A U.N. human rights team is scheduled to visit the Gaza Strip during the weekend to investigate Israeli conduct during the Gaza offensive in December.
South African Judge Richard Gladstone, the former chief prosecutor with the international tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, leads …
This blog has also been posted in FPA’s Latin America Blog.
Mexico in 2009 has become the recipient of at least half of the most famous biblical plagues starting in 2008. This past week brought yet another earthquake to Mexico, the second this month that received some media coverage …
Yesterday, a Moscow court slapped the wrists of ultranationalist leader Alexander Belov with an 18 month suspended sentence for hate speech at a rally of his Movement Against Illegal Immigration.
Belov, whose name fittingly means ‘White’, agitates to cleanse the country of non-Slavs under the slogan of ‘Russia …
Mexico in 2009 has become the recipient of at least half of the most famous biblical plagues starting in 2008. This past week brought yet another earthquake to Mexico, the second this month that received some media coverage outside the country. In addition to a full scale drug war, H1N1 …
The “NY Times” reports today on the massive cost overruns of a nuclear power plant at Olkiluoto in Finland and, in the end, the uncertainty of the date of its completion, testing and operation – if ever. The article reports that the difficulties with this flagship in …
Geithner to reassure China on U.S. fiscal discipline
On his trip to China next week, U.S. Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner will try to reassure Chinese leaders on U.S. fiscal discipline. Promising to promote U.S. national savings and to reduce national debt, Mr. Geithner hopes to ease Beijing’s …
Yesterday, Amnesty International released their global survey report on the state of human rights around the world. Iren Khan, Sec-Gen of Amnesty, made a salient observation when she attended a high-level meeting in New York on MDGs last September.
Countries are hard pressed to back up their rhetoric …
Arvind Subramanian, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and Center for Global Development, published a good commentary in the Business Standard arguing that India can learn from China’s strong public finances – a sound fiscal position is crucial for establishing international …
As expected, Cuba’s seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council has already become an obstacle to the process of investigation and recognition of gross human rights offenses. Yesterday Cuba succeeded in blocking debate on abuses in Sri Lanka, which many countries have pushed for after the …
What do you sell when you have nothing left to sell, you have no money, no food, little water, and no prospects of employment? The future looks bleak and so you sell the only thing you have left…your own child! For if you cannot sale one child then how can …
Where are Muslim countries in Pakistan’s hour of need?
Four blasts kill at least 10, hurt over 80 in northwest
Petraeus paid secret visit to Islamabad
A quick recap for those just joining us: On October 6, 2006 North Korea exploded its first nuclear weapon. This past week, it conducted an underground nuclear test and
We often get reminders that a new Administration in Washington means new leadership at U.S. Embassies overseas. Within a year of taking office, an incoming President generally will have nominated (and the Senate approved) new Ambassadors for all major overseas postings. In many foreign government establishments, these appointments are highly …
Major Economies Forum (MEF) on Energy and Climate – After the second of four meetings scheduled to take place among the world’s major economies – all major contributors to global warming – the participants announced progress on finance. The 2nd MEF meeting took place this week in Paris. (See
