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Eyes on the U.S. In The News

Trump’s Domestic Frontline: Americans Are Finally Pushing Back

Donald Trump’s ultimate battle isn’t abroad — it’s at home. From campuses to city halls and the military, resistance is rising as America’s institutions push back against his power grab.

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In The News

Smartphone Bans In Schools Might Not Help Teen Mental Health After All

With RFK Jr. and half of U.S. states backing phone bans in classrooms, the science remains unsettled — and experts warn that sweeping restrictions may do more harm than good without a broader rethink of how kids use tech.

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics Migrant Lives Trump And The World

Habeas Corpus No More? How Far-Right “Invasion” Rhetoric Became Trump’s Legal Weapon

The Trump administration is using the claim that immigrants have “invaded” the country to justify possibly suspending habeas corpus, part of the constitutional right to due process. A faction of the far right has been building this case for years.

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Geopolitics

King Donald? Here’s How Trump Is Systematically Trying To Dismantle Democracy

Trump’s series of executive orders, from asylum laws to federal grants cuts, not only defy the U.S. Constitution, but hint to the President’s will to gather more — if not all — executive power to the point that it no longer resembles democracy.

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climate change Green

Does A River Have Rights? Inside The Movement To Grant Legal Personhood To Nature

The Vilcabamba, the Atrato or the Whanganui have achieved recognition as living entities with rights. More and more rivers are achieving this type of legal protection (and respect). In Spain, the Tins was the first river to have its rights recognized.

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Economy Geopolitics

Why Peru’s President Is Going To China — It’s Not Just The Billions In Trade

Peru’s President Dina Boluarte is traveling to China to fine tune free trade with this vital, if overbearing, business partner. It will also help her flee the deep and wide popularity among Peruvians.

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LGBTQ Plus

For Kosovo’s LGBTQ+ Community, Reconciling Amid Homophobia And Nationalism

Once defined the most homophobic country in the Balkans, Kosovo’s queer community is now calling for more recognition and consideration from the authorities. But numerous obstacles remain.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Europeans, Vote! A Lesson In Democracy From My Non-Political Nonna

As citizens across the EU prepare to elect a new parliament, Italian author Viola Ardone remembers her late grandmother who, despite an elementary education and lack of political interest, never missed an election.

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Geopolitics

Why Hezbollah Chief Nasrallah Could Become Iran’s Next Supreme Leader

Iran’s constitution effectively allows any Shia theologian to become Supreme Leader, and the maneuvering to succeed Ali Khamenei now appears to include Hassan Nasrallah, longtime influential leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia. It could redraw the map of the Middle East, but would ordinary Iranians and politicians stomach such an audacious imposition?

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Society

Dolce Vita, Where Are You? An Italian Takedown Of The Cult Of Working Out

With the social value of sports having recently been officially acknowledged in the Italian constitution, writer Simonetta Sciandivasci reflects on the cult of excessive health, and rants about the impossibility of keeping up beauty trends masked as self-care.

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Ideas Russia-Ukraine War

Two Big Obstacles To Peace: The Russian And Ukrainian Constitutions

Even if Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky were willing to find a compromise on territory, their respective constitutions explicitly forbid signing off on such a deal.

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Geopolitics Ideas

The Latin American Left Is Back, But More Fractured Than Ever

The Left is constantly being hailed as the resurgent power in Latin America. But there is no unified Left in the region. The “movement” is diverse — and its divisions are growing.

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In The News

Is Israel’s Far Right More Extreme Than In Italy Or The U.S.?

French writer and political scientist Dominique Moïsi was in Israel last week for the country’s latest elections, which saw the victory of a hard right coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu. He warns that there is an inherent conflict between the self-declared “start-up nation” and the anti-science, anti-liberal program of the new government.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Chile’s “Silent Majority” Reminds Us About The Overreach Of Identity Politics

An overwhelming majority of Chileans quietly but very clearly voted to reject a draft constitution, which it feared would lock the country into a radical socialist mould.

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Ideas

A Battle For “New Rights” Or Trick To Maintain Wealth And Privilege?

The expansion of constitutional rights has become a rhetorical tool for populist governments, when they do nothing to address much more vital questions like wealth inequality and social injustice. Latin America offers sharp examples, past and present.

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Geopolitics

Tunisia’s New Constitution And Risks Of A Return To “Presidential Dictatorship”

In the cradle of the Arab Spring, democracy is once again at stake.

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Ideas Paris Calling

Adieu Roe, Watching From Paris As My Rights Are Stolen Away

A young American takes in the most personal and political moments of her life far from home. What will it feel like when she lands back in Idaho?

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In The News

Tunisia’s Drift From Democratic Revolution To Authoritarianism

The Tunisian president is cultivating his ambiguities and pushing his constitutional reform, without proposing a roadmap to get the country out of the crisis. Refusing to speak to the media, he has an increasingly populist tone with messianic accents.

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In The News

In Chile, Between Healthy Change And Outright Chaos

The social explosion of 2019, a referendum the following year, and last month’s ‘mega election’ have pushed the country in a whole new direction. But is there any method to the madness?

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Geopolitics Ideas

Xi Jinping Risks All And Nothing In Hong Kong Crackdown

-OpEd- Chinese tanks have not rolled through the streets of Hong Kong, but Beijing’s legislative coup Tuesday, on the eve of the 23rd anniversary of the territory’s handover to China, is provoking a similar fear. Pro-democracy business owners have hastily removed the slogans that lined their storefronts and thousands are applying to emigrate, with Australia […]

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Geopolitics

End Of Perestroika? Russia’s Media Reacts To Putin’s ‘Reset’

MOSCOW — After months of speculation, it appears that Vladimir Putin has finally settled on a strategy that will allow him to retain power beyond 2024. Ever since he announced plans to make a raft of amendments to the country’s constitution back in mid-January, discussion had been rife over what exactly the Russian president — […]

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Geopolitics Ideas

70 Years On, Germans Find Pride In Their Constitution

Against a tide of right-wing nationalism, Germany’s Basic Law — with its emphasis on fundamental rights — is as relevant now as it was 70 years ago, when it first appeared.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Why German Unification Is Still Unfinished Business

There is much to admire about Germany’s nearly 70-year-old constitution. But it also contains a serious flaw.

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In The News

The Battle For A Constitutional Right To Literacy

Lawyers representing students in several U.S. states are making the case that the right to literacy is the bridge to so many other rights.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Catalonia Like Quebec? Spain Should Be As Cool As Canada

PARIS — What is France to do, as neighbors, and we Europeans, as fellow citizens, faced with the declaration of independence of Catalonia? It undermines a large European democracy on our border, Spain, and places us in the face of an unprecedented challenge. Within what right do we say “yes’ or “no” when the nationalism […]

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Geopolitics Ideas

Secularism Under Attack In Turkey, Asking The Hard Question

-OpEd- ISTANBUL — Parliament leader Ismail Kahraman said Turkey’s new constitution should be based on religion, not ideals of secularism. Needless to say, this created a fuss. And yet, it is no secret what Mr. Kahraman thinks. The Unity Foundation, of which the parliament head is a founder, had a committee that proposed a draft […]

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Geopolitics Society

Japanese Women v. Shinzo Abe

Japanese women are challenging the three-year-old Shinzo Abe government with “constitution cafes” and street protests.

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Geopolitics

Japan’s Quiet Return To Global Weapons Market

As President Obama arrives on an Asian tour, yet another sign that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to undo Japan’s pacifist policies that are a vestige of World War II.

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blog

Watch: Young Tunisians ‘Happy,’ Dance To Pharrell

BIZERTE — Tunisia’s youth are posting videos on social networks of themselves dancing to Pharrell William’s song “Happy” as a kind of gleeful response to post-Arab spring tensions that the country still faces. The first video appeared in early January, and was approaching 200,000 views on YouTube. “We’re happy in spite of everything,” said Fairouz, […]

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Economy

Corporate Revolution: Switzerland Kisses Goodbye To The Golden Parachute

BERN – Switzerland may be set to become the world champion of shareholder democracy. Swiss voters gave overwhelming approval to the popular initiative against excessive corporate compensation — an initiative launched by Thomas Minder, an entrepreneur from the city of Schaffhausen. Some 68% voted in favor of Sunday’s ballot measure, and each local canton received […]

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Geopolitics

Venezuelan Assembly Postpones Ailing Chavez’s Inauguration

BBC, EL NACIONAL, EL UNIVERSAL, ULTIMAS NOTICIAS (Venezuela) Worldcrunch CARACAS- After a three-hour debate, the Venezuelan National Assembly has approved the request of President Hugo Chávez to postpone the inauguration for his new term in office, which was scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 10. Photo: Wilson Dias/ABr via Wikipedia According to the BBC, the Venezuelan constitution […]

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blog

After Vote, Morsi Signs Decree Establishing New Egyptian Constitution

AL MASRAWY (Egypt), SKY TV Worldcrunch CAIRO – After weeks of confrontation over a proposed new Egyptian Constitution, President Mohammed Morsi has signed the decree that makes the new document the law of the land after voters approved a nationwide referendum, according to press reports early Wednesday. Al Masrawy reported the official results of the […]

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Geopolitics

Muslim Brotherhood Accused Of Secret Police Tactics, Torture

CAIRO – On December 5, violent clashes raged for hours between supporters and opponents of President Mohamed Morsi, after the latter attacked a sit-in outside the presidential palace by protesters rejecting the constitutional declaration and a snap referendum. A total of 49 people were captured, beaten and kept overnight in makeshift holding cells as their […]

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Geopolitics

Voting For New Egyptian Constitution Has Begun – See The Ballot

AL AHRAM, MASRAWY (Egypt) Worldcrunch CAIRO – The very first Egyptians, those residing abroad, began casting their ballots Wednesday to say “yes” or “no” for the country’s new Constitution. They will have until Saturday to either send their voting card by post or present themselves in the voting bureaus in voting offices in their respective […]

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Geopolitics

More Surprises From Morsi, As Cairo Stays On Edge

MASRAWY (Egypt), AL JAZEERA (Qatar) Worldcrunch CAIRO – Attempting to tame the wave of rage that erupted last week in the capital, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi continued his weekend maneuvering into the early hours of Monday morning, imposing and quickly rescinding a new consumption tax. On Saturday, Morsi announced he would annul the constitutional declaration […]

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Geopolitics

As Cairo Burns, A Reporter Blends Into Muslim Brotherhood Ranks

CAIRO – After clashes one night this week near the presidential palace, I went to a mosque near the palace. I knew it would be open, as it was time for the dawn prayer. I immediately recognized people from the Muslim Brotherhood, especially when I saw my neighbor from our town on the outskirts of […]

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Geopolitics

Morsi To Address Nation, Egypt Speeds Constitution

AL-AHRAM, EGYPT INDEPENDENT (Egypt), TIME Worldcrunch CAIRO – As opposition protests across Egypt gather momentum, the Islamist-dominated Constituent Assembly is rushing to finalize a draft of a new constitution that will be voted on Thursday. Egyptian daily Al-Ahram reports that the government body worked into the early hours of Thursday in an attempt to finish […]

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Ideas

China: Why Re-Education Camps Have No Place In A Modern Nation

-Editorial- BEIJING – Just like the former extrajudicial “Custody and Repatriation” procedure for moving beggars and homeless people out of Chinese cities, the Re-education Through Labor (RTL) camp system has long been criticized. There is now a general consensus that the unjustified administrative procedures of the labor camp system should be reformed. After years of […]

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Society

Tunisian Women Refuse To Give Up Their Rights

TUNIS – Dorra Bouzid is elated as she faces the slogan-chanting crowd. “It’s the first time I’ve seen an audience at such a fever pitch,” says this emblematic journalist, who wrote the first feminist column in 1955. She feels validated in her opinion: “I’m from the generation that built independence, I’ve always believed in my […]

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