Internal Democracy — The South China Morning Post reports that senior members of the Communist Party held an internal poll in May to select their favored top leaders for the party’s 25-member Politburo and the Politburo Standing Committee, its inner-most cabinet, for the next 10 years. It writes: “If this experiment goes well and …
Military
Dispatch from Somalia: War, but a Glimmer of Hope
TIME’s Africa correspondent writes from the front lines in war-ravaged Somalia, where an African Union offensive against al-Shabab is offering a tenuous glimpse of progress
Must-Reads from Around the World, June 7, 2012
Syrian Shame – The Washington Post reports on unconfirmed accounts of a fresh massacre in Syria on Wednesday, just as representatives from 55 countries met in Washington to explore ways to sharpen sanctions against the Assad …
Must-Reads from Around the World, June 6, 2012
Beijing Impasse — The Washington Post provides a comprehensive look at the challenge China’s economic slowdown is presenting to Communist Party leaders seemingly unsure how to proceed. “Unlike in past slowdowns, Chinese …
Must-Reads from Around the World: June 4, 2012
Pivot Watch — Following U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta‘s weekend visit to the Asia Security Summit in Singapore, China’s Global Times analyses America’s shift to an enlarged military presence in the region. Their take: …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 24, 2012
Eyes on Iran – As talks between Tehran and six world powers got underway in Baghdad on Wednesday, the Jerusalem Post provides coverage of the reaction in Israel. “Israel watched the meeting in Baghdad that began on Wednesday …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 23, 2012
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 …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 21, 2012
Spillover – Lebanon’s Daily Star reports on escalating violence inside the country after soldiers shot dead a prominent anti-Bashar al-Assad Muslim preacher Sunday. “The gravity of the incident… prompted leaders on both sides …
$641.7 billion
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 18, 2012
Family Business – The New York Times explores at length how China’s so-called ‘Princeling’ generation — the descendants of Communist Party leaders — use family ties to gain jobs, wealth and influence. “Evidence is mounting…[they] have also amassed vast wealth, often playing central roles in businesses closely entwined with the …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 17, 2012
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. …
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 …