in 1949 , its founders decided against direct democracy , partly out of fear of what the direct will of the people can bring about . In a sense , the media in Germany are also representative . Trained journalists have made it their profession to weigh the news and decide what is important and what is not .
In a rave review of his most recent book , World Order , for The Washington Post , she made clear that his " building a cooperative relationship with China " was her idea of " smart " diplomacy . A central argument of World Order - also the bottom line of Dr Kissinger 's previous book , On China - is that the US should not pursue a policy of containment , much less confrontation , towards China . In his view , such a strategy risks an escalating strategic rivalry between the establishedgovernment.formation.napower and the rising power - of the sort that throughout history has led to war . My former colleague Graham Allison calls it the " Thucydides trap " , in honour of the ancient Greek historian who first identified the phenomenon , and he estimates that rival powers have fallen into it many times over the centuries . For Dr Kissinger the most troubling analogy is Britain and Germany before 1914 .
Ban Ki - moon argues ‘ it ’s high time now ’ for female leadership of the United Nations as candidates including Helen Clark and Susana Malcorra vie for top job Ban Ki - moon , the UN secretary general , has said a woman should lead the United Nations for the first time since it was establishedgovernment.formation.startgpemore than 70 years ago . As he nears the end of his second five - year term , Ban said that “ it ’s high time now ” for a female secretary general after eight men at the helm . There are currently 11 candidates vying to succeed Ban : six men and five women .
Story Continued Below That was the year Putin ’s friend and partner Gerhard Schroeder lost the German elections and resigned as chancellor . Schroeder and Putin , who spoke German after serving in the KGB in East Germany , understood each other well and establishedgovernment.formation.startgpeclose diplomatic and personal ties . But in 2005 , Schroeder was replaced by Angela Merkel , whom Putin did n’t understand — and does n’t understand to this day . In the intervening 12 years , he started suspecting Merkel of deceiving him , spinning intrigues and weaving conspiracies against him .
Internet phone company executive Jonathan Kaplan pleaded guilty in Bridgeport , Conn. , in 2007 to accepting more than $ 400,000 in a commercial bribery scheme . Kaplan received probation . A law enforcement source , speaking on condition of anonymity because of pending legal matters , confirmed that prosecutors did not know that Kaplan had establishedgovernment.formation.startgpean offshore company in the British Virgin Islands in 2004 called SGA Wireless . It remained active until May 2010 . Reached by phone in New Jersey , Kaplan was asked whether he told authorities about SGA Wireless .
The unanimous assessment of all experts : The paper in the hands of BILD is genuine . The commission 's work is already bearing fruit . The Donbass Commission , or de facto government of the Russian - occupied areas in eastern Ukraine , was establishedgovernment.formation.nain December 2014 . Officially : on account of " the urgent need and critical humanitarian situation " in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions . Yet directly after its foundation , the Commission disappeared from the scene , officially never meeting again . The founding document from December 2014 contains the Russian name of the commission , dedicated to deal only with “ humanitarian aid “ .
But the withdrawal of South Africa , a leader on the continent and a strong proponent of international justice , could be more damaging . “ It is quite plausible that other states will quickly follow suit , ” said Kamari Clarke , a legal scholar at Carleton University in Ottawa who has studied the court ’s activities in Africa . The ICC , which began hearing cases at The Hague in the Netherlands in 2002 , was establishedgovernment.formation.naas a court of last resort , to prosecute grave abuses when countries would not or could not act against those responsible . Why has there been so much focus on Africa ? The ICC ’s jurisdiction is limited : It can investigate crimes that took place in or were committed by nationals of the countries that ratified its founding treaty , the 1998 Rome Statute .
REUTERS / Rodi Said HASAKA , Syria / BEIRUT Syrian Kurdish forces took near complete control of Hasaka city on Tuesday as a ceasefire ended a week of fighting with the government , consolidating the Kurds ' grip on Syria 's northeast as Turkey increased its efforts to check their influence . The Kurdish YPG militia , a critical part of the U.S.-backed campaign against Islamic State , already controls swathes of northern Syria where Kurdish groups have establishedgovernment.formation.startgpede facto autonomy since the start of the Syria war in 2011 . Their growing sway has alarmed Turkey , which is fighting an insurgency among its own Kurdish minority . Syrian rebels backed by Turkey said they were in the final stages of preparing an assault from Turkish territory on the Islamic State - held Syrian border town of Jarablus , aiming to preempt any YPG attempt to take it .