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World News Once a Week |
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| Published Thursday, August 28, 2008 |
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| Reuters/Damir Sagolj: Supporters of Barack Obama in Denver, Colorado. |
Issue 114
The day after Beijing doused its Olympic flame, the Democratic National Convention — another carefully staged extravaganza featuring (verbal) gymnastics and (perception)
hurdles — kicked off 6,000 miles away. One might have expected Joe Biden, the winner of last week's vice-presidential sweepstakes, to be the talk of Denver; instead, it's been a very special primetime
episode of the Bill and Hillary show. Whether or not a news media hungry for conflict blew the ostensible Clinton-Obama culture
clash out of proportion, there's no denying that, in the face of tightening polls, the traditionally neurotic Democrats are on sharper tenterhooks than usual — though the Clintons' powerful speeches calmed
many a jitter.
Still, our electoral drama has nothing on Malaysia, where a once-imprisoned opposition leader is coming back harder than Elvis in '68. And no convention speech will resonate like the Iraqi PM's pronouncement that foreign troops must leave his country by 2011. By the time that last soldier returns, Mexico's wealthy paranoiacs could
all be wearing microchip implants, measles might be the new common cold, and humans may have finally reached their top speed. Oh, and the 2012 campaign season should be gearing up...
- Benjamin Hart |
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Things to do in Denver when you're Dem
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Two days after Barack Obama woke up supporters with breaking vice-presidential news, the Democratic National Convention kicked off in Denver, Colorado. Thousands of party leaders, reporters, bloggers, and
protesters were on hand for the four-day lovefest, which on Monday featured an emotional appearance by Ted Kennedy and a Michelle Obama speech focusing on unity and love of country — two central themes Democratic organizers tried to hammer home.
Dampening the mood somewhat, however, were reports of lingering divisions between the Clinton and Obama camps and a sense among some that the party should launch a stronger offensive against John
McCain. Hillary Clinton addressed both issues on Tuesday night in a rousing speech that called on her supporters to get behind Obama; Bill Clinton and Joe Biden followed suit on Wednesday.
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Pakistan coalition breaks apart
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Pakistan's ruling coalition crumbled on Monday, as former prime minister Nawaz Sharif announced his opposition to the presidential campaign of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari. Sharif, who heads the rival Pakistan Muslim League-N, also criticized the PPP's reluctance to reinstate deposed judges; their return poses a threat to Zardari, who currently enjoys an amnesty on outstanding corruption charges.
While the PPP encouraged Sharif to reconsider, the worsening divide speaks to broader regional tensions. Over 100 people were
killed in suicide bombings across Pakistan this week; meanwhile, Taliban insurgents solidified control along the Afghan border. Many hope that the September 6 elections will clarify and bolster the government's capacity to address these mounting crises.
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Malaysian opposition leader makes comeback
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Embattled Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim, a longtime foe of the country's ruling party, was re-elected to parliament by
voters in his home district. Anwar's election victory underscores the dramatic return of the reformist politician, whose career ended in 1998 amid a flurry of sodomy allegations — charges that many believe his enemies in government trumped up. After being convicted of engaging in homosexual sex, which is a crime in Malaysia, Anwar spent five years in prison.
Anwar hopes to rally Malaysia's resurgent opposition to unseat the ruling coalition, which has held power since the country's
independence in 1946. After gaining seats in March's local elections, Anwar's allies are seeking to make their outsider leader prime minister by mid-September.
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| Newswire |
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Zimbabwe opposition wins major post
In a surprise victory, a member of Zimbabwe's opposition party, which has battled President Robert Mugabe for months, was
elected to the influential position of Speaker of the House. Adding insult to injury, Mugabe was roundly booed when he addressed parliament.
| Independent, South Africa | Telegraph |
Nuclear-network saboteurs revealed
Sources say that the CIA paid a family of Swiss engineers $10 million to disrupt an underground nuclear-trade network led
by Abdul Qadeer Khan, a Pakistani scientist. The engineers allegedly funneled sabotaged technology and false information to countries such as
Libya and Iran.
| New York Times | AFP |
Russia deals Georgia diplomatic blow
Russia and the West continued to spar in the wake of the Georgian conflict, as Russian president Dmitry Medvedev officially recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Formally part of Georgia, the breakaway regions have experienced de facto independence
since the early '90s.
| Guardian | BBC |
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| Science & Technology |
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Measles fight is a bumpy road
As the number of measles cases hits a 12-year high, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging parents to have their children vaccinated. The recommendation comes even as evidence trickles in correlating vaccinations with the onset of autism.
| Scientific American | Baltimore Sun |
Lightning-fast Bolt poses scientific puzzle
The incredible Olympic performance of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt — who shattered three world records — had commentators
scrambling to explain the 22-year-old track star's unparalleled speed. Scientists cite a hereditary predisposition toward
fast-twitch muscles and an unusually long stride.
| TIME | WIRED |
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| Blogosphere |
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After 'Biden' his time, Obama picks Joe
Having received such long-awaited news, political bloggers generally conceded that vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden would help Barack Obama in the experience and foreign-policy departments. Still, the Delaware senator's long Capitol Hill
tenure rankled some who sought a VP more closely identified with change.
| Daily Kos | Democratic Daily |
Did NBC 'medal' in Olympic coverage?
As the Beijing Olympics drew to a close, techies took to the web to both laud and bash NBC's coverage of the Games. While the network's support of Internet technologies received praise from some quarters, other critics questioned the broadcaster's business sense.
| Universal Desktop (ZD Net) | TechCrunch |
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| The Week in Pictures |
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Click to see the full-size image and caption.
 Reuters/Lucas Jackson
 Reuters/Heino Kalis
 Reuters/Jitendra Prakash
 Reuters/Pawan Kumar
 Reuters/China Daily
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*Unless otherwise noted, all photos are courtesy of Reuters.
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| Local Stories |
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Iraq wants US out by 2011
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| Reuters/Ali Abbas |
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As the US negotiates its future presence in Iraq, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki insisted that all foreign combat troops leave the country by 2011, although US training forces may remain. Maliki faces pressure
to demand a withdrawal from Sunnis and Shi'as alike.
| New York Times | CNN |
Former IRA prisoners plan to sue UK
Around 300 alleged members of the IRA are contesting their convictions and seeking compensation, as criticism spreads over the treatment of Northern Irish prisoners
during the Troubles. The appeal movement gained ground this year after a prominent Irish-republican activist successfully fought his conviction.
| Irish Times | Guardian |
Mexicans implant anti-kidnap chips
As kidnapping rates surge in Mexico, many middle- and upper-class citizens are turning to a tiny radio-transmitter implant
for protection. The pricey, still-unproven device contacts a handheld GPS unit, which is meant to notify authorities of a
client's precise location.
| Times, UK | New Scientist |
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| Masthead |
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Managing Editor
Benjamin Hart
Deputy Editor
Eli Dvorkin
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Publishers
Mark Mangan
Sascha Lewis
Design
Groundwave Design Corp.
Production Design
Jonathan Rahmani
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