Tony Blair’s video diary | Uncandid camera | Economist.com

Proof, if you needed it, that politics is a ridiculous business.

UN reform | Fix it or scrap it | Economist.com

Ineffective Commission on Human Rights might yet get reformed.

FT: China winning resources and loyalties of Africa
Once again evidence of China operating at an international level.

Lots of pluses for all sides in this: for China access to resources and global political credibility / influence; for African nations aid, technology etc, from a nation that probably does better understand and for the west someone else to share the burden with (and I do rather think that a little bit of undermining of the IMF’s position might be a good thing).

However, the Chinese organisations (government and otherwise) involved need to consider the ethical dimension, Chinese (at large) will not remain disinterested forever and western governments and peoples certainly already are (despite the obvious hypocrisy), not to mention of course what is right!