From Berlin to Beijing: New Year's Resolutions

Traditional holiday and New Year’s messages by sundry heads of state and government usually are full of sentiment and good wishes and lack substance. What is omitted, however, can be of more interest and likewise emphasis and tone yield clues to what occupies leaders. Comparing what comes out of various capitals also helps us better understand different cultural and national approaches in public life.

Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered his message on 1 January which was both uplifting, stressing socialist harmony and environmental protection, ... more

Five nations joined the United Nations Security Council on 1 January for a two-year term as non-permanent members: Belgium, Indonesia, Italy, Panama, and South Africa. They replaced Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Japan, and Tanzania.

The Worldwatch Institute (WWI) in Washington turned its focus on the urban future, away from armed conflict, in its 2007 State of the World” annual assessment.*  It boldly points... more

Any survey of the progress of liberty in these troubled times remains skewed. Even governments in the free world are resorting to measures to fight extremist militants which are at best applied arbitrarily, especially against Arabs and Muslims, and often clash with democratic values and international law. In some states of the not-so-free world, application of these measures is even worse. The review of 2006 shows little change, compared to 2004 when gains were noted.

Freedom House of Washington, a not-for-profit research and advocacy organization, reports that in 2006... more

Reporters without Borders (RSF), located in Paris, finds that 2006 was the deadliest year for journalists since 1994: 81 journalists and 32 media assistants were killed... more

Germany took over the presidency of the European Union(EU) for six months on 1 January.  Ambition and goal... more

Indications are growing that the current Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is eying the presidency. His election... more

leader changes: Congo (DR), Czech Republic, Georgia South Ossetia, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Nigeria, and Turkmenistan

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(Issue contains 31 pages.)