US recognition of Egypt's democratically elected Islamist President, begs questions over the fate of Gaza's democratically elected Islamist leaders, how the US forces old Egyptian military friends to play democratic ball, and, right next door, convince Israel to chuck out a report that, if implemented, will end Israel's (albeit disputed) claim to be a democracy.
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China's Nobel Own-Goal
A clearly worried China has scored an own-goal with its ridiculous and abusive reaction to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to its national 'dissident' Liu Xiaobo. The embarrassment should last for some time.
Read MoreNorth Korea couldn't care less
North Korea's latest bargaining chips, two US journalists, are a human dimension to an out of control nuclear situation which has left the world's diplomats stumped—again. It is now a waiting game to see what they are worth
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