Global Issues

The Foreign Desk

The Embassy Cables: Saudi Arabia attacked civilians using American intel

December 10, 2010

In a US embassy cable released by Wikileaks, American Ambassador James B. Smith, the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, met with Saudi Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation Prince Khaled bin Sultan in February to...

The Embassy Cables: Blood diamonds in Zimbabwe

John M. Guilfoil

December 9, 2010

A leaked embassy cable posted online by Wikileaks shows that the Zimbabwean government planned to forcibly displace 25,000 villagers in a diamond-rich section of the country early last year. The January 23,...

Feminism: A Profile in France

Laura Krantz

December 9, 2010

LAVAL, France -- “When the rights of some women progress, the rights of others take on a new light and then all of humanity starts to move.” These words hung in the center of an exhibit entitled Rendons nos ...

The Embassy Cables: Our friend Iran (in 1972)

John M. Guilfoil

December 7, 2010

Well, we knew this already, but a Wikileaks-posted cable from the US Embassy in Tehran in 1972 shows how the United States rushed to arm the Shah's Iran, concerned over Soviet interests in the area. The...

The Embassy Cables: Brazil drug problems aren’t new

John M. Guilfoil

December 7, 2010

A small civil war broke out briefly in Brazil in November, as the government tried to clamp down on Rio de Janeiro's massive drug and gang problem. Boston.com's Big Picture blog captured the scene wonderfully. ...

The Embassy Cables: Saudi youth party hard

John M. Guilfoil

December 7, 2010

According to a November 2009 cable from the American Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, put online by Wikileaks on Tuesday, the elite young people there "party like the rest of the world.""Behind the facade of ...

The Embassy Cables: Saudis fear Iranian missile strike more than terrorism

John M. Guilfoil

December 7, 2010

In a Wikileaks-leaked cable from the US embassy in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's office, Ambassador James C. Oberwetter reported in December 2006 that an unnamed S...

The Embassy Cables: Leak suggests strategic importance of Sweden, Qatar

John M. Guilfoil

December 7, 2010

Cables released online by Wikileaks on Sunday were called a "terrorist blueprint" by many, including several prominent news outlets, which have begun to turn on Wikileaks despite continuing to run stories every...

Julian Assange denied bail, will be extridicted to Sweden

Eiko Watanabe

December 7, 2010

Wikileaks founded arrested in the UK

Young Israeli firefighter dies in wildfire

John M. Guilfoil

December 5, 2010

A 16-year-old volunteer Israeli firefighter died in the Carmel forest fire in Israel, a wildfire that is ravaging the landscape. Elad Riven, of Haifa, was killed Thursday. He was a volunteer with a scout gro...

Wikileaks: An American’s perilous escape from Iran

Sachin Seth

December 1, 2010

Wikileaks. I know, I know, you’re probably sick of hearing about cables and embassies and what diplomat said what nasty thing about what leader. But, it’s only day four of nine in the latest Wikileaks saga, and...

Student protests erupt all over Italy sparked by tuition increases and education cuts

Luna Moltedo

December 1, 2010

PISA, Italy -- Student protests literally exploded all over the Italian peninsula this week in an effort to block the approval of the new infamous Gelmini reform, which aims at privatizing the public university...

Wikileaks hit by DDoS attack

Eiko Watanabe

November 29, 2010

th3j35t3r strikes

Roman and Chinese Empires come together in art exhibit in Italy

Luna Moltedo

November 22, 2010

ROME -- Exhibits from the two great empires, the Eagle and the Dragon, comprise more than 400 works on Roman and Chinese empires, spanning second century BC to fourth century AD, on display now in Rome at Palaz...

Few surprises over Chirac’s second round of corruption charges

Laura Krantz

November 9, 2010

LAVAL, France -- Former French President Jacques Chirac now faces two sets of corruption charges after a French judge signed an ordinance Monday summoning him to appear before a criminal court in Paris. Man...

Tomas misses direct hit with Haiti, but rains spread misery

John M. Guilfoil

November 8, 2010

This is a dispatch from Partners in Health, the largest provider of health care in Haiti. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- To the great relief of all, Hurricane Tomas passed by Haiti over the weekend with less destr...

Landslide causes heavy damage to historic Pompei

Luna Moltedo

November 6, 2010

POMPEI, Italy -- Serious damage occurreed at the Italian artistic heritage in the archaeological site of Pompeii where the entire “Domus of Gladiators” fall down. It was the place where the athletes were train...

In Haiti, the water is the biggest danger now

Brittany Eddy

November 5, 2010

A brief dispatch

Commemorating Toussaint holiday in Laval

Laura Krantz

November 2, 2010

The church pews are filled

French protests yield smelly results

Laura Krantz

October 30, 2010

MARSEILLE, France -- Imagine the result if Fenway Park went uncleaned for 15 Red Sox home games in a row. This might give you a faint idea of what Marseille, France’s second largest city and most important sea ...