Violent protests erupt in East Timor
Opposition supporters in East Timor have clashed with police, in what the United Nations (UN) has described as "sporadic and isolated" violence, after President Jose Ramos-Horta invoked his constitutional hand to end a period of political deadlock by appointing Xanana Gusmao prime minister. The former ruling Fretilin party has questioned the legality of this move.
The Dili-gence blog reports that many expats and locals alike were not at work today - particularly those based in government buildings, with many shops closed and streets disserted across the capital. During the night, the Customs building was burnt down. The patience of the population fast wearing thin at such debilitating political instability, it seems.
Enforcing the rules, but with restraint?
A recent report by the International Crisis Group asks whether the "shock therapy" tactics of President Rafael Correa, in tackling corruption and reinforcing the rule of law in Ecuador, will finally bring stability to Latin America's most precarious democracy.
No.10 accepts Guantánamo detainee obligation
Britain has asked the United States to release five British residents detained at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. This marks a major reversal for Downing Street, who, under Tony Blair, refused to accept responsibility for the individuals because they are not British citizens.
Russian "act of aggression" against Georgia
Tbilisi has accused Moscow of committing an "act of aggression" against the former Soviet state, after two Russian fighter jets allegedly entered into Georgian airspace on Monday, deploying a surface-to-air missile during the episode. Russia denies the claims.
Darfur factions find common ground
Darfur dissident factions have reached "a common platform" for negotiations with the Khartoum government, and want to hold "final" talks with the administration during the next few months, UN and African Union mediators have disclosed. The government is said to be unenthusiastic about some of those demands outlined by the factions.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor has said that Sudan will risk becoming a "pariah country" if Khartoum does not hand over the man accused of masterminding the Darfur massacre for trial. To receive our daily security briefings, click here
A stream of asylum-seekers fleeing conflict in Sudan presents Israel with a dilemma that Europe has failed to solve, says Caroline Moorehead on openDemocracy.
'Give them a good reason to join your side'
You can not just "open the jail after 25 years", notes ‘Hammer', an Iraqi interpreter for the 82nd Airborne Division in Baghdad, criticising the immediate push for democracy in Iraq. "Let people out step by step". What Iraqis need more are jobs, electricity and a decent life - "Give them a good reason to join your side and they will do it". Read ‘An Iraqi Interpreter's Story' on Michael Totten's Middle East Journal.
A de-securitisation of the West Bank
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas have discussed "fundamental issues" on establishing a Palestinian state, during talks in the West Bank town of Jericho. Abbas received Israeli assurances to remove some of the barriers, checkpoints and roadblocks restricting Palestinian movement in the West Bank.
Dhaka detains 24 ‘militants' bound for Kabul
Bangladeshi police have detained 24 suspected Islamist militants at Zia International Airport, near the capital Dhaka. The individuals were bound for Kabul.
The Dhaka blog discusses the ways in which the Vested Property Act in Bangladesh - which allows the government to declare any citizen an ‘enemy' and confiscate their property - has been used to persecute Hindus living in the country for decades. It has, they note, been exploited by all the major political parties in Bangladesh, particularly with increased Islamist party power, and the de-secularisation of the constitution.
