With much welcomed news about the release of human rights lawyer Teng Biao in China on Saturday, I really cannot ascertain as to what effects the Olympics had on creating a more open China. In theory, the Olympics were a tool to focus the spotlight on a nation notorious for civil rights crackdowns. With such […]

Every month, Amnesty International asks for you to take action on specific human rights cases to improve the condition of those imprisoned for no other reason than expressing their personal beliefs in a peaceful manner.
Directly from their website, these month’s cases are:
RWANDA
François-Xavier Byuma
Long-standing human rights defender Francois-Xavier Byuma was sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment on […]

The Brookings Institution and the Center for Global Development released their Index of State Weakness in the Developing World on Tuesday. Somewhat surprisingly, Afghanistan gains the honor of being the second weakest state of the developing world. Of the five categories used to generate the index: economic, political, security, social welfare, and GNI per capita, […]

 With Castro stepping down from power, hopefully this will serve as a spark to revisit our current trade policies (or lack thereof) with Cuba.
Revisit my previous article on Cuban sanctions for more perspective.

Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus has been re-elected to another term in a razor thin victory, gathering 141 votes, just one vote over the necessary 140, from lawmakers in Parliament. University of Michigan professor Jan Svejnar received 111 votes. Svejnar’s pro-European views were held in sharp contrast to President Klaus’ euroskeptic predispositions. The Czech Republic […]

During Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s near half-century in power, the revolutionary leader has witnessed the coming and going of ten U.S. Presidents, the splitting and reunification of Viet Nam, and the appointment of six Secretaries General of the United Nations. Given his lengthy reign and the rich legacy he leaves behind, speculation about a post-Castro […]

The Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO) is a fusion of the local striking teachers and other community organizations demanding democracy. One of their primary demands is the resignation of Ruiz, the governor of Oaxaca who
After taking office in a disputed election, Mr. Ruiz eliminated millions in community subsidies and began a series […]