Citing “historic changes,” the European Union on Monday announced it would suspend nearly all sanctions on Burma for a year. The new policy, which goes into effect this week, will ease trade, economic and personal restrictions, …
In Syria, Lebanon’s Most Wanted Sunni Terrorist Blows Himself Up
Lebanese terror leader Abdel Ghani Jawhar detonated himself accidentally in Syria, raising questions about the kind of company the rebels are keeping
Must-Reads From Around the World: April 23, 2012
Withdrawal Symptoms – In a pact reached after a year of negotiations between the U.S. and Afghanistan, Washington promised military and financial support for a decade after its formal troop withdrawal from the country in 2014, …
After Historic First-Round Defeat, Sarkozy’s Re-election Hopes Shrink Further
French voters took a step toward historic change on Sunday when they handed Socialist Party candidate François Hollande a victory in the first round of the presidential election with 28.8% of the vote, just edging second-place …
No Peace: Why Conflict Persists in Thailand’s Deep South
In late March, a series of orchestrated bomb blasts shook southern Thailand, killing 14 people and drawing the world’s attention to one of Southeast Asia’s longest-running conflicts. The deadly attacks targeted civilians and …
Formula 1 Racers, and Protestors, Get Ready for Bahrain’s Big Day
Despite concerns about security, Sunday’s race will go on. But given the country’s abysmal human rights record, should it?
Thousands of Protesters Demand Halt to Formula One Race in Bahrain
Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters flooded a major highway in Bahrain demanding a halt to the Formula One race on its first day of practice runs.
France’s Stringent Election Laws: Lessons for the America’s Free-for-All Campaigns
If, in the course of lampooning America’s few-holds-barred campaign finance system, Stephen Colbert ever found the need for a straight man to highlight U.S. folly, France would be perfect. French campaigns are parsimonious, …
Must-Reads from Around the World, April 20, 2012
Bahrain Protests – The Guardian reports on a wave of demonstrations in Bahrain to coincide with the controversial Formula One Grand Prix this weekend. The government and organizers have insisted that the event would proceed as …
“While women have made significant advancements in health, education and employment, they continue to lag their male counterparts in reaching leadership positions.”
China’s Princelings Become a U.S. Media Phenomenon
On Wednesday morning, Jodi Seth, the communications director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was swamped with calls on a subject she knew little about: Chinese “princelings,” or the children and grandchildren of …
Blame Saddam: Another Way of Seeing Iran’s Nuclear Program
In 2003, Iran set aside the portion of its nuclear program devoted to developing a weapon. That was the assessment of the American intelligence community, which among other things eavesdropped on hardliners complaining to one …
On Holocaust Day, Israelis Debate Netanyahu’s Parallel with Iran
Thursday was Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, an annual event marked by solemn ceremony, highways dotted with drivers standing beside their cars stopped for a mid-morning moment of silence and, this year, a lively debate on …