A Dissident Speaks – In an op-ed in The New York Times, Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, who is in New York after escaping house imprisonment in China’s eastern Shandong province and fleeing to the U.S. embassy in Beijing, …
France
Hollande’s Justice: France’s Leftist Leaders Seek to Cut Public Sector CEO Salaries
Don’t call it the revenge of France’s 99% just yet. But some top French business moguls do look set to feel a painful pinch in their bank accounts as a result of Socialist President François Hollande’s efforts to close the …
Must-Reads From Around the World, May 28, 2012
Syrian Massacre – The U.N. Security Council on Sunday condemned Bashar al-Assad’s government for its use of tanks and artillery against civilians during Friday’s Houla massacre that left at least 108 villagers dead. …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 25, 2012
Bo Fallout – Reuters reports (exclusively) that Chinese President Hu Jintao has demanded senior Communist Party officials stifle tensions over the ousting of ambitious politician Bo Xilai and show unity as they prepare for a …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 22, 2012
Summit Struggle – Ahead of Wednesday’s crunch E.U. summit, Der Spiegel reports that new French President François Hollande will pressure German Chancellor Angela Merkel to agree to euro bonds, which she has so far strictly …
“The National Front surge has effectively set the political agenda for the coming months, and the party will influence the priorities of whatever government comes next.”
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 …
Francois Hollande Sworn in as President of France
The new French leader braves the rain to greet supporters
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 15, 2012
Deal in Nepal – The Kathmandu Post reports that Nepal’s major political parties have agreed to a future form of governance, with executive powers split between a directly elected president and a prime minister elected by parliament. “Negotiators from across party lines said that though the mixed model had some weak points, including a …
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 …
Meet Valérie Trierweiler, France’s Unmarried ‘First Lady’
A brief introduction to the woman accompanying President-elect François Hollande to Élysée Palace later this month