What message should Tunisians and the peoples and governments of the Arab world and beyond take from the Tunisian uprising, asks Mohammed Hussainy. This article has been cross-posted from OpenDemocracy.net
Tunisia's revolt, which was triggered by the martyr Bouazezi's self-immolation and helped overthrow the "former" president, Zein Alabideen Bin Ali, carries many messages and lessons to be read and analysed.
Large NGOs have struggled to deliver much needed relief to disaster-stricken Haitians. By contrast, the many smaller MONGOs (My Own NGO) that have sprung are proving most effective in reaching those in need. These organisations are providing hospitals, education, micro-finance and infrastructure that could help Haiti leap-frog the technology gap. By Evert Bopp.
On 5 January, the frustration, deep unease, and hopelessness of young Algerians exploded onto the streets. Since then, they have been throwing stones, burning tires and brandishing any object that they can turn into a weapon. By Amel Yacef
Today marks the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the UN International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. To date no EU Member State has either signed or ratified the Convention. By Alison Spillane
The 16th Asian Games are now underway in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou. This is the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympics and hugely popular throughout the continent. By Norma Costello.
In the lead up to the games, the Guangdong government launched a campaign to “civilise” city dwellers with the slogan ‘I love Guangzhou’. It’s a hard sell and not without good reason.
[Pictured: A 'Civilize Guangzhou' wall. Below: Building the Asian Games]
Protests against Sarkozy's controversial pension reform are winding down this week, despite initial statements from union officials that the resistance would continue. Does this spell defeat for the unions or simply a change of tactics?
The Beijing elite's vehement reaction to an imprisoned dissident's Nobel award is a sign of its political vulnerability. By Kerry Brown, cross-posted from OpenDemocracy.net
The award of the Nobel prize for peace to the imprisoned Chinese rights activist Liu Xiaobo on 7 October 2010 is a moment rich in significance for all involved. For the dissident movement in China, it gives its cause a lease of life. For those western governments that have been saying less and less about specific human-rights cases in China, it offers an occasion to reflect on the justness of this course.
A fire-blackened cow strays into a hotel lobby; a teenager bombs the city where his family seeks refuge - two bizarre events that epitomised the senseless bombing of Dubrovnic which began nineteen years ago today. By Malachy Browne
Video and image gallery
The annual report for 2010 of the International Institute of Strategic Studies, a leading establishment think-tank, raises the prospect of a shift in western policy in Afghanistan. By Paul Rogers, cross-posted from OpenDemocracy.net
Two weeks of floods have killed 1,000 people and displaced 20 million more in Pakistan. Food and water are scarce; houses and infrastructure destroyed. In parts, flood waters continue to rise. Even where the water has abated, health crises loom. The UN says outbreaks of cholera and other water-borne diseases endemic to Pakistan could happen, as the Al Jazeera video below outlines. Over 1.5 million cases of diarrhoea are predicted.