Like many tech-savvy people in China, Kai-Fu Lee spent some time Friday tinkering with Google’s new feature, which allows users to see in advance which search terms might trigger a block from the mainland’s system of online …
Must-Reads From Around the World: June 1, 2012
Blame, Banks, and Bailouts – As it emerges that Spain’s foundering banks may soon need a bailout, the New York Times argues that the cost of this rescue would leave “little behind should investors turn on Italy next” and …
With His Friends Under Scrutiny, David Cameron’s Judgment Is Questioned
If a man is judged by the company he keeps, it may be time for British Prime Minister David Cameron to reassess who he’s palling around with. Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie, with whom …
Diamond Jubilee: Queen’s Celebration Spurs Massive Security Operation
On Sunday, as Queen Elizabeth II and members of the extended royal family cruise through London as part of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, security forces will have their eyes on Her Majesty. Given the menace of terrorism, …
Despite the High Stakes, French Voters Yawn at Legislative Campaigns
No one ever expected France’s legislative elections to produce the sparks and passion that this year’s presidential contest did. But given the stakes involved for France—and Europe—in whether Socialist President François …
Insight from the Blind: A Chinese Activist Speaks His Mind from New York City Exile
A long, sustained applause greeted blind Chinese legal activist Chen Guangcheng when he approached the dais at the tony New York City headquarters of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Assembled before him, awaiting his …
Mexico’s Drug-Corruption Arrests: Why Soldiers Make Bad Narco Agents
When Mexican President Felipe Calderón sent his army after the country’s powerful drug cartels six years ago, we all understood the rationales. For starters, Calderón had won the 2006 presidential election by a razor-thin …
Must-Reads From Around the World, May 31, 2012
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, …
Coulson, Connery and Cable: A Day Of Media Scandal Hits Britain
From News of the World to the news of the day, media scandals in the U.K. have become practically de rigueur over the past few months. In fact, the phone-hacking scandal and the subsequent parliamentary, public and police …
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 …
Haiti Can’t “Build Back Better” Without Better Journalists
If there was one feel-good moment following Haiti’s ghastly 2010 earthquake, it was the heroic efforts of Radio Signal – the only station in Port-au-Prince broadcasting after the quake ravaged the capital and killed more than …
U.S. Frustration on Iran and Syria Puts New Cards in Russia’s Hands
Russia’s help will be crucial for President Barack Obama in addressing the crisis in Syria and the Iran nuclear standoff, but President Vladimir Putin is playing hard to get. Since resuming the presidency three weeks ago after a …
From New York City, Chen Guangcheng Calls Attention to Rights Abuses in China
When blind Chinese legal activist Chen Guangcheng flew from Beijing to the U.S. earlier this month, some analysts in the Western and Chinese press predicted that his influence would wane once he left China. It’s difficult to …