Latest update: 28/12/2009

- Asif Ali Zardari - Benazir Bhutto - Pakistan

Pakistan: an uncertain future

Early December a court ruling overturned an amnesty for politicians who have been accused of corruption. The move by the Supreme Court could pave the way for charges being brought against several senior officials, including some government ministers. And even though President Zardari himself is still under immunity, the opposition is calling for his resignation...

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23/05/2012 - CANADA

Students in Quebec march against tuition fee hike

Student protests in the Canadian province Quebec are into their fourth month. Hundreds were arrested at marches to mark 100 days since the protests began. Students are demonstrating against an 80 percent rise in tuition fees in Quebec, the Canadian province that has until now enjoyed the country's lowest rates for higher education.

23/05/2012 - EGYPT

Egyptians head to the polls

Egyptians go to the polls in the country's first truly contested presidential election on Wednesday. With an array of candidates to choose from, voters will decide who's the best man to lead them through the last phase of the country's troubled democratic transition that began with Egypt's revolution in January last year. Cairo correspondents Kathryn Stapley and Sonia Dridi talked to some of the activists whose protests in Tahrir Square changed the course of Egypt's history.

22/05/2012 - EGYPT

A troubling time for Egypt's Coptic Christians

Egyptians go to the polls tomorrow to vote for a new president for the first time since Hosni Mubarak was ousted during the revolution last year. Two of the front-runners in the presidential race with a realistic chance of winning are devout Islamists, which is troubling for Egypt's Coptic Christians. They are Egypt's largest religious minority and many of them don't think any of the candidates are capable of protecting them from the religious violence that has been steadily increasing.

22/05/2012 - WEST BANK

'The Battle of the Empty Stomachs'

Palestinians nicknamed it "the battle of the empty stomachs". For weeks, 1,600 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails refused food and drink in what became the longest ever mass hunger strike. Israel finally capitulated and a deal was reached, allowing those in isolation back onto the general wards, and visas for those family members wishing to visit from Gaza. In exchange, prisoners agreed not to carry out "security activities" such as recruiting for terrorist missions.

21/05/2012 - SERBIA

Serbia's new president - nationalist or not?

Serbia has elected a new president - and it's not the one that most people were expecting. Tomislav Nikolic has unseated Boris Tadic, the man in power since 2004. Observers are worried about the new head of state, who used to be part of the ultra-nationalist Radical Party. He once said he would prefer to be allied with Russia than join the EU, but he has since toned down the rhetoric, saying he will take Serbia to Europe after all.

Comments (1)

Pakistan under the folds of transitional democracy

by Anonyme - 29/12/2009 - 14:51

The political currents and cross-currents_ that are presently being characterized windowing political chaos in Pakistan_ are being also given the impression in the western media as if Pakistan were a failed state and the state whose nuclear assets are in the danger-zone of militants groups_ all these media cited apprehensions do not have the right and fair outlook. The crux of the matter is that the ongoing mechanism of judicial activism in the formative phase probably seems to be an indigestible pill for the government in Islamabad, yet by no means it is tantamount to be believing that Pakistan_ as a state_ may have no certain political future.Factually, Pakistan has undergone to experiences the challenges/ vicissitudes that a national state has to observe after a long journey of the dictatorial rule.

Pragmatists in Pakistan are of the opinion that the present government_ which positively needs to mend its fashion to rule the business of the state_ would overcome the current challenges by accommodating judicial space-an emerging feature of the Pakistan civil society.

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real man

by Anonyme - 28/12/2009 - 19:05

Asif Ali Zardari is true patriotic and a real mujahid individual.we common peoples have no idea how tough job he has to execute.we pakistani should give his goverment a chance to do the job done accordingly.he need a support rather than criticizim.he need a backing of the nation in critical time that pakistan is going though...

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