An innovative software/think tank called New England Complex Systems Institute developed a model several years ago predicting violent protests due to high food prices. It has proven to be highly accurate over the years. Violent protests always have many and varied causes, but the theorists argue that high food prices seems to serve as the “spark” for violence. The chart buttressing their conclusions seems to be quite persuasive. The fact that the very high price for food in 2013 will likely go down in 2014 is a somewhat encouraging note.
In a rare breakthrough, the UN Security Council has finally passed a resolution demanding that the Syrian government allow humanitarian aid to be introduced into the country. The resolution was not vetoed by either Russia or China because is contained no reference to enforcement if the Syrian government refuses to allow the aid in. Rather, the UN Secretary-General has to report to the Security Council about the success of the aid mission, at which point the Council must decide what action to take if the aid is refused. Needless to say, the resolution is a very weak one, but the best that could be passed. It does open a small window of possible help if enough public pressure can be brought to bear on the Security Council.
Ukraine President Yanukovich has left Kyiv, and the government is effectively leaderless right now. The assumption is that the agreement to call for new elections and to rewrite the constitution back to its 2009 form are still in force, but there is now way to verify that conclusion. In an extraordinary turn of events, protesters has essentially taken over Yanukovich’s private residence about 12 miles outside of Kyiv and are protecting it as a way of illustrating the corruption of his regime. The opulence in which Yanukovich lived was jaw-dropping, as suggested by some of the photographs from the site.
World Politics News 
Leave a comment