Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian Archives

Reactions from Around the World to the Kim-Trump Meeting

13Jun

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian, Diplomacy and International Law, Sanctions, Types of News: Analysis

Reactions from Around the World to the Kim-Trump Meeting

NEWS ANALYSIS June 12, 2018--People say the devil is in the details. And with the joint statement signed by U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-Un, the world has very little details with which to judge the outcome. In essence, the statement speaks to the leaders' intentions to establish relations between the two countries and to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. It is non-binding, and it probably carries less wait in the world of global politics than any one of Trump's tweets. Still, it made for a good photo opportunity for both leaders. Promises Pledged Trump said he would guarantee security to the North Korean (DPRK) government regime and end joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises. Kim said he would work toward denuclearization of the Korean Pen...

Putin Calls for ‘Unity’ Following Landslide Reelection Win

19Mar

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian, Democracy, Eastern Europe, Types of News: Brief

Putin Calls for ‘Unity’ Following Landslide Reelection Win

March 19, 2018—A day after easily winning another six-year term in office, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for cohesion in domestic politics and constructive dialogue in international relations. It was a landslide victory for Putin, as expected given the ruling party's control over the media, judiciary, and tools of suppression against dissent. He won 75 percent of the vote, securing his place in office through 2024. While Putin is popular in Russia, and considered to be a strong leader, the election itself was not competitive. Furthermore, observers are complaining about large-scale violations, including ballot-box stuffing and voting that was compelled by employers at state-owned companies. The main opposition leader, Aleksei Navalny, was not able to run due to a financial-...

6Feb

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian, Diplomacy and International Law, Global Economics, Global Trade, Types of News: Infographic

A Tale of Two Koreas: Part I

February 18, 2018--In a symbol of historic and familial ties, athletes from both North Korea and South Korea will march together in the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The show of unity masks the extreme differences between the two countries. The two Koreas could not be more different in their national priorities, economies and quality of life. On the one side of the border, in South Korea, the quality of life is quite strong. The vast majority of the population has access to the best technologies and mobile communications. The economy is the 11th largest in the world, and trade with the rest of the world approaches $1 trillion. In contrast, in North Korea, the economy is one of the weakest and most isolated in the world. Trade in goods with the rest of ...

18Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian, Diplomacy and International Law, Globalization, Disintegration, Nationalism, Populism

Xi Asserts China’s Authority to Lead

China is set to be “a global leader in terms of comprehensive national strength and international influence” by 2050, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Oct. 17 as he addressed the country's Communist Party congress in Beijing. Mr. Xi outlined his vision for providing global leadership using the Chinese Socialist Democracy model of growth. International observers are calling the marathon three-and-a-half-hour speech to the party's 2,300 delegates and the world at large a "sweeping," "ambitious" and "epic" agenda. President Xi's address is significant not only for its embrace of global economic integration at a time when many in the West are turning inward, but also because China is seen as adopting an increasingly more authoritarian approach to governing. Since taking of...

4Nov

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian

An American in Cuba: History & People

It was the first full day of the trip. I awoke early, ate breakfast and met my tour guide Rose and travel companions in the hotel lobby. It would be a full day touring by foot and bus. We were eight adventurers--George and Barbara, a couple who ran a family furniture business in Florida, Mike and Ana, a couple living in the Pacific Northwest who were just months away from expecting their first baby, Joel, a man in his 30s or 40s from California, two women from Alaska, and me. Clouds over head kept the air cool as we walked around Havana. Back at the Plaza de Armas, the story of Cuba unfolded. Christopher Columbus had landed there in 1492, declaring the island to be "the most beautiful land human have ever seen." Twenty years later, the Spanish took it as their own, using mostly un...

22Oct

By Patti Mohr1 Comment

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian

Cuba: Hello Havana

It takes less than an hour to reach Cuba from Tampa, Florida by airplane. Simple, really. And yet it is still hard to see that Cuba is just 90 miles from the United States. The island has been forbidden land for most law-abiding Americans for so long. For the most part, it is still not legal to travel there unless you book, like I did, an educational tour through one of the roughly 100 organizations certified by the State Department to run people-to-people cultural tours. The U.S. government allows travel to Cuba for up to 12 different reasons. Tourism isn't one of them. So while the Canadians head straight for the beaches and stay there, Americans visit senior-center projects, organic farms, child care centers, artistic sites and museums. For most, it's a pretty packed schedule. Get...

North Korean Dealings with Hong Kong-Business Keep Regime Alive

25Jun

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Communism, Dictatorship, authoritarian, Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Sanctions

North Korean Dealings with Hong Kong-Business Keep Regime Alive

Despite extensive sanctions against North Korea by the United Nations, European Union and United States in response to its nuclear testing, the world's most isolated country is not as isolated economically as one might suspect.According to a groundbreaking investigation by the Financial Times, North Korea relies on an obscure web of connections to finance foreign and domestic projects and bring in the foreign currency it needs to survive.The main group, Office 39 based in North Korea, conducts "illicit economic activities" to produce income for the leadership, according to the Financial Times. North Korea is also known to export weapons, drugs and indentured servants.It has dealings with a multi-million dollar private company based in Hong Kong, referred to as the Queensway Group. The pri...