In Memory of Anthony Shadid

February 17, 2012 3:53 pm by shawndonnan

By Shawn Donnan, FT World News Editor

Anthony Shadid (C) as he interviews residents of Cairo's impoverished Imbaba neighborhood, during the Egyptian revolution. AFP PHOTO/ED OU FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

Anthony Shadid (C) as he interviews residents of Cairo's impoverished Imbaba neighborhood, during the Egyptian revolution. AFP PHOTO/ED OU FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

The Middle East and its conflicts have generated plenty of great works of journalism. However, the reporting produced by Anthony Shadid, the New York Times correspondent who died on assignment in Syria on Thursday, was exceptional.

While many others have found a calling in grand analysis of the region’s geopolitics, his was in the often heartwrenching stories of its people.

For more than a decade, the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner gave the Middle East’s citizens a compelling voice in a western media often more prone to stereotype and cliché.

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Posted in Foreign affairs, Middle East |

FT podcast: World Weekly with Gideon Rachman

February 16, 2012 11:22 pm by FT

Further uncertainty in Greece and Chinese princeling Bo Xilai under pressure

This week Gideon Rachman discusses with Peter Spiegel, FT’s Brussels bureau chief, whether time really has run out for Greece. He also talks to Jamil Anderlini, FT’s Beijing bureau chief, about Bo Xilai, the Chinese princeling who recently suffered a severe blow to his chances of becoming a member of the Communist party leadership.

Produced by Amie Tsang and Serena Tarling

Posted in China, Greece |

In the Picture: Happy birthday, Kim Jong-il

February 16, 2012 8:08 pm by Esther Bintliff
 

This handout picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows the statues of former North Korean President Kim Il Sung (L) and late leader Kim Jong Il (R) riding on horses together after being unveiled at the Mansudae Art Studio in Pyongyang on February 14, 2012

KCNA/AFP/Getty Images

Let’s face it, equestrian statues have since ancient times been an effective way for countries/governments/propaganda machines to honour their leaders and heroes (the earliest preserved equestrian statue is the Rampin Rider, found in the Acropolis).

So perhaps it is not surprising that North Korea decided to cast a larger-than-life bronze version of their late leader, Kim Jong-il, and his father Kim Il-sung, both gripping the reins of two rather spectacular ponies (the contrasting postures of the riders and their steeds are rather interesting – share your thoughts on any coded messages in the comments below). 

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Posted in Asia, In The Picture |

Another Yank at the Bank

February 16, 2012 7:03 pm by Alan Beattie

Bye bye Robert Zoellick! Photo: JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images

Robert Zoellick goes from the World Bank, no doubt biding his time and eyeing up the possibility of a job as secretary of state or Treasury secretary in a future Republican administration (most likely Romney – he’s not really a Santorumite), and for the second summer in a row, the starting flag drops on the race to run one of the world’s top financial institutions.

Given that the quid of the Euro-American stitch-up worked to install Christine Lagarde at the IMF last summer, the pro, as it were, will most likely drop into place with an American appointment this year. To John Cassidy’s list of possibles I’d add John Kerry – international name recognition, interest in development, administrative experience –  though that could depend on whether he has something else in mind.

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Posted in Global economy |

Heading for a campaign car wreck?

February 16, 2012 5:56 pm by Edward Luce

What is it with Mitt Romney? Having failed in what ought to be the relatively simple task of knocking out Rick Santorum, the decreasingly prohibitive Republican frontrunner now appears in danger of giving away his “home state” of Michigan – the primary that was supposed to be his firewall in the Republican contest.

It is embarrassing enough that Mr Santorum is now running ahead of him in many national polls, as well as Thursday’s latest numbers from Michigan, which votes in less than two weeks. Can it really be that hard to take out Mr Santorum? This is a rival, after all, who wastes few opportunities to disparage contraception, which is in widespread use among all categories of voter. Even the most hardened social conservative knows that Mr Santorum’s prelapsarian social views would make him unelectable against Barack Obama. Poll after poll shows that self-described evangelicals say their highest priority is to deny Mr Obama a second term.

Continue reading: “Heading for a campaign car wreck?”

Posted in US politics |

“Ugly”Germans and America in decline

February 16, 2012 11:49 am by Gideon Rachman

I am currently involved in a couple of online debates – one on Germany, one on whether America is in decline.

Clive Crook has written a thought-provoking riposte to my column on Tuesday, which he thought was too sympathetic to Germany in the current euro-row. Meanwhile, over on the Foreign Policy web-site, I have been debating with Bob Kagan on the vexed question of American decline.

Continue reading: ““Ugly”Germans and America in decline”

Posted in Germany, US foreign policy, World affairs |

In the Picture: Greece under pressure

February 15, 2012 5:27 pm by Esther Bintliff
A woman walks past the Bank of Greece headquarters with a wall covered with graffiti, reading: "Rob to Get Money," in Athens on February 13, 2012. LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images

Louisa Gouliamaki for AFP/Getty Images

Want to know a little of how it feels to live in Greece today? This photo, taken in Athens on February 13, could be a good place to start. The headquarters of the Bank of Greece defaced, the logo replaced with ‘Bank of Berlin’; a blood-like splatter of red paint; a scrawl of caustic advice to Greek citizens confronting pay cuts and tax rises: “Rob to Get Money”. And in the corner, a woman, who is presumably trying to get on with the everyday reality of her life.

As the country flounders under unsustainable debts and the increasingly shrill demands of international creditors, the Greek people are facing their fifth consecutive year of recession- and that is before the latest round of austerity measures have even been enacted.

How much more can they take?And how long before the rest of Europe concedes defeat in its battle to prevent the country from a messy default?

Continue reading: “In the Picture: Greece under pressure”

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Posted in Greece, In The Picture |

Does Germany want Greece out of the euro?

February 15, 2012 3:08 pm by Gideon Rachman

Evangelos Venizelos, the Greek finance minister, has more or less accused Germany of trying to force Greece out of the euro. Is he onto something?

It depends which Germany you are talking about.

My impression from talking to policymakers in Berlin recently, and following the debate subsequently, is that different bits of the German government have different views on the matter. The Foreign Ministry and people around the chancellor seem keen to keep the Greeks in – for a mixture of political and economic reasons. The Finance Ministry is much more equivocal.

Continue reading: “Does Germany want Greece out of the euro?”

Posted in Germany |

What “The Sun” shines on Cuba

February 14, 2012 7:31 pm by John Paul Rathbone

February is the month of balmy summer days in Latin America, although the season of beach holidays hasn’t stopped a delicious diplomatic storm from brewing.

At the heart of the thundery electrostatic is the perennial problem. Will Cuba attend the “Summit of the Americas” this April?

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Posted in Latin America |

The rise of the Greek extremes

February 14, 2012 6:55 pm by Gideon Rachman

The latest news from the EU is that the euro-group has postponed a meeting to approve the Greek bail-out. Jean-Claude Juncker, who chairs the group, announced – “I did not yet receive the required political assurances from the leaders of the Greek coalition parties on the implementation of the programme” . Insisting on iron-clad assurances from the Greek government is all very well. But there is one flaw in this strategy. Greece is due to hold elections in April. And the latest opinion polls suggest that the mainstream parties who are signing this deal could be swept away, anyway.

Continue reading: “The rise of the Greek extremes”

Posted in Greece |
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with Gideon Rachman

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Gideon Rachman and his FT colleagues debate international affairs.

Gideon became chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times in July 2006. He joined the FT after a 15-year career at The Economist, which included spells as a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Washington and Bangkok. He also edited The Economist’s business and Asia sections.

His particular interests include American foreign policy, the European Union and globalisation
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