A Chinese court sentenced ousted senior politician Bo Xilai to life in jail on Sunday after finding him guilty of corruption and abuse of power, a tough term that gives him little chance of staging a political comeback. Read here – Reuters
Voters in Sri Lanka‘s north thronged polling stations on Saturday in an election that threatens to rekindle animosity between the government and ethnic minority Tamils, four years after the military crushed separatists and ended a 26-year war. Read Here – Reuters
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday called for “sustained political resolve, persistent commitment and tireless efforts” by both China and the United States to turn the proposed new model of major-country relations into reality. Read Here – XInhua
For now, Germany is basking in its economic success and might not have to worry about major sacrifices for the sake of the euro. But if they were ever to become necessary, which remains a very real possibility, German elites might regret their acquiescence to democratic demobilization. Read Here – Foreign Affairs
Saudi Arabia appears resolute: It wants Bashar al-Assad out of Damascus. The Saudis view the fighting in Syria with the same intensity that they did the civil war in Yemen that raged in the 1960s — as a conflict with wide and serious repercussions that will shape the political trajectory of the Middle East for […]
As the world marks the 500 year anniversary of the arrival of the Portuguese people to China, a wave of Chinese investment and capital is pouring into Portugal. Read Here – The Diplomat
It turns out that Burma may need China after all. Reformers had hoped that the transition from a military regime to democracy would bring in new foreign investment to help Burma wean itself from support from its massive neighbor to the north, which was its main patron during decades of international isolation. But it hasn’t quite turned out that […]
The world has changed. International politics is no longer a zero-sum game but a multi-dimensional arena where cooperation and competition often occur simultaneously. Gone is the age of blood feuds. World leaders are expected to lead in turning threats into opportunities, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani writes in The Washington Post. Read Here
The White House said it was possible that President Barack Obama would meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in New York next week if Tehran signaled it was serious about giving up its nuclear program. No U.S. President has met an Iranian leader since the overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi more than 34 years ago. […]
President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he may run for a fourth presidential term in 2018, confirming the expectations of most Russians and frustrating those now working to restore free elections in Russia. If Putin runs and wins, it would keep him in power for about a quarter century and make him the nation’s longest-serving leader since […]
looking beyond borders 