Must-Reads from Around the World, June 26, 2012

Today's global stories delve into the prospects for peace in Kashmir, Paraguay's presidential impeachment and the Queen's historic visit to Northern Ireland.

  • Share
  • Read Later
Tony Gentile / Reuters

Worst Case — Der Spiegel imagines “the unthinkable” — the implosion of the eurozone. “Nothing seems impossible anymore, not even a scenario in which all members of the currency zone dust off their old coins and bills — bidding farewell to the euro, and instead welcoming back the guilder, deutsche mark and drachma,” it said.  The magazine predicts this would cause “the destruction of trillions in assets and record high unemployment levels, even in Germany.”

Mountain to Climb — The New York Times reports from the Indian-controlled region of Kashmir, where something resembling peace is bringing tourists back to the Himalayan territory. “But with the guns silenced, India must soon decide whether justice will be as welcome as the tourists,” it noted, adding: “Mass murderers walk the streets openly, having killed thousands of people who are buried in unmarked graves in scores of secret cemeteries.”

Paraguayan Politics — The Economist assesses the continuing fallout from the removal of Paraguay’s (now former) President Fernando Lugo by the country’s Senate. It predicted that the outcome of the standoff may well depend on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. “With the next Paraguayan election scheduled for April 2013, Ms Rousseff will need to act quickly if she decides to intervene on Mr Lugo’s behalf,” it wrote.

Refusing Refugees Reuters reports that Chinese authorities have expelled ethnic Kachin refugees fleeing fighting in neighboring Burma. Over 10,000 Kachin people have sought asylum in China since the end of a fragile 17-year truce between the Burmese government and several minority rebel groups last year. Human Rights Watch argues that China, having signed various international conventions on refugees, is obligated to protect the Kachin, but the Chinese Foreign Ministry denies this is the country’s responsibility.

Historic Meeting  Queen Elizabeth II has begun a historic two-day tour of Northern Ireland, which will include a meeting with former IRA leader Paddy McGuinness, reports the BBC. In his first interview since the announcement was made, McGuinness describes the meeting as “taking a risk for peace.” The Queen is also expected to attend a church service in Ennskillen, a village where an IRA bombing killed 11 people in 1987.

Falling at the Final Hurdle  The Daily Telegraph writes that showjumper Dalma Rushdi Malhas, who was expected to become the first female Saudi competitor at the Olympic Games, has not met the minimum eligibility standards set by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). On Sunday, the Saudi Olympic Committee announced that it would permit women to compete for the first time, in response to pressure from King Abdullah.