Update: Saudi Child Brides

The case of a 12-year old child bride in Saudi Arabia, which had prompted talk of an overhaul of marriage laws in the country (see Jan. 27 post on this blog), has taken an unexpected turn: the child's mother dropped the suit and the young wife now claims her marriage to an 80-year old man was consensual. For details, consult the pieces below. According to the Associated Press, the dropped suit coincides with a reconciliation between the child's mother and her husband, who arranged his daughter's marriage.

It remains unclear what, if any, effects this new development will have on the Saudi government's reform plans.

http://www.startribune.com/world/83365772.html

http://203.197.197.71/presentation/leftnavigation/news/international/12-year-old-saudi-girl-revokes-divorce-plea.aspx

Burma: Son returned to mother after media appeal

The Burmese army returned a 14-year old boy to his mother after she had pleaded for his release on BBC and Radio Free Asia. The boy had been forcibly recruited after a soldier lured him away from his mother, offering him alcohol. This recruiting practice is common in Burma, according to this BBC piece.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8491376.stm

Guinea: Hope for Stability?

Guinea is located in West Africa, bordering Mali and Liberia among other countries.

The country has long been haunted by political instability. In December 2008, Moussa Dadis Camara, a local military leader, seized control in a coup. After a brutal crackdown on protesters which claimed 150 victims, Camara was badly wounded in an assassination attempt. Now, a new civilian prime minister offers the prospect of free elections in the near future.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2010/01/2010126203819945322.html

Saudi Arabia: A major overhaul of the judicial system?

This article from Gulf News suggests that Saudi Arabia is about to overhaul its justice system. The country plans to adopt "many provisions" from judicial systems in the Western world, although with the caveat that any reforms must still be in line with Shariah law.

The article has few details, so it is hard to tell just what the extent of the planned reforms will be at this point. However, the piece also hints that the government will soon announce a new law to curb underage marriages, a major problem in the country and in neighboring Yemen. Stay tuned for more details.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia-to-enact-law-on-underage-marriages-1.574578

Burma: Sen. Jim Webb to meet military leaders

Sen. Jim Webb is due to embark on a diplomatic mission this weekend which is reminiscent of Bill Clinton's recent stint in North Korea. Webb has an appointment to meet Than Shwe, the country's military ruler. He is also expected to request visits with famed democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi and John Yettaw, an American who recently swam to Suu Kyi's home and was sentenced to seven years of hard labor earlier this week. While Yettaw is unlikely to be released immediately, Webb's visit is being watched closely for signs of change in the US government's attitude towards Burma's military dictatorship.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6794748.ece

Brazil: Murder to boost TV ratings?

Wallace Souza, state legislator for Brazil's Amazon region, is already charged with several crimes, including drug trafficking and gang formation. Due to legislative immunity, Souza has not been jailed. Now, new allegations are entering the fray: Souza is suspected of having commissioned several murders to eliminate drug trafficking rivals and boost ratings for his real crime TV show.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2009-08/12/content_8557961.htm

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5idUVrpqMbnY0Jrp_U1UbCGuiKebgD9A100N80

Cyprus: Remains of missing Greek soldiers found

The Greek Cypriot population expressed outrage yesterday after the remains of five missing Greek soldiers were found in an abandoned well. The well is situated in Northern Cyprus, claimed by Turkey after its 1974 invasion of the island. The issue of the island's division has been among potential obstacles to Turkey's bid for EU membership, and tensions over Cyprus continue to flare up between Turkey and Greece. The internationally recognized Southern part of the Cypriot nation, inhabited mostly by Greeks, gained EU membership in 2004.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP/story/1179789.html