Tag: Russia
As news were mostly about Ukraine this week, these are some of the blog posts I liked most. After the storm: next steps for the EU and Ukraine What can the EU do to help the people of Ukraine who chose Europe so that they won’t end up disappointed again? Is (Or Was) Ukraine in a Non-International Armed Conflict? Hopefully it will remain past tense now, but the question is still legit. Especially considering the way neighboring countries were preparing to deal with the situation, this labeling could have mattered a lot. Robert Mugabe Turns 90 On this occasion here’s…
washingtonpost: You need to know more about what’s happening in Ukraine: http://wapo.st/1nQuvS3
Kiev protests: A fight over influence of the West “Death on the streets, riot shields being thumped and Molotov cocktails thrown are the manifestation, but all this started because of the desire of many Ukrainians to join the EU, and Russia’s feeling this was where its diminution in power had to stop. Putin wants a Eurasian Union to counter the EU and has his own inducement in oil and aid. Ukraine’s strong man has enthusiastically backed that path. Georgia and others in the region, inclined to side with the West, will be watching closely.”
I hope everybody’s weekends are going well! Here are some great reads for you to look back on this past week. Olympic Game: Washington Hopes Sochi Will Force Putin’s Hand on Syria I don’t know about that… It certainly doesn’t seem that way. Russia is again paralyzing the Security Council on a crucial Syria resolution. CAR is Falling Apart. And Everyone Knows Why Despite the Security Council resolutions, the peacekeeping troops on ground, and the new president elected, things don’t seem to improve in the CAR. Why Bosnians Are Protesting Great piece on Bosnia after the Dayton Peace Accords and…
theatlantic: How One Historic Russian City Became a Target for Terrorists Until this autumn, Volgograd was a relatively quiet Russian city, known best for its legacy as a World War II battlefield. But that changed in October, when a female suicide bomber blew herself up on a city bus, killing six passengers, most of them teenagers. Now, two back-to-back suspected suicide attacks just ahead of New Year celebrations—a December 29 bombing at the city’s main train station followed by a December 30 trolleybus blast—have claimed more than 30 additional lives and left many to wonder why Volgograd has become an…
Happy Sunday everybody! As I put the finishing touches to this post, I am watching the sad pictures on CNN of Nelson Mandela being laid to rest. This of course marks the end of the 10-day-mourning that really defined world news in the past few days. I selected a few posts from other topics too, though. On world affairs: A Pivotal Week for the Central African Republic France is taking the lead role again in an African conflict zone with two casualties so far. Back in the USSR What is it about the European Union that makes thousands of Ukrainians bare…
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.
In Single Secret Ballot, General Assembly Elects 14 Member States to Three-Year Terms on Human Rights Council The General Assembly yesterday elected 14 States to serve on the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe. Those elected were Algeria, China, Cuba, France, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom and Viet Nam. All would serve three-year terms beginning on 1 January 2014. To read more about the election procedure click here. Notably and infamously, there are six…
Undoubtedly, the world affairs event of the week is the launch of the 68th session of the UN General Assembly. I am planning a detailed post after the end of the General Debate, so now I only feature some great blog posts below, as usual. This next week is going to be very eventful for me as well. On Wednesday I am going to London for a really short profession related trip. I am looking forward to it. It brings a most welcome refreshment in my professional life right now as I am quite unhappy at my current job, mostly…
Hello everyone, how are things going where you are? The weekend seemed painfully short for me this time, although I really would have a lot of things to rest upon both at work and in life. Maybe some other time. Progress on Syria was so fast this week, that even yesterday’s articles seem outdated. Unfortunately, dynamism does not equal improvement. Nevertheless, I came accross a few good reads. On world affairs: Did The World Just Legitimize The Assad Regime It Spent Years Discrediting? I start with this, because this is actually a really good point. Does the international community…
