World Politics News   Articles for World Politics Course

British Prime Minister David Cameron sent a note to the European Union outlining his conditions for Great Britain to remain a member of the Union.  The demands are as follows:

• Protection of the single market for Britain and other non-euro countries
• Boosting competitiveness by setting a target for the reduction of the “burden” of red tape
• Exempting Britain from “ever-closer union” and bolstering national parliaments
• Restricting EU migrants’ access to in-work benefits such as tax credits

The demands are ambiguous and designed to guide the debate in Britain as it moves toward a referendum in 2017.  It will be interesting to see how the eurosceptics in Britain mount their attack on the Union before that date.

Reuters is reporting that Russia is working toward an 18-month political framework to resolve the civil war in Syria.   Russia is denying the report, but it rings true to the diplomatic offensive that Russia has been waging to retain its influence over Syria and to bolster its presence in the Middle East.  The draft document apparently holds out the possibility the Syrian President Assad could remain in power, a position adamantly opposed by the US and Turkey.  But it doesn’t seem to require that Assad remain in office, so there is a little wiggle room for all sides.

Odeleite River, Portugal

The above photograph captured the attention of millions of people in China, who quickly noticed that the river was reminiscent of a dragon–an auspicious symbol in China.  It has been dubbed the “Blue Dragon River”  after the photo was published on Imgur.