China's growing role in UN peacekeeping

An interesting report released today by the International Crisis Group examines China's peacekeeping contributions. The report argues that the emergence of such a trend is a positive step for UN peacekeeping more generally, especially at a time when both conflicts and peacekeeping operations are becoming more complex. Definitely worth a read.

Among the very few times I hope the media is lying...

Via World Politics Review:

Zimbabwe's national unity government faces imminent collapse, due to its failure to get critical financial aid from the international community. Experts have now warned that the government might soon fail to pay its workers, with the potential for serious civil unrest as a result.

Horrible news if indeed true, no less so given that the power-sharing arrangement came to fruition a mere two months ago. I sincerely hoped that I would have been proven wrong in my initial skepticism. ::sigh::