Crooked Bough News Round-up

— Canada's French-speaking population

 

at 4/1/25 3:36am

- North America / Map, 2025/04 canada

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— Europe's growing militarisation

 

at 4/1/25 3:36am

- Europe / Map, 2025/04 russia

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— The Saya de Malha bank

 

at 4/1/25 3:36am

- Environment / Map, 2025/04 saya

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— Why Spain stands with Palestine

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

Spain's leftwing government has been robust in its support for Palestine and Palestinians, in stark contrast to many other European nations. The reasons lie in its shared history with the Arab world. - 2025/04 / article

— Do Canadians still need French?

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

Canada has been officially bilingual for over half a century, but the country's French speakers are worried their language is gradually losing its status in all aspects of life. Some see the ‘Francisation' of new immigrants as the answer. - 2025/04 / article, 2025/04 canada

— Nepal's ‘abolished' caste system is still going strong

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

There is one form of domination that Nepalis rarely discuss and the Maoists have completely ignored: the supremacy of the Bahuns (or Brahmins, the clerical caste) – and to a lesser extent, the Chhetris (or Kshatriyas, the warrior caste) – in all sectors of society. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (‘Prachanda'), former supreme commander of the Maoist forces, is a Bahun, as are Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, the irremovable leader of the UML, and his counterpart in the NC. So too is Thabang (…) - 2025/04 / article, 2025/04 nepal

— Nepal moves on, but a corrupt culture lingers

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

Nepal has had almost two decades of peace after a brutal civil war that ended the monarchy and brought in democracy. But elite corruption and mass migration are thwarting hopes of a new Nepal. - 2025/04 / article, 2025/04 nepal

— Bank raid in the Indian Ocean

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

The little-known Saya de Malha bank in the Indian Ocean is one of the world's biggest seagrass meadows and carbon sinks. Yet its biodiversity is under threat from unregulated industrial fishing. - 2025/04 / article, 2025/04 saya

— Florida goes national

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

The Sunshine State was long a swing state, but not any more. Now it's red in tooth and claw, and its politicians dominate the new Trump administration. - 2025/04 / article

— How soft is soft power really?

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

The concept of soft power – winning hearts and minds as a way of creating allies and avoiding conflict – took off after the cold war. But it's never been as benign as its neoliberal advocates would have us believe. - 2025/04 / article

— Serbians demand an end to corruption

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

Anger has been growing in Serbia since an accident at a railway station killed 15 people in November. Beyond the human tragedy, it highlights how bad things have got in one of Europe's most corrupt states. - 2025/04 / article

— The illusion of a common EU defence policy

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

Invoking the ‘Russian threat' has created European unity, in appearance at least. But with the US disengaging from Europe's defence, has the EU's strategic compass lost its bearings? - 2025/04 / article

— Europe's crisis playbook

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

The EU could, like Turkey, have backed Ukraine in its war against Russia, while simultaneously seeking a mediator role. It didn't. Instead, it's positioned itself in a civilisational struggle. - 2025/04 / article

— The US washes its hands of Europe

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

Donald Trump has made no secret of his contempt for the EU, calling it a foe whose days of freeloading are up. EU leaders now talk of asserting ‘European power', but it's unclear what this means. - 2025/04 / article

— Can Ukraine call postwar elections?

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

With millions of Ukrainians displaced or living under Russian occupation or in exile, elections will be hard to organise, but parties are already preparing. - 2025/04 / article

— Europe on the horns of the security dilemma

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

Few serious analysts believe Russia wants a broader war with Europe, but European leaders speak as if it's only a matter of time. The risks of adopting that mindset are considerable. - 2025/04 / article, 2025/04 russia

— Censors of the world, unite!

 

at 4/1/25 3:35am

A strange new axis is taking shape. Not the ‘axis of evil' that purportedly united the West's enemies, nor the one that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin appear to be forming. But a broader, lesser-known alliance: an international confederacy of censors that brings together autocrats, democrats and bureaucrats. Trump, who was kicked off social media platforms at the end of his first term, vowed to restore freedom of speech in the US, galvanising his supporters, whose often outrageous views (…) - 2025/04 / editorial

— Between lifeline and frontline at the Egypt–Gaza border

 

at 3/17/25 10:56am

‘The only thing that crosses this border freely are the birds,' reflects Egyptian photojournalist Hamada Elrasam, referring to the man-made dividing lines between his home country and the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip. - Outside in / Comment

— March: the longer view

 

at 3/13/25 7:06am

The month's archives. - 2025/03 / perspective

— The feelings doctrine

 

at 3/6/25 6:26am

In entertainment shows, news bulletins and political speeches, emotion has become an essential tool of public life. If feelings, both positive and negative, enrich our lives, they can also pose a formidable challenge to democracy when they sweep in and replace analysis. - 2016/02 / article, Exclusive

— For Europe, it's security first and last

 

at 2/26/25 7:43am

European leaders have dropped their talk of peace dividends. Now political credibility is in direct proportion to how much of your GDP you're willing to spend on defence. But who will pick up the bill? - 2025/03 / article

As of 4/1/25 6:17pm. Last new 4/1/25 5:24am.