CYPRUS
Pakistan's relations with the United States have reached a low point, the country's economy is struggling and terrorist attacks have become a regular occurrance. Ex-president Pervez Musharraf tells SPIEGEL ONLINE he thinks he can change all that if returned to power, despite facing deep distrust from the electorate.
He faces a number of challenges, including death threats from the Pakistani Taliban and potential prosecution in mutiple legal cases, one related to the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto -- charges he categorically dismisses. A court granted him preliminary bail, allowing him to avoid arrest for the time being.
President Jacob Zuma has failed to reassure the public that South Africa's troops were in the Central Africa Republic for the right reasons.
But Zuma's statement left reporters with more questions than they had before he began speaking.
While efforts by some Latin American countries to potentially weaken the region's human rights commission were rebuffed, the IACHR could be stronger
By James Bosworth, Guest blogger
Last Friday, the OAS voted to reform the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Most importantly, the organization managed to push back against a set of cynical and harmful proposals by four countries – Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela – that would have weakened the organization and reduced its funding sources. Those four countries ended up isolated from the other 30 voting members of the OAS who remained committed to strengthening the Inter-American human rights system.
Ecuador wanted the system to be funded only by countries that have signed the San Jose Pact and wanted all the rapporteurs funded equally. This would have eliminated most of the funding for the IACHR coming from the US, Canada, and Europe without guarantees of pledges to replace that money. It also would have weakened the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, a particular thorn in the side for Ecuador's censorship-loving president.
26 March 2013 Last updated at 00:43 GMT
Cypriot banks to stay shut until Thursday after all
The central bank has announced that all Cypriot banks will remain shut for at least two more days. Authorities were previously planning to re-open most on Tuesday, with a rush to the telling machines predicted.
The Central Bank of Cyprus and Finance Minister Michalis Sarris announced late on Monday that no Cypriot banks would open their doors on Tuesday or Wednesday. Instead, all the country's lenders were scheduled to open up again on Thursday.
Earlier on Monday, the central bank had said that every bank except the two largest in Cyprus, Laiki Bank and the Bank of Cyprus, would re-open on Tuesday. With all Cypriot banks shuttered since March 15, this prompted speculation of customers racing to withdraw their savings.
Ex-President Musharraf Returns: 'I Want to Free Pakistan from Terror'
Pakistan's relations with the United States have reached a low point, the country's economy is struggling and terrorist attacks have become a regular occurrance. Ex-president Pervez Musharraf tells SPIEGEL ONLINE he thinks he can change all that if returned to power, despite facing deep distrust from the electorate.
Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf returned to his home country on Sunday after nearly five years in self-imposed exile, hoping to lead his All Pakistan Muslim League in elections this May.
Soldier deaths in CAR the result of flawed foreign policy
President Jacob Zuma has failed to reassure the public that South Africa's troops were in the Central Africa Republic for the right reasons.
Thirteen South African soldiers were killed in the conflict-ridden country on Sunday after a coalition of rebel forces invaded the capital city of Bangui.
A further 27 soldiers were injured and one more soldier is missing. Central African Republic's (CAR) President François Bozizé fled to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rebel leader Michel Djotodia has since declared himself interim president.
On Monday Zuma told the press that the deployment was "part of our efforts to contribute towards peace and stability in the region".
But Zuma's statement left reporters with more questions than they had before he began speaking.
Victory for human rights in Latin America?
While efforts by some Latin American countries to potentially weaken the region's human rights commission were rebuffed, the IACHR could be stronger
By James Bosworth, Guest blogger
Last Friday, the OAS voted to reform the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Most importantly, the organization managed to push back against a set of cynical and harmful proposals by four countries – Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela – that would have weakened the organization and reduced its funding sources. Those four countries ended up isolated from the other 30 voting members of the OAS who remained committed to strengthening the Inter-American human rights system.
Ecuador wanted the system to be funded only by countries that have signed the San Jose Pact and wanted all the rapporteurs funded equally. This would have eliminated most of the funding for the IACHR coming from the US, Canada, and Europe without guarantees of pledges to replace that money. It also would have weakened the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, a particular thorn in the side for Ecuador's censorship-loving president.
26 March 2013 Last updated at 00:43 GMT
Living Black: Australia's trail-blazing indigenous show
Australia's trailblazing indigenous TV programme "Living Black" is celebrating a decade of bringing stories of triumph, resilience and tragedy to a national audience.
The country's longest-running indigenous news and current affairs show has survived tight budgets and management changes to become a beacon of broadcasting in a country where indigenous life can be ignored by the mainstream media.
"It is a unique programme that is filling a void," said Karla Grant, presenter and executive producer at the Living Black studio in Sydney. "No one else is doing the stories that we do."
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