Washington Post (December 23)
“India’s protests should be regarded as a moment of truth for Modi…. Rather than respond with force and epithets, as he has so far, Mr. Modi would do well to abandon this misguided project of Hindu nationalism…. Mr. Modi’s methods of trying to silence the protests by closing streets and Internet connections will serve only to undermine India’s democracy.”
Tags: Democracy, Force, Hindu, Internet, Misguided, Modi, Nationalism, Protests, Silence, Truth, Undermine
Bloomberg (December 9)
Hong Kong is facing the “‘worst ever,” as layoffs and store closures multiply. “More than 5,600 retail jobs could be lost and thousands of stores shut down over the next six months, as pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong continue to disrupt sales during the crucial festive period.”
Tags: Disrupt, Hong Kong, Layoffs, Pro-democracy, Protests, Retail jobs, Sales, Store closures, Worst ever
New York Times (November 26)
“Citizens voted overwhelmingly for pro-democracy candidates” in Hong Kong’s local election this Sunday. “If the Chinese leadership under Xi Jinping had thought that there was a silent majority opposed to the disruptive protests, the turnout and result made clear that a vast majority of Hong Kongers treasure their relative freedoms and have no intention of letting Beijing whittle them away.”
Tags: Candidates, China, Citizens, Election, Hong Kong, Leadership, Overwhelmingly, Pro-democracy, Protests, Turnout, Vote, Xi
South China Morning Post (November 25)
“China’s restrained stance on the increasingly violent Hong Kong protests is burnishing its image as a responsible stakeholder in the international system…. While China cannot afford Hong Kong to become the next Tiananmen, it can well afford to see the city recede into global economic irrelevance. What does not matter economically hardly matters politically.”
Tags: China, Economically, Hong Kong, Irrelevance, Politically, Protests, Responsible, Stakeholder, Stance, Tiananmen, Violent
Los Angeles Times (August 17)
“More than seven decades later, the dispute over who should pay for the suffering…is at the heart of a downward spiral in relations between South Korea and Japan that has spawned a trade war and ignited massive protests and boycotts in South Korea,” putting much at risk. “An $80-billion bilateral trade relationship is in jeopardy, as is a military information-sharing agreement between the two countries that has been valuable for the U.S. and its allies against the North Korean threat.”
Tags: Bilateral trade, Boycotts, Dispute, Downward spiral, Japan, Jeopardy, North Korea, Protests, South Korea, Suffering, Threat, Trade war, U.S.
Businessweek (September 13)
“As Putin prepares to run for a fourth term in elections next March, the plight of his working-class base across the Russian heartland is emerging as a top domestic challenge.” There’s little doubt Putin will win, “but the discontent threatens Putin’s popularity as the economy continues to sputter. After the longest recession in his 17-year rule, real incomes have fallen 12 percent over the past three years, sparking protests in areas that provided solid backing for Putin in 2012.”
Tags: Discontent, Economy, Elections, Heartland, Incomes, Popularity, Protests, Putin, Recession, Russia, Working class
Korea Times (March 13)
Former President Park Geun-hye continues to display an “irresponsible attitude.” Despite a ruling of the Constitutional Court upholding her impeachment, Park “indicated that she would not accept the court ruling.” But it is not her choice. The ruling “is final and unchallengeable…. If Park had any sense of responsibility as a head of state and had felt appreciation toward her supporters, she should have told them that it was time to accept the court ruling and asked them to stop holding violent protests.”
Chicago Tribune (November 26)
“Chicago will not begin to heal until there is accountability and transparency. If there is to be a silver lining in the death of Laquan McDonald, let it be shown through the power of the people who seek change and justice for all.” The release of a one-year old video showing a Chicago police officer shooting a black man 16 times, despite a non-threatening situation, triggered wide spread protests.
Tags: Accountability, Change, Chicago, Justice, Laquan McDonald, Police, Protests, Shooting, Transparency, Video
Baltimore Sun (May 1)
“Looking back over the protests of the last week, both peaceful and violent, it is clear Baltimore has reached a crossroads…. What happens next may well determine whether the world comes to view Baltimore as a city that is succeeding in its effort to renew itself or one doomed to perpetual strife and social dysfunction.”
Tags: Baltimore, Crossroads, Dysfunction, Peaceful, Protests, Strife, Violent
New York Times (December 27)
A quarter century ago Tiananmen appeared to signal the downfall of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Today, “the world’s largest political organization, with 86 million members, seems as robust as ever.” Despite this seeming success, the CCP remains riddled with contradictions and insecurity over everything from protests to environmental catastrophe, a housing bubble and slowing growth. “The dark side of the Chinese dream — the negative fantasy that haunts China’s psyche — explains why Mr. Xi, the strongest Chinese leader since Deng, is so skittish, so ready to jump at shadows.”
Tags: China, Communist party, Contradictions, Deng, Environment, Growth, Housing bubble, Insecurity, Protests, Robust, Tiananmen, Xi
