The closely watched cricket World Cup matchup between India and England ended in a draw yesterday — the English batsmen, led by a dominant Andrew Strauss, almost got the better of the lackluster Indian bowlers — but I couldn’t keep my eyes off the stands. I wanted to know, who were those lucky people who managed to get …
China’s ‘Jasmine’ Crackdown, Animated Edition
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxd9J1MqkXw]
Taiwan’s Next Media Animation has a satirical take on China’s heavy-handed response to calls for anti-government protests. Keep an eye out for the panda goons, who you may recognize from their previous roles in ‘Hu Jintao Goes to Washington‘ and ‘Tiger Moms.’
Tomb Robbers Rejoice! The Death Penalty No Longer Applies in China
Convicted in China of tax fraud, grave-robbing or fossil-smuggling? Good news. In a country that reportedly executes more people than the rest of the world combined, these crimes will no longer merit the death penalty. As of May 1, China will decrease the number of crimes punishable by execution to a mere 55, down from 68. Those offenses …
In Yemen, the Arab Revolution Finally Threatens World Security
Arab authoritarians always claim that change is destabilizing and dangerous: Tunisia’s Ben Ali, Egypt’s Mubarak, Bahrain’s Khalifa and Libya’s Gaddafi have all used that argument to try and ward off the youth revolution that’s shaking up the region. If you topple us, they have argued, our countries will descend into chaos and fall in the …
Washing Away a Call to Protest in Beijing
Any hint of “jasmine revolution” in Beijing was swept away Sunday, first by legions of police, then by trucks spraying water onto a shopping street in the center of the Chinese capital. There was no sign of protest, and once again the turnout was largely security forces, foreign reporters and curious tourists.
Anonymous organizers …
Exit Poll Signals Inglorious Exit for Ireland’s Fianna Fail
Ireland’s national broadcaster RTE has just published an exit poll that suggests the votes currently being counted will add up to more than just a change of government in the country. As every opinion poll, and our own correspondent, predicted, Fianna Fail has been ousted and Fine Gael’s Enda Kenny looks set to be the next Taoiseach, or …
Africa’s Feeble Response to Libya
Why has Africa’s response to the Libyan regime’s shooting of protesters – and hiring of African mercenaries to actually pull the triggers – been so weak? So far, the continent’s reaction amounts to this: the African Union has condemned “the disproportionate use of force against civilians,” which pretty much implies that cracking down on …
Online and on the Streets, China Still Fears Its Own”Jasmine Revolution”
The call to meet with the police came at about 5 p.m. on Friday. I suggested that as it was getting late, perhaps we could meet next week. The caller declined, and instead she gave me a rapid-fire review of China’s reporting rules, namely that reporters must get subjects’ permission before conducting interviews. The reason for the …
Why Pakistan Is in No Mood to Back Down in U.S. Showdown
Raymond Davis, meet Aaron DeHaven. Davis is the U.S. diplomat — or alleged CIA contractor, depending on which account you believe — arraigned on murder charges in Lahore, with Pakistan thus far unmoved by his claim of diplomatic immunity following a shooting incident that left two Pakistanis dead. DeHaven is a security contractor …
A Message to Gaddafi’s Loyalists
The international community is finally beginning to coalesce around something like a strategy for Libya. The Obama Administration is talking about sanctions, there’s a move to freeze the Gaddafi family’s international assets, and proposals to blockade Tripoli.
These are all excellent ideas, and need immediate action. But they won’t …
Couch Potato Briefing: Five Rental Movies to Bring You Up to Speed on this Week’s Events
1. Lion of the Desert
To understand the awesome courage of the long-suffering Libyans standing up to fight the tyrant Muammar Ghaddafi, there’s no better source than Moustapha Akkad’s Lion of the Desert. The film lionizes (sorry!) legendary Libyan guerrilla commander Omar Mukhtar, who …
How America Overestimates China’s Rise
Here are my quick two cents from a trip back to the U.S. from China. Two years ago when I was last here, I felt like the smart, educated people I talked to underestimated China’s rise. Yes, the Olympics had shown the world that Beijing was a big city full of modern buildings and amazingly talented athletes. But there was still this …
Libya, China and the Myth of ‘No-Strings’ Investment
Beijing is scrambling to get tens of thousands of people out of Libya after a wave of attacks on Chinese oilfields, construction sites and work camps. As the state-run China Daily reported prominently this morning, about 12,000 Chinese nationals were evacuated by charter plane, ocean liner and bus. State media area playing up the …