Politics Around The Globe

Almost at the top of world crisis is terrorism, that of extremist religious sects waging a war against other people in order to unite them under one religion or to avenge any slight done to their people. These radicals are some of the most dangerous people in the world, for they kill for neither pleasure nor money, but for their principles and faith. Governments around the world must find a way to achieve peace with them and to gain a sort of middle ground to agree on, because failure to do so will result to more innocent deaths and widespread destruction.

A new trend is now arising among terrorists – that of self-radicalization. People under this category are not members of any sect nor are some of them even bonafide Muslims, but they have radicalized themselves online and through other means. This is an alarming trend because the genuine terrorists may use this event to intensify their recruitment process, through the internet, printed material and such. A number of Singaporeans are currently behind bars for trying to enter extremist sects and join the holy war called Jihad. They are now a new breed of terrorists who do not even need to be in foreign countries in order to participate in terrorist activities.

It is a great achievement by United Nations Secretary Ban Ki-moon to have been able to talk Burma into letting aid come into their area. Foreign aid has been shooed away by Burma, and it seemed as though it did not care a bit for its citizens who are dying and starving in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis’ rampage. Thecyclone left 134,000 people dead and missing, while those who managed to survive are struggling to find something to eat and somewhere to live, and are at risk of widespread disease. For the, Burma has now been opened to allow foreign aid into the country to help out the victims.

The boycott of the Olympic games which are going to be held at Beijing, China can give one ambivalent thoughts towards the advocacies of those initiating the boycott. Yes, it is known that they are concerned for the human rights of the Tibetan citizens, but is it right to show utter disrespect towards the symbol of many hardworking athletes around the world? It is not right to douse the fires of the Olympic torch because in doing so, the people involved are actually disregarding what it really stands for—the ideals of peace, unity and equality among the nations of the world.

The International Court of Justice has given Singapore sovereignty with regards to the island in dispute with Malaysia at the entrance of the Singapore Straits to the east, which houses a landmark 150-year old lighthouse which guides passing ships daily to safety. Both Singapore and Malaysia want possession of the rock, and bothe claim that their countries legally own and have historical possession over the island. The 16-member court ruled in favor of Singapore which argued that it had ruled with sovereign powers over the island since 1851, with no dissent being heard from Malaysia since the recent thirty years.

Cyclone Nargis, which left a lot of Myanmar in ruins, has already left, but along with the crisis’ devastation, the people of Myanmar were still left in tatters because its military junta would not allow aid workers to enter the country because they were scared that these were only spies posing as help. Recently though, the military junta has decided to allow United Nations aid workers to enter Myanmar, and this news is a great one for the citizens. In the future, the military should be more vigilant in caring for their people, because as the leaders, they should be the ones at the forefront trying to better the welfare of the devastated citizens of Myanmar and not putting first their own selfish agenda.

Japan’s Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has said that he would like to have a permanent law that would allow Japan to send military force abroad, depite his country’s pacifist constitution that limits the activities of its troops. There are some dissenters who do not agree with this plan, but Prime Minister Fukuda is set to make it happen, whatever means he has to employ to achieve it. What would this mean in the world’s bigger perspective? This proposed added freedom with regards to Japan’s troops may prove beneficial or harmful, and it would only be known if Fukuda succeeds in pushing through with his plans.

Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton, two senators with hopes of running for US President, are set to make history, no matter who wins. It’s either the United States gets a taste of being led by a first female president, or to be governed by the first black president to grace its Oval office. The presidential race is a symbol for new grounds, and with these two candidates, substantial change is sure to come to the most powerful country in the world and its citizens. In the end, the elections would not be about gender or color, the country and its people would ultimately decide who is most worthy to take the reigns of the United States.

DILI, East Timor (AP) — President Jose Ramos-Horta returned to his tiny troubled nation early Thursday after recuperating from wounds sustained in an assassination attempt more than two months ago.

East Timorese girls practice a show to welcome President Jose Ramos-Horta in Dili. Thousands of supporters cheered and clapped as the popular Nobel laureate stepped off the plane, accompanied by bodyguards, aides and his personal doctor. Some waved East Timorese flags and banners that said “Welcome home our beloved president! We love you!” Ramos-Horta hugged government ministers lining a red carpet on the tarmac and posed for pictures. The 58-year-old leader was shot twice by rebels in front of his house in the capital, Dili, on February 11 in a coordinated attack on the country’s leadership. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao escaped unharmed from an ambush on his motorcade the same day.

(Source:CNN)

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) — Kenya swore in a new Cabinet Thursday, split 50-50 between former bitter enemies from opposing parties.

Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki, left, and opposition leader Raila Odinga during negotiations last week. The swearing-in caps a long-negotiated power-sharing compromise between Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga, and ends a dispute over December’s elections that led to widespread violence. Kibaki remains president, but he has tapped Odinga as prime minister — the first time Kenya’s government will have both. Under the power-sharing agreement, which Kibaki and Odinga signed on February 28, Cabinet positions were to be distributed equally, but the two sides disagreed on how they would be divided. Even as negotiators proposed an expansion of the Cabinet to 40 posts, the two sides had been unable to agree until Saturday.

(Source:CNN)