All Blogs Blog Home

BLOUIN BEAT: World

By the Blouin News World staff

Follow this blog via Email

Monthly Archives: March 2013

Topless Tunisian protester prompts fatwa, international support

March 22, 2024 by Lara Vergnaud in Africa.

"My body belongs to me, and is not the source of anyone’s honour.” (FEMEN)

Amina’s topless protest reflects very specific Tunisian grievances, namely ongoing conflicts between secularists and conservatives.

Cyprus plays big-league geopolitics, gets flattened

March 22, 2024 by Paul Maidment in Europe.

An employee of Cyprus Laiki Bank takes part in a protest.

As go its banks, so could go Cyprus’s geopolitical role as a transit point for the competing interests of the E.U. Britain, Russia, Turkey, Greece, Lebanon and Israel.

India votes against Sri Lanka at U.N.

March 22, 2024 by Lora Moftah in Asia-Pacific.

Indian activists burn an effigy of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse during a protest in New Delhi on February 8, 2013. (RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images)

India’s support for the U.N. resolution is driven less by the power of national conscience and more by the exigencies of its internal politics.

Kim’s nuke threats veil dangers, sanctions’ efficacy

March 21, 2024 by Lara Vergnaud in Asia-Pacific.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) inspecting a long-range artillery sub-unit of Korean People's Army Unit 641 at undisclosed place in North Korea. AFP PHOTO / KCNA via KNS

Kim’s mounting bellicosity would indicate that sanctions are having their desired effect, i.e. to handicap Pyongyang’s economy and thereby disrupt funding for nuclear programs.

African jihadists target West with radical tactics

March 20, 2024 by Lara Vergnaud in Africa.

The growing anti-Western aims of African jihadists are driven in large part by anger over the French-led Mali intervention.

U.S. missile moves to color Putin-Xi meeting

March 20, 2024 by Chris Zappone in Asia-Pacific, Europe, U.S..

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

While the U.S. has pointed to North Korea as the motivation for the change, China sees itself as the true target of the hardware deployments.

Questions surround Bosco Ntaganda’s surrender

March 19, 2024 by Lora Moftah in Africa.

In a startling and unprecedented move, the Congolese warlord asked to be transferred to the International Criminal Court to face war crimes charges.

Karzai opposition seeks peace, power, but no U.S. help — yet

March 18, 2024 by Lara Vergnaud in Asia-Pacific.

The opposition’s search for a Taliban peace deal is equally self-serving: success could translate to political gold in the 2014 national elections.

Why we should not be surprised by Francis

March 17, 2024 by David A. Andelman in Europe.

Pope Francis gives his first Angelus blessing.

The new pope fits impeccably the model that the bulk of the cardinals gathered in the consistory value the most.

Taiwan as Vatican-China pawn?

March 15, 2024 by Lora Moftah in Asia-Pacific.

Beijing’s response to Ma’s Vatican visit has been (so far) surprisingly subdued.