Interesting take from a Bulgarian magazine on a now decades-long problem troubling almost all of Europe but which is especially acute in peripheral countries. A group of 20-somethings in Bulgaria has formed a network dedicated to curbing brain drain out of their country. Called “Here and There,” the group averages about one hundred people at […]
With ongoing protests raging against the Yemeni government and no clear end in sight; many feel uncertain about the future. If most do not approve of the current regime, the idea that “better the devil you know, than the one you don’t” is deeply rooted within the minds. Ali Abdullah Saleh has been posing for […]
Abeje Chumo I wrote this piece about South Sudan after reading about the massacre of 200 civilians last week by the rebel group led by George Athor. More than 160 of the dead were civilians, such as children, the elderly, refugees and several priests. Such attacks on civilians are sign of the challenges the South […]
On Tuesday, nine years after 60 Hindu pilgrims were burnt alive when their train coach was set on fire, an Indian court in the Western state of Gujarat found 31 Muslims guilty of the crime.
The news of nine boys killed by NATO helicopters has not travelled far or fast. The top story about that horrific turn in Afghanistan has been that General Petraeus has apologized to the Afghan people for the gruesome deaths. It seems the death of nine boys is hardly newsworthy enough to carry in the evening […]
For those curious about whether Israel is more of a liability than an asset to the United States, consider what we have to lose. Aside from the shared values, the stability of having the only democracy in the Middle East as an ally and Israel as a foothold for the United States in the region, Israel provides more intelligence […]
Two years ago, I wrote a long post discussing the political and economic relationship between Mainland China (People’s Republic of China) and Taiwan (Republic of China) ahead of the implementation of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA). The ECFA was signed on June 29, 2010, in Chongqing, PRC, and went into effect on September 12 […]
After weeks of protests fueled by the success stories of Tunisia and Egypt, Yemen’s youth Movement is starting to get attention from the political class. If the President tolerated a somewhat open criticism of his rule and his legitimacy and did not attempt like in Libya to exert a sadistic crackdown on the opposition; he […]
As the introductory post to the Japan foreign policy blog, I pose the question, “Is Japan still relevant?” Twenty some years ago, no one would have thought to raise this question. In 1989, Japan was at the height of its asset price “bubble.” Japan’s post-war economy was dubbed an “economic miracle,” and it maintained the […]
For the past few months, while living in Morocco, I’ve observed the sweeping winds of Arab revolution with great interest. Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Algeria, and Jordan were all ablaze with popular demands for more liberty. I never imagined, though, that the fury would work its way to Morocco, but word came quickly that this […]
Lots going on in the FPA’s Africa blogging network. In addition to my work here, we have new contributors to the North Africa Blog, which is flourishing these days, Ndumba Jonnah Kamwanya’s Southern Africa Blog continues to cover that vital part of the continent, and we have just started a new Horn of Africa Blog […]
Is it likely that the government of Pakistan is trying to delay the onset of proceedings against Raymond A. Davis, the man accused of allegedly killing two motorists on the streets of Lahore? This in order to buy time as back-channel negotiations run up against public sentiment, the natural political deadline in these circumstances? Yes. […]
A hearty congratulations to Laura Seay, who many of you know as Texas in Africa, for making the leap to contributing to The Atlantic with a fine piece on the failed assassination/coup attempt in the DRC.
As a growing superpower, China is interested in projecting its power in maritime regions like the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is also turning its eye towards the Arctic Ocean. An Asia Times article entitled “China, a Snow Dragon in the Arctic,” states, “While Beijing’s interests and policy objectives there remain unclear, […]
Has the Lost City of Atlantis been found off the Atlantic Coast of Africa near the Canary Islands? Google Ocean seems to lead to that possible conclusion: The perfect rectangle – which is around the size of Wales – was noticed on the search giant’s underwater exploration tool by an aeronautical engineer who claims it […]