English PEN

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico is ranked #148 on the Reporters Without Borders world press freedom index. Fifty-five journalists have been murdered in Mexico during the last five years, about one-third of the some 150 who lost their lives in that time throughout the Americas, making Mexico the most dangerous place on the continent for professionals of the word.

Richard Radford via Getty Images

MOSCOW -- Perhaps the social apathy and the public's lack of interest in politics is a defense mechanism, people's way of responding to the flood of lies and aggression from the authorities. Nobody can figure out where the truth lies, and so it is best not to even go looking for it.

India and Pakistan can accomplish much progress in almost every sphere of life if they take practical steps to maximize the enormous potential they have by working with each other. In spite of realizing what great results friendly relations can offer the two countries, progress has been outrageously slow in addressing the outstanding issues that have perpetuated mistrust and hostilities.

Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Throughout the history of the Islamic Republic, the latter elections (for the Assembly of Experts) have always been viewed with indifference by the people, as the hardline clerics and their supporters believe that the people must be absolutely obedient to the Supreme Leader. However, the upcoming elections have suddenly taken on high importance.

WAKIL KOHSAR via Getty Images

The deaths earlier this week of six brave U.S. soldiers has shone a spotlight on the worrisome situation in Afghanistan -- but we still have cards to play. By taking an international, interagency and private-public approach to the significant challenges, we have our best chance at creating an imperfect but reasonably successful outcome.

Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

COPENHAGEN -- The same countries that now over-report refugee costs at home are part of an underfinancing of U.N.-managed refugee camps in the regions -- despite many of them publicly acknowledging regional accommodation as the better solution to the refugee crisis.

Now I wonder: does it make any sense to celebrate International Migrants Day while in the face of this daily massacre, international governments continue to do nothing?

RareNewspapers.com

TOKYO -- President Obama suggested that there should be an interpretation of the Constitution that reconciles Congress' need for a broad power over immigration and naturalization and the risks associated with judicial intervention in the exercise of that power with the need to prevent blatantly discriminatory laws that are a public humiliation to those they discriminate against. Without that interpretation, the United States may repeat policies that many regard as a blight on its history.

YouTube/Voice of the People

More than a month after 69-year-old Korean farmer Nam-ki Baek was knocked to the ground by high-powered police water cannons at a Nov. 14 rally in Seoul, he remains unconscious and hospitalized. Baek had joined tens of thousands of protesters in the largest street rally in years to protest the government's policies and demand the resignation of President Park Geun-hye.

Bloomberg via Getty Images

CARACAS, Venezuela -- In the span of a few hours the 17-year stranglehold of an opprobrious regime on Venezuelan voters was broken, democracy could breathe again, tears were shed, flags waved and in the land of Bolívar the tide of history turned. Things will not be transformed overnight, but they will never be the same again in Venezuela or Latin America: change has come and it is here to stay.

Getty/WorldPost Illustration

Americans don't want to accept that 21st-century technological life has to come at the price of total vulnerability to surveillance, nor do they want American technology companies to maintain open global networks at the price of their own personal security. Recent calls for blocking terrorists from posting on social media -- from Hillary Clinton, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Google's Eric Schmidt -- reflect a growing American conviction that the state's responsibility to protect its citizens should extend to restrictions on cyber speech.

MARK RALSTON VIA GETTY IMAGES

BEIJING -- With the Chinese poverty line defined as $360 in annual income, there are still 70.17 million people living below that threshold -- a number larger than Great Britain's total population.

ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images

BEIJING -- The last round of scientific, technological and industrial revolution has lost its momentum. China is expected to illustrate to the world that global economic growth needs to be based in innovation to identify new engines and driving forces such as new technology, "internet plus," new products and new sources of energy.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

HONG KONG -- China's leadership well recognizes that a pure economic target is not enough. A well-developed economy, a fair distribution of wealth, a decent living standard, a healthy environment, a civil and upright society and a just society governed by the rule of law -- this is China's vision for the next few decades.

Political change is just the starting point, a window of opportunity to put these subjects on the table and to promote the kind of change that translates into an authentic social revolution.

The 20D vote has thus opened the door to no less than three extremely complex and uncertain scenarios. The only certainty about this election is that the country broke with its past.

Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

BEIRUT -- Washington may be coming to the understanding that neither Russia nor Iran nor Hezbollah believe for one second the U.S. narrative that if Assad stepped down, somehow ISIS would melt away, and that responsible rebels would turn against ISIS to finish them off.