Suspicious Minds – Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reveals that elderly Communist Party members in the Chinese province of Yunnan have been questioned after they penned a letter calling for the sacking of Zhou Yongkang, the country’s top security official, amid rumors of continued infighting following the downfall of Bo Xilai. …
Dictatorships
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 16, 2012
Arming Rebels – The Washington Post reveals Syrian rebels battling President Assad’s regime have begun receiving “significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks.” Opposition activists and foreign officials say the arms are paid for by Persian Gulf nations and coordinated in part by the U.S., according to the newspaper. But, “Obama …
“What is harder to explain is how the image fits into the larger picture of what has been happening in Russia in the past few days.”
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 11, 2012
Fruit Flare-Up – China’s turned to a new weapon in its dispute with the Philippines over contested South China Sea islands. State-run People’s Daily gleefully reports that “fruit from the Philippines will receive stricter …
Singing Its Own Praises: Azerbaijan’s Eurovision P.R. Blitz
Last May, Ell & Nikki, an obscure duo from Azerbaijan, won the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest. The country’s President, Ilham Aliyev, treated the musical win like a military triumph, describing it as “a victory for the people …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 8, 2012
Late-Night Surprise – Israel’s Haaretz reports on the unexpected agreement early Tuesday between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition Kadima Party chairman Shaul Mofaz to form a national unity government. The move …
Team Chen Guangcheng: The Friends and Family Now at Risk
As Chen awaits a passport to travel to the U.S. following his dramatic April escape—via the American embassy—from house arrest, meet the blind Chinese activist’s relatives, supporters and fellow dissidents caught up in …
$168 million
Must-Reads from Around the World: May 2, 2012
On the Defensive – China’s semi-official Global Times breaks the state silence over blind activist Chen Guangcheng’s escape from house arrest with its op-ed “US embassy in a quandary over Chen.” The most apt take: “The US embassy …
Ballot Box Watch: Your Guide to May Elections
Global Spin previews the pick of this month’s exercises in democracy
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 1, 2012
Conduct Report – British MPs tasked with investigating allegations of phone hacking at Rupert Murdoch’s now-defunct tabloid, News of the World, have released a long-awaited final report on the matter. The Daily Telegraph is …
Must-Reads from Around the World: April 30, 2012
Jungle Manhunt – The Washington Post reports on the U.S. military’s bid to capture messianic warlord Joseph Kony in the Central African Republic six months after President Barack Obama ordered 100 elite troops to spearhead the …
“In fact, those reports made by some foreign media have been circulated long ago on some websites sponsored by the evil cult that the people despise.”