Thursday, December 26

Political Systems, Domestic Politics

International Responses to Cuban Protests: From Sanctions To Aid
26Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Foreign Aid, International Development, Sanctions, Types of News: Analysis

International Responses to Cuban Protests: From Sanctions To Aid

July 26, 2021--Since mass protests erupted in Cuba earlier this month, the Cuban government has arrested hundreds of protesters and prosecuted many of them on charges of contempt, public disorder, vandalism and marching without face masks. The country is facing a grave economic crisis as the population deals with food and medical shortages. The United States responded by imposing sanctions against government officials. Meanwhile, Russia and Mexico are sending supplies of food and medicine. Thousands of citizens protested in fifty-eight locations throughout Cuba. They rallied for access to food as well as changes to their government's one-party rule. Many were met by Cuban police who the government ordered to arrest demonstrators.  Mass Arrests, Whereabouts Unknown The governm...
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Belarus, Still The Last Dictatorship In Europe
20Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Geopolitics, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Sanctions, Types of News: Analysis

Belarus, Still The Last Dictatorship In Europe

Increasing Human Rights Violations Since 2020 Draw Attention July 21, 2021-- Belarus' reputation as a repressive nation has gotten even worse. Here's why. On a trip to Lithuanian in 2005, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice referred to the former Soviet republic of Belarus as “the last remaining true dictatorship in the heart of Europe.” It angered officials in Belarus at the time. The administration of President Alexander Lukashenko asserted that the country's future is “determined by the nation’s people.”  Sixteen years later, the country is still ruled by Lukashenko. And he rules it with an iron fist. East Or West? Five years ago, Lukashenko faced a difficult decision: Partner with Russia, his closest ally, or apply to join the European Union. Belarus decided not to choose ...
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China Issues Paper On Human Rights, Xinjiang
14Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Human rights, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief

China Issues Paper On Human Rights, Xinjiang

July 14, 2021--A day after the U.S. government warned against doing business in Xinjiang, China issued a White Paper today defending its human rights record and asserting that the elimination of poverty supports equal rights. Fighting Poverty And Terrorism "Poverty is a major problem that plagues humanity, and poverty eradication is the most arduous global human rights cause in the contemporary era," the white paper said. It reported that "From 1955 to 2020, Xinjiang’s GDP rose from RMB1.2 billion in 1955 to RMB1.4 trillion in 2020. On a per capita GDP basis, that is RMB241 in 1955 to RMB53,593 in 2020. According to the paper, extremists and terrorists from East Turkistan have incited hatred, discrimination, and violence inside Xinjiang, "taking advantage of people's ethnic and r...
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State Department Tells Businesses: Stay Away From Xinjiang, China
13Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Diplomacy, Global Trade, Human rights, Sanctions, Types of News: Analysis

State Department Tells Businesses: Stay Away From Xinjiang, China

July 14, 2021—The U.S. State Department and six other Cabinet departments warned Americans against doing business with any person or entity connected to China's Xinjiang Province. It comes a day after the State Department formally accused China along with four other countries and a terrorist network of committing genocide. In China, the reputed human rights abuse is taking place against the primarily Muslim Uyghur population as well as other minorities. A Warning On Business Relations U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken - By U.S. Department of State The departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security, Justice, Labor, Treasury, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative warned Americans of the risks of breaking U.S. law for doing business with anyone connected ...
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EU Presses Hungary To Restore Rule of Law, Human Rights
8Jul By Steve BerlinNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Democracy, Domestic Politics, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Types of News: Brief

EU Presses Hungary To Restore Rule of Law, Human Rights

European Parliament debates a Hungarian law blocking broadcasts that include homosexuals. July 8, 2021. Source: European Commission. European Lawmakers Grow Increasingly Discontent Over Dismantling of Democracy in Hungary July 8, 2021--Six months into a new law linking EU funds to a condition requiring members to uphold the rule of law, European lawmakers are primed to use the new power in a case against member-state Hungary. Today, the European Parliament voted in favor of a resolution condemning Hungary for "state-sponsorship" of censorship against homosexuals. The vote of 459 for, 147 against and 58 abstentions came as a new Hungarian law banning depictions of homosexuals in media took effect. Today's resolution condemns "in the strongest possible terms" the Hun...
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Pakistan’s Leader Praises China’s One-Party Rule
2Jul By Steve BerlinNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief

Pakistan’s Leader Praises China’s One-Party Rule

July 2, 2021-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, praised China's one-party system on Thursday during a press conference on Thursday. Furthermore, Imran, a who was popularly elected three years ago, went on to criticize democracy as a form of government. It comes as the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) marked its 100-year anniversary, and it's an indication that China's model is gaining traction globally. Photo: July 2, 2021 by Pakistani news Dismissing Concerns About Treatment of Muslim Uighurs Human rights groups and leaders in Western governments accuse China of committing "crimes against humanity." Its government's treatment of its Muslim Uighur ethnic minority in Xinjiang is drawing widespread international attention. But Khan said he does not believe reports by Western medi...
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China: National Security Law Brought Hong Kong ‘On Track’
30Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Democracy, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief

China: National Security Law Brought Hong Kong ‘On Track’

June 30, 2021-China's Foreign Minister Wang Wenbin said China's National Security Law brought Hong Kong "back to the right track." Asked about allegations of human rights issues during a press conference today, Wang said Hong Kong is back on track and "the rule of law and justice have been upheld." Hong Kong Source: Mohr Media, file photo "This is an undeniable fact that any unbiased people would recognize," Wang said. Moreover, he cited economic statistics to back up his assertion that the world supports China's rule over Hong Kong. China's Crack Down on Freedoms As the GER has previously reported, Hong Kong has cracked down on speech since the new National Security Law and the election law have taken effect. China, meanwhile, credits the National Security Law for making...
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Nicaragua Cracks Down on Political Speech, Opposition Ahead of Elections
24Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Sanctions

Nicaragua Cracks Down on Political Speech, Opposition Ahead of Elections

June 24, 2021--Ahead of elections scheduled for November, the Nicaraguan government is arresting opposition leaders and potential presidential candidates who pose political opposition to their current leader, President Daniel Ortega.  Locals say the current repression dates back to the government's crackdown on political speech after the uprising against the president in 2018. Lesther Aleman, a university student leader, suggested that the current round-up of opposition leaders is to prevent any challenge to the election in November. "The strategy is to demoralize Nicaraguans, to delegitimize the electoral process to the point that the majority of people will abstain because there is no opposition. That is Ortega’s goal," Aleman told a reporter with Al Jazeera. "That way he can ...
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Free Press Dies in Hong Kong As China Freezes Paper’s Assets
22Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Democracy, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

Free Press Dies in Hong Kong As China Freezes Paper’s Assets

June 22, 2021--The writing may have already been on the wall for the forced closure of the Apple Daily paper when China passed its security law. But the news yesterday that China's strong-arm control of Hong Kong would force the pro-democracy tabloid to shut down still stung like an unexpected bite. In the past week, Hong Kong authorities froze the paper's financial assets, arrested two of the paper's senior executives and raided the paper's offices. Unable to pay staff or operations, the paper is expected to close within days. The forced closure of the paper made headline news around the world on Monday. And in Hong Kong, it represents "the biggest sledgehammer blow to Hong Kong's fast-vanishing civil liberties" since the handover to China in 1997, an editorial in the Apple Daily sa...
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Is the Sky Turning Red Over EU-Member Hungary?
4May By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Diplomacy, Geopolitics, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

Is the Sky Turning Red Over EU-Member Hungary?

Hungary And China Strengthen Ties, Will Build Chinese University In Budapest May 4, 2021--As tensions rise between China and the West, one European Union-member country is drawing ever closer to Asia's Red Dragon: Hungary. Situated between seven countries in Central Europe, Hungary is a key outpost of the 27-member European Union. Lately, however, the country appears to be falling out with its European allies and drawing closer to communist China. Hungary Leaning East In March, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban broke with the rest of the EU consensus on COVID-19 by ordering China's Sinopharm and Russia's Sputnik V vaccines. Later that month, Hungary's President Janos Ader met with his Chinese leaders in Budapest and promised to strengthen relations with China on trade, econ...
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