China’s ruling Communist Party has demanded greater honesty and transparency from public officials in the wake of a train crash in Wenzhou that prompted unprecedented public criticism of government incompetence and censorship. But the government directive itself provoked ridicule and …

Assisting Afghan civil society will be a vital element of much-needed efforts to repair relations between Washington and Kabul, writes former US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad. The US should rely less on costly – and locally resented – contractors and …

Belarus’s authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko, should learn from the Arab Spring and prepare for a peaceful democratic transition, says Poland’s foreign minister.

“It would be better for him not to learn from [Egypt’s Hosni] Mubarak or [Libya’s Muammer] Gaddafi but …

Russia’s Interior Ministry has rejected the strong recommendations of a presidential commission to prosecute the investigators responsible for the jailing and treatment of Sergei Magnitsky (left), the Hermitage Capital lawyer who died in pre-trial detention.

The decision illustrates Russian President …

The resignation of the entire high command of Turkey’s armed forces is a “watershed’ in the country’s democratic evolution, analysts suggest, offering an opportunity to recast civil-military relations. But other observers view the latest events as the latest stage in …

Syrian democracy activists are demanding international action to prevent a massacre in Hama (above), a development that will accelerate opposition groups’ efforts to establish their credibility as a feasible alternative to Baathist rule.

“The international community needs to act quickly …

While some politicians aspire to be president-for-life, Nigeria‘s President  Goodluck Jonathan (right) appears to be bucking the trend. He has proposed that his country adopt a single-term presidency, perhaps aiming to set an example for some of his fellow …

Despite his insistence that he will remain president-for-life, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s ongoing treatment for cancer is prompting speculation amongst his critics and supporters alike about likely scenarios should he be forced to stand down. But the ‘s democratic opposition …

Syrian security forces today cracked down on pro-democracy activists, arresting over 100 people including two leading activists, in a pre-emptive move ahead of tomorrow’s anticipated mass demonstrations, the latest in a series of mobilizations that have maintained the protest movement’s …

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization “is one of those international bodies whose proclaimed ideals conceal an often sordid reality,” writes Henryk Szadziewski, as is evident from the denial of rights of free association and expression within its member states, including …