Tag: politics
Diplomats Behaving Badly “Diplomats, normally discreet figures who rarely court publicity, have been in the news a lot lately, for all the wrong reasons. Two recent arrests of diplomats by their host countries have put a spotlight on the justification for, and limits of, the immunity from local law that such officials typically enjoy.”
Welcome to the last Sunday Smack of 2013! This is going to be a special edition as this time I will recommend some year-end reviews of a wide range of topics. Hope you’ll enjoy! 9 Stories that Will Drive the Global Agenda in 2014 OK, I know that’s not what I promised, but I thought I would start with the exception. I think this is a great compilation, plus UNDispatch is still my favorite world affairs blog. Now, let’s see what 2013 was like… 2013: the year in world news Great picture review of world news on the Telegraph….
theatlantic: In Focus: Days of Protests in Ukraine Over the weekend, hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine took to the streets to demonstrate against President Viktor Yanukovich’s decision to abandon an EU integration pact, as he works to strengthen economic ties to Russia, rather than Europe. Protesters blockaded government buildings and occupied Independence Square in Kiev today, seeking to force Yanukovich from office. After harsh crackdowns last night, demonstrations continued this morning, with leaders calling for a nationwide strike. Read more.
statedept: Following the P5+1 talks with Iran in Geneva, Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to London on November 24 to meet with U.K. Foreign Secretary William Hague and Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan. European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton accompanied the Secretary as he traveled from Geneva, Switzerland, to London, U.K. Go to state.gov for trip details and more photos from the Secretary’s travel.
Deal Reached to Halt Iran’s Nuclear Program | The Cable “Even if the deal succeeds in freezing Iran’s nuclear program, meanwhile, Washington and Tehran still remain on opposite sides of the Syrian civil war and face lingerng disputes over Iran’s support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, a network of heavily-armed Shiite militias in Iraq, and Shiite activist groups in Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states. The nuclear deal could clear the way for further pacts down the road devoted specifically to issues like reducing Tehran’s support for the regime of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad. For the moment, though, those disputes…
Kerry Joins European Officials at Iran Nuclear Talks In Geneva, Secretary of State John Kerry sought to temper rising expectations of an imminent deal, saying, “There are important gaps that have to be closed.” (…) “Mr. Kerry will meet with Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, who oversees the multiparty negotiations, about 6 p.m. Before that, he will hold separate meetings with Ms. Ashton; the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius; and the British foreign secretary, William Hague, as the major powers coordinate their own bargaining positions. The German foreign minister, Guido…
I cannot believe another week has already passed. Fortunately this next one is going to be a short one in Hungary with a public holiday on Wednesday. I could enjoy every week being like this: two days work, then one day rest, then two days work again. 🙂 OK, I am only saying this because I hate my job. And I am ever closer to finally do something about it. Until then, here’s where I can deal with things I am really interested in. Hope you’ll enjoy! On world affairs: An Unfree and Unfair Election in Azerbaijan If all these…
theatlantic: Yes, Congress Can Authorize War Without Formally ‘Declaring’ It Contemporary Americans almost never read the Constitution. Instead, we seize on individual magic-sounding words (“declare war,” “natural born,” “keep and bear,” etc.). I’ve spent the last three years studying the text, and it seems to me that, even in a crisis, we might want to read the words with the care we’d bring to, say, the instructions for assembling an Ikea wardrobe. Read more. [Image: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]
Happy September, people! How do you feel about fall approaching? I am half sad and half happy as always at this time of the year. Summer is my absolute favorite season, I love the hot weather and oh how I will miss my summer wardrobe! 🙂 But then I am also eagerly waiting for ‘the season’ to begin and for things to re-accelerate. We could call this one a Syria special issue since the news and world affairs blog posts were all about Syria this week. I found some really good analysis among them. On world affairs: Congratulations President Obama…
breakingnews: Obama to seek congressional approval for military action in Syria President Obama will seek approval from US Congress for military action in Syria, he announced Saturday from the White House Rose Garden. “We are the United States of America,” Obama said. “We cannot turn a blind eye to what happened in Damascus.” Follow the latest at Breaking News. Photo: NBC News
