Category Archives: Region
Tunisia: The second assassination of a secular opposition leader threatens to derail Tunisia’s political transition
On Thursday 25th July 2013 Mohammed Brahmi, a secular opposition figure, was gunned down outside his home in Tunis. The killing is reminiscent of the assassination of Chokri Belaid in February, another leading figure in Tunisia’s leftist opposition and an outspoken critic of the ruling Read on! →
Tasmania: A surge in tourism is changing the economy
One of the things Tasmania has tended to be famous for, throughout history, is an economy that has often looked rather bleak. There was no gold rush in Tasmania and many other industries failed to flourish there. However, the fortunes Read on! →
USA: A naïve push for Israeli-Palestinian peace?
The recent attempt to restart the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations by the United States has been met with significant scepticism and criticism. There have been a number of obstacles that have hindered renewed efforts by the United States to restart the Israeli Read on! →
Burma: Is Wirathu really the ‘Burmese Bin Laden’?
In recent months, international media has reported on the sporadic violence and ethnic tensions which have gripped the fledgling south-east Asian country of Burma. Reports show how the majority Buddhist population has conducted an almost systematic programme of harassment, persecution Read on! →
Germany: The Constitutional Court will decide on the future of the Eurozone
Germany will have to leave the Eurozone should the German Constitutional Court find the ECB’s Outright Monetary Transactions illegal. The Court in Karlsruhe will decide whether the European Central Bank’s (ECB) Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) is in the line with Read on! →
USA: Scandals and the Obama Administration
Legacy: the buzzword for all incumbents of the oval office fortunate enough to have won a second term. On that clear night in Chicago’s Grant Park in 2008, any brief thought of the president-elect’s legacy was undoubtedly clouded out by Read on! →
Burma: Buddhism and the rise of Burmese militant nationalism
Compassion, humility, and tranquillity: these are the images that we have typically come to associate with Buddhism in the West. It is a religion that preaches non-violence, and many in the Europe and America have adopted its philosophies as a Read on! →
India: Water security at risk as agreement with China fails
China and India recently failed to sign a bilateral agreement on how to share the water of the Brahmaputra River despite meeting to discuss the issue in May. Prime Ministers from both countries met in New Delhi to discuss several Read on! →
Colombia: Is peace with FARC getting closer?
A possible first step towards peace was reached in the Colombian government’s struggle with the FARC guerrilla group came on the 26th May 2013, when negotiators at the talks in Havana announced a deal on land reform. For Colombia, this Read on! →
India: Fighting back against the sexist culture [Op-Ed]
The world was horrified to hear of the brutal gang-rape of a 23 year old student in Delhi last December, none more so than the people of India themselves. In the weeks following, India saw widespread protests, as did the Read on! →