> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Top-story-March-2009 - URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/top-story-march-2009/ - Published: 2009-03-02T14:03:15.000Z - Updated: 2026-04-17T11:41:52.000Z - Author: openDemocracy Supporters - Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 19:57, #ImagesUploaded ## [A new world order](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/a-new-world-order) [Krzysztof Rybinski](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/518464) The global power-balance is shifting. The G20 is just a phase. It's time for a Global Strategic Council ==== ## [Will British libel law kill net free speech?](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/will-net-free-speech-survive-british-libel-litigation) [Emily McManus](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/523373) How UK libel threatens global web free speech ## [Are street journalists an answer to ailing journalists?](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/street-journalists-as-an-answer-to-ailing-journalism) [Tamara Witschge](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/511974) Are new journalism sites - like award-winning Demotix - publications, agencies or political actors? \======= ## [Street journalists as an answer to ailing journalism?](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/street-journalists-as-an-answer-to-ailing-journalism) [Tamara Witschge](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/511974) Are new journalism sites - like award-winning Demotix - publications, agencies or political actors? ## [Will British libel law kill net free speech](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/will-net-free-speech-survive-british-libel-litigation) [Emily McManus](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/523373) How UK libel threatens global web free speech ## [Fit to be ended](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/fit-to-be-ended) [Edward Davey](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/61162) A sex-tourism case in Cartagena, Colombia, points to a serious regional and global problem ## [The curse of commodities](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/timor-leste-tales-of-growth) [Loro Horta](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Loro%5FHorta.jsp) Oil-fuelled growth with child prostitution in Timor L'Este Mon 2 March 2009 ## [Iran’s tide, global sea](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/iran-s-revolution-in-global-history) [Fred Halliday](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Fred%5FHalliday.jsp) The epic moment of 1979 writes a unique - and unfinished - chapter in the story of revolution Tuesday 3 March - Thu 5 March ## [We are a better people](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/we-are-a-better-people) [Philip Pullman](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/521785) Virtue and joy at the Convention on Modern Liberty \================== ![CCTV new headquarters Fire by WiNG on WikiCommons](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/CCTV_new_headquarters_Fire_20090209_BeDTAKE-1776425878631.jpg) CCTV new headquarters Fire by WiNG on WikiCommons ## [The CCTV fire: a voice without restraint](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/the-cctv-fire-a-voice-without-restraint) [Li Datong](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Li%5FDatong.jsp) A young writer's bold response to a Beijing blaze embodies the spirit the new China needs 5-6 March ![US Army UH-60 Blackhawk, Baghdad, Iraq by jamesdale10, on Flickr](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/3201398360_b70879b2a9_G8TQLDW-1776425877946.png) US Army UH-60 Blackhawk, Baghdad, Iraq by jamesdale10, on Flickr ## [The US, Iraq, and oil: a choice of futures](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/america-in-the-persian-gulf-a-choice-of-futures) [Paul Rogers](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Paul%5FRogers.jsp) A fusion of energy strategy and military policy in Washington could yet end the long war --- ![418649272_852787bc9c.jpg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/418649272_852787bc9c_ph0sM2R-1776425878104.jpg) 418649272\_852787bc9c.jpg ## [Women's rights in an economic crisis](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/csw-2009/womens-rights-in-economic-crisis) [Jane Gabriel](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Jane%5FGabriel.jsp) At CSW 2009, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women has much to tell 50.50 --- 6-9 March ![iraq](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/529711503_a1d37c22e6_sNbQD60-1776425878122.jpg) iraq ## [The US, Iraq, and oil: a choice of futures](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/america-in-the-persian-gulf-a-choice-of-futures) [Paul Rogers](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Paul%5FRogers.jsp) A fusion of energy strategy and military policy in Washington could yet end the long war --- ## [Democracy and the Muslim world](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/democratising-the-muslim-world) [Asef Bayat](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/521868) An old argument over the compatibility of Islam and democracy is being transformed ## [Why Hamas is no ‘extremist'](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/why-hamas-is-no-extremist) [Alastair Crooke](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/522092) The Western dichotomy between Islamic 'moderates' and 'extremists' is misconceived ## [The Left and Hamas](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/the-left-and-hamas) [Nadine Rosa-Rosso](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/522093) Misreading resistance in the Middle East, the European Left risks consigning itself to irrelevancy 12th Mar ![Army ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/3046353112_ec89c9df92_5wY5d1A-1776425878119.jpg) Army ## [America’s politics of defence](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/america-s-politics-of-defence) [Paul Rogers](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Paul%5FRogers.jsp) The fate of the US's huge defence budget is a domestic drama with global resonance 13th Mar ![3351128047_03d6737d70.jpg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/3351128047_03d6737d70_ofgVMFC-1776425878194.jpg) 3351128047\_03d6737d70.jpg ## [Brazil global, Brazil local](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/mr-lula-in-washington-and-politics-in-brazil) [Arthur Ituassu](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Arthur%5FItuassu.jsp) President Lula visits Washington at a moment of contest over his domestic political legacy Mon 16 March 2009 ![198923462_c3bf664814.jpg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/198923462_c3bf664814_RJxis2R-1776425878214.png) 198923462\_c3bf664814.jpg ## [Russia's undefended migrant workers](https://www.opendemocracy.net/russia/article/russia-s-undefended-migrant-workers++) [Jane Buchanan](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/522174) Russia's vast migrant workforce faces mounting abuse, reveals a new report from Human Rights Watch ## [Diary of an Uzbek Gastarbeiter](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/diary-of-an-uzbek-gastarbeiter) [Mumin Shakirov](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/519857) Once a physics teacher in Uzbekistan, Shukhrat has to work as a builder in Russia to keep his family alive ## [Abused and undefended](https://www.opendemocracy.net/russia/article/russia-s-undefended-migrant-workers++) [Jane Buchanan](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/522174) Russia's vast migrant workforce faces mounting abuse, reveals a new report from Human Rights Watch ## [Diary of an Uzbek Gastarbeiter](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/diary-of-an-uzbek-gastarbeiter) [Mumin Shakirov](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/519857) Once a physics teacher in Uzbekistan, Shukhrat has to work as a builder in Russia to keep his family alive ## [There is no zombie free lunch](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/the-zombie-solution) [Krzysztof Rybinski](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/518464) The Obama-Bernanke financial plans will drain life and energy from the rest of the planet 23 Mar 2009 ![3370586538_e69e1a939d.jpg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/3370586538_e69e1a939d_eIXRn5O-1776425878248.jpg) 3370586538\_e69e1a939d.jpg ## [The Kremlin's virtual squad](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/russia-theme/the-kremlins-virtual-squad) [Expertiza.ru](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/522410) In recent years Russian political internet forums have become prey to the attentions of the Kremlin's "G Team" Mar 24 ## [Madagascar: roots of turmoil](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/madagascar-roots-of-turmoil) [Stephen Ellis](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Stephen%5FEllis.jsp) The coup that ousted an elected president reflects tensions rooted in colonial history ## [Ethiopia's famine: deny and delay](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/ethiopias-famine-deny-and-delay) [René Lefort](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/522594) Millions of Ethiopians once again face misery and famine. Addis Ababa's desire to project an image of a new dynamic country has led to callous denial of the reality ![2200657725_202502a751.jpg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/2200657725_202502a751_0UxXohJ-1776425878215.jpg) 2200657725\_202502a751.jpg ## [Drugs: What Harm?](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/lockdown-in-vienna-the-un-s-drug-summit) [Ivan Briscoe](https://www.opendemocracy.net/author/Ivan%5FBriscoe.jsp) The UN drug summit should recognise that harm to society from organised crime is different from the harm to the person from drug use 29-03 ![zoriah_gaza_tunnel_tunnels_egypt_rocket_jihad_hamas_rafah__20080812_8655](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3f/80/3f804bea-4b2d-4ddf-9ff0-6ec7d0afa5fa/content/images/2026/04/3178788377_6ace8c0842_ddil0Yt-1776425878378.jpg) zoriah\_gaza\_tunnel\_tunnels\_egypt\_rocket\_jihad\_hamas\_rafah\_\_20080812\_8655 ## [Gaza's underground economy](https://www.opendemocracy.net/article/the-tunnels-goldmines-and-graves) [Ebrahim Sobeh](https://www.opendemocracy.net/user/523384) At the first signs of a cessation of the conflict in Gaza, tunnel building recommenced. They are goldmines, graves and shapers of society