At the Munich Security Conference, the Ukrainian opposition asked for assistance from the European Union and the US. The violations of human rights committed by the Ukrainian government against the protesters are certainly serious enough to warrant sanction, but the request places the Western countries in an awkward situation. They most definitely want to show support for the protesters, but they also wish to avoid giving Russian President Putin an excuse to claim outside interference in Ukrainian internal affairs.
The Syrian peace negotiations in Geneva ended today in abject failure. None of the parties seemed willing to engage in any meaningful dialogue, and, apparently, there were complications with the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons. While the negotiations were being conducted, nearly 2,000 Syrian civilians died. The international community needs to apply more pressure on the parties involved.
South Hadley and Western Massachusetts seem to be moving out of a bitterly cold period of winter (let’s hope the sub-zero temperatures don’t return). In contrast, Brazil and Australia, in the southern hemisphere, are going through a brutal summer. The summer in Brazil is damaging an already fragile economy, leading to greater fears for the overall economic health of the emerging economies.
World Politics News 
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