Hunger Pains – The Guardian writes that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned Israel of “disaster that no one could control” as Palestinian hunger strikers near death. Tony Blair, the Middle East quartet representative, …
Elections
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 …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 10, 2012
Pakistani Push-back – In an interview with the Guardian, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani insists his country did not shelter Osama bin Laden and blames global intelligence shortcomings for allowing the late al-Qaeda …
Must-Reads Around the World, May 9, 2012
Warring Words – China’s state-run Global Times issues its most threatening commentary yet on the continuing standoff with the Philippines over disputed islands in the South China Sea. Under the headline “Peace Will Be a Miracle …
Israel’s New Coalition: Why Netanyahu Has Moved to the Center
By unveiling a new governing coalition that includes the centrist Kadima party, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu not only called off a national election he had just set for early September, he also re-calibrated the outlook of …
Who Is François Hollande? What You Need to Know About France’s Next President
Most of the world now knows François Hollande as the man who won France’s May 6 presidential election, and in so doing made incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy the nation’s first single-term head of state in 31 years. Many people have …
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 …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 7, 2012
Eyes on Berlin – Germany’s Der Spiegel assesses the impact of François Hollande’s victory in the French presidential election Sunday on Chancellor Angela Merkel. “[She] can’t be pleased… but it will at least be bearable for …
After Winning the French Presidency, What Will François Hollande Do Next?
Though it’s an obvious cliché (and one that has already been used here in a related story last autumn), winning the Elysée may have been the easy part for French president-elect François Hollande. Given the severity of the …
France Election: Socialist Hollande Defeats Sarkozy for Presidency
France was poised for major change Sunday night when Socialist candidate François Hollande looked set to beat conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy in runoff balloting for France’s presidency. Initial results revealed at 8 …
Boris Johnson Takes London, But Resurgent Labour Wins Big Nationally
Boris Johnson has won his second term as London mayor, defeating challenger Ken Livingstone in a battle that proved far closer than pollsters had anticipated. The loose-lipped incumbent, known for his bumbling as much as his politics, did not secure an outright majority during the first round of voting. But accounting for second …
France’s Run-Off Election: Sarkozy Faces Daunting Hollande Lead
Incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist challenger François Hollande powered through a last day of media appearances and stump speeches Friday ahead of the close of French presidential campaigning at midnight. The rivals largely …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 4, 2012
Mid-Term Blues – The U.K.’s two ruling coalition parties, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, both suffered setbacks in local elections Thursday. The Guardian is live-blogging the results — including for the London …