Families Of Prisoners Pressure Libya’s New Leaders
In the new Libya, uncertainty is the one certainty. Contradictions and conspiracies proliferate faster than street demonstrations now that the iron fist of dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s regime has been lifted. Among those searching for answers are relatives of prisoners locked away by various revolutionary military councils. Some of the prisoners are former Gadhafi loyalists with [...]
Abducted Nationals Player Rescued In Venezuela
Venezuelan police rescued Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos on Friday, two days after he was kidnapped, officials announced. Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said on state television that 24-year-old Ramos was “safe and sound” and that he was rescued by police. It was unclear why he was released — or if a ransom was paid. [...]
Berlusconi’s Days As ‘Great Seducer’ May Be At End
The man known as Italy’s Great Seducer may have finally lost his charm. Silvio Berlusconi, the country’s scandal-plagued prime minister, survivor of some 50 confidence motions over the years and twice thrown out of office, says he will exit from the Italian political scene now that the nation’s parliament has passed an austerity package. That [...]
In Myanmar, A Wary Welcome For Signs Of Change
The government of Myanmar bars or severely restricts reporting by foreign correspondents. NPR is withholding the name of the veteran journalist who recently entered the country and filed this story, in order to protect his identity and his ability to return in the future. In Yangon, Myanmar’s commercial capital, not far from the Sule Pagoda, [...]
In Cuba, Door Opens To Residential Property Market
First-time visitors to Havana immediately notice two things about the city: the graceful architecture of its buildings, and the fact that so many of them are in ruins. But walking through the crumbling Centro Habana neighborhood this week, there was another sight: homeowners beating back the decay on nearly every block. That’s because a new [...]
Greece Names Lucas Papademos Its New Prime Minister
Lucas Papademos, a former vice president at the European Central Bank, was named Greece’s new prime minister. George Papandreou, the former prime minister, was pressured to resign earlier this week amid an all-out European Union crisis. In a stament, the country’s president said Papademos’ chief role will be to ensure swift passage of the terms [...]
Saudi Women Drive Change Despite Mixed Signals
Saudi women are getting conflicting messages from their government about whether it intends to expand their rights. They received a boost from King Abdullah who pledged to give them more political power in the coming years. But new Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdel-Aziz Al Saud is known for his opposition to women’s rights. Such mixed [...]
Giving Defiantly: Chinese Help Artist Pay Tax Bill
The Chinese government slapped artist Ai Weiwei — one of China’s most famous dissidents — with a $2.4 million tax bill last week. The move was widely seen as punishment for Ai’s relentless criticism of the Communist Party. Since then, in an outpouring of support rarely seen for a government critic, thousands of people have [...]
Turks, Europeans Lead Charge On Libyan Investment
Libya may be months from a new government, but the still-infrequent international flights to Tripoli are packed with businesspeople looking to land contracts with this oil-rich North African state. The Turks and Europeans appear to be moving quickly, while the Americans seem to be several steps behind. On one recent afternoon, the plush Rixos hotel [...]
Mexican Deportees Strain Cities South Of The Border
For many Mexican migrants who’ve just been deported from the United States, the border city Reynosa is where the American Dream dies. Maria Nidelia Avila Basurto is a Catholic nun who heads a church-run shelter for deportees in Reynosa, in the northeast corner of Mexico, just across from McAllen, Texas. “Many of them arrive with [...]
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