As Syria continues to boil, with reports of increased violence in Latakia, and a continued heavy military presence in Dera’a, the international community is now debating its response. The US has been the most outspoken regarding the need for action. The Obama administration is mulling a series of targeted sanctions in response to recent outbreaks […]
It is hard to tell if Nigeria’s holding of gubernatorial elections despite the violence that convulsed parts of the country after the recent violence that followed the country’s presidential elections represents an example of prudently staying the course, foolishly provoking a continuation of the climate of violence, or simply hopeful whistling past the graveyard. Ultimately […]
Of the 65 volunteer-staffed disaster relief operation centers in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, 56 are restricting the participation of volunteers. Some are allowing only local residents to volunteer at the centers. The restriction is due to the inability to accommodate large numbers of volunteers, as well as concerns of increased traffic due to the […]
In the last installment of the two part “Trading with the Enemy” Series, this blog looked a serious issues of contention affecting Sino-American trade-relations, cyber-espionage and hacking. Now we will examine a little discussed area of discomfort, trade between China and it’s very large northern neighbor, Russia. Over the last two decades, the Sino-Russo “Cold […]
At the beginning of the “Arab Spring” Syria was seen as the steady, stable Arab nation that was immune to the changes sweeping the region. 6 weeks ago, President Assad was still seen as a potential agent of reform. 6 weeks ago, everyone thought that the Syrian regime still had time. Wrong, wrong, and wrong.
Almost a year ago, I enthusiastically wrote about the recognition of Right to Education (RTE) as a Fundamental Right in India. Making elementary education an entitlement for children in the 6-14 age group, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 was expected to directly benefit close to ten million children who […]
There’s no dearth of coverage of well-known philanthropist, and professed education advocate Greg Mortenson’s alleged malfeasance with funding for his renowned Central Asia Institute. The author of the popular volume, “Three Cups of Tea” and advisor to the U.S. military brass there has been accused of pilfering millions of dollars that he raised on the […]
There was a really interesting article written this week by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy’s Patrick Clawson and Michael Singh about Palestinian state building. The article discussed the claim by the IMF and World Bank that the West Bank is very close to being prepared for statehood. Clawson and Singh argued that in […]
Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Monday that it will cancel plans to hire 1,100 new employees and cut the salaries of all its employees in the wake of the crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The company said in February that it planned to hire 1,100 upcoming graduates from 6,500 applicants. The company […]
Israel’s worst fears on the so-called democratic revolution in Egypt seem to be taking shape, with a majority of Egyptians calling for an annulment of the peace agreement and extensive support for the terror-aligned Muslim Brotherhood continuing to take root, according to a new poll of Egyptians from the Pew Research Center. Pew found that […]
Over the course of the last month, Conservative and Reform synagogue’s in Israel have been under attack. They have been vandalized and had stones thrown at them. They have had their windows broken and the ensuing glass shards scattered amongst their playgrounds and sanctuaries. Some of these attacks have come during Shabbat, while the congregation […]
I came across a series of amazing photographs of the Aral Sea by Radek Skrivanek, a photographer who started visiting and documenting the devastation of the Aral shoreline and the surrounding areas since 2004, and returning to the region many times between 2004 and 2007. You can read more about his fascination with the Aral […]
The Democratic Party of Japan fared poorly in the second round of nationwide local elections following losses in the gubernatorial and prefectural elections two weeks ago. Of the 10 municipal and ward mayoral elections in which candidates affiliated with the DPJ ran against candidates affiliated with the opposition Liberal Democratic Party, the DPJ won three […]
The Following piece is written by a Yemeni-based journalist who writes for Foreign Policy Association (FPA) and, due to serious security concerns, remains anonymous. Following a statement made on national television, an aide to Ali Abdullah Saleh informed Yemen that the President had indeed agreed to resign under the latest GCC proposal. This news comes […]
US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza has been denied permission to visit the Armenian cemetery in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan. Bryza had promised to go to the (former) cemetery, located in the village of Djulfa, during his confirmation hearings before the US Senate last year after he had been criticized for what was perceived […]