforts to subdue Afghanistan a decade …
Since 2008, Greek Protesters Have Had a Canine Companion
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Loukanikos hates Greece’s austerity measures, corrupt politicians, and the plight of the Greek everyman. And, as a dedicated protestor, he is willing to brave riot police and tear gas for his beliefs.
Either that, or Athens’s most famous stray dog just likes the food …
Global Briefing, Mar. 7, 2011: War Crimes, People Power and Governments Behaving Badly
Forgotten Genocide: In the New York Times, New Delhi correspondent Lydia Polgreen reports from Bangladesh about the country’s belated efforts to investigate the massacres that led up to its independence in 1971, when over a million people (up to three million, by some estimates) may have been killed by the Pakistani army and its Bengali …
Ripples of a Revolution: A Jasmine Crackdown in Vietnam
Nguyen Dan Que heard the call for revolution. But so did the government. On Feb. 28, the 68-year-old doctor and dissident was detained by Vietnamese authorities for posting internet messages that threatened the “stability and strength” of the country’s ruling party. He has since been released, but must attend daily “interrogation …
After Egypt, A Palestinian Techie Takes to the Streets
Like most Palestinian children, Mohammad Khatib was raised to avoid politics, widely understood as a shortcut to an early grave or an Israeli prison. Khatib took the advice and bent to his studies. But on Feb. 2 he noticed that a friend had updated her Facebook status to say she was going to demonstrate in solidarity with Egyptians …
Zimbabwe: Virtually No Revolution
There’s been much speculation about whether Egyptian-style uprisings might spread south across the Sahara into Africa, particularly to the seat of the continent’s most notorious despot, Robert Mugabe. Mugabe’s regime has been particularly paranoid about the possibility, arresting 46 people for watching news reports of the rebellions in …
China’s ‘Jasmine’ Crackdown, Animated Edition
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Taiwan’s Next Media Animation has a satirical take on China’s heavy-handed response to calls for anti-government protests. Keep an eye out for the panda goons, who you may recognize from their previous roles in ‘Hu Jintao Goes to Washington‘ and ‘Tiger Moms.’