With the spectacular branding of French first lady, Carla Bruni, by the Iranian state media as ‘prostitute’, the world once again becomes witness to the cultural mindset of Iran’s political elite running the country. This is only one aspect into the narrow circle in charge of decision making in Iran. The insistence of this group […]
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s exhortation that the journalists work with her to consolidate democracy sounds more like a threat than a claim that the government and journalists should work together. The Daily Star reports that she rang out: “Don’t do anything that might jeopardise democracy in the future.” Claiming that journalists help pass propaganda in […]
Oh c’mon now. Seriously: Pakistan? Pakistan’s already lost face to the world on politics, economics, development, education, human rights, and now…cricket? Pakistanis seem to have been taken down on the grounds of one of their most important cultural exports. Four players of the Pakistan team have been alleged to have accepted bribes to fix matches. […]
While overseeing the departure of American forces in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, warned Sunday that a new Iraqi government may still be months away from formation and said that an extended impasse could create demands for a new election to break the deadlock, which has existed since March 7th. The New York Times published an excellent piece regarding statements made by Odierno yesterday, at headquarters. […]
In the United States Ronald Reagan used to be referred to as “The Teflon President” because no matter what befell his administration or what mistakes he made or what failures he had, nothing seemed to stick. It appears that South African President Jacob Zuma has his own non-stick sheen. Despite myriad personal controversies and political […]
The closer cooperation between Bangladesh and India, signaled as a rush of agreements between public agencies in the two countries, seems to be taking a turn toward more solid ground. Bureaucrats within the two main public utilities have signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a new coal fired power plant in Khulna. Designed […]
Stories that have accumulated on my desk over the last few days with commentary as apt: Increasingly ANC Youth League (ANC-YL) president Julius Malema finds himself in President Jacob Zuma’s bad graces. And this, of course, is shorthand for the increasingly tendentious relationship between the ANC and the Youth League. This is yet another of […]
“The mother came back, got her daughter and checked her daughter and she said, ‘her inside was so’ –she emphasized– ‘opened.’ Then she asked the daughter, ‘what happened to you?’ And the daughter said, ‘while I went to the bathroom there was this man Who held me and had sex with me’.” To say “Beginning […]
The Israeli government is set to revise text books used in the bulk of state-run schools for being overly critical, sparking questions as to the freedom and broader role of public educational institutions. Governments have notoriously — whether in Israel, the Arab world, or the United States — shaped the historical narrative to their advantage. […]
The topic of Lebanese arms is in the news once again. Externally, the United States has put on hold $100 million in military aid for fear that the weapons may fall into the hands of Hizballah. Internally, Prime Minister Hariri is talking up elevated arms control in the wake of a sectarian altercation in Beirut […]
Almost every news outlet is engaged with Pakistan’s flood and the dire needs of her people. The different ways in which terrible fortunes await those who have just narrowly missed losing their lives is mind-boggling. Disease is germinating in viral dark, wet corners. Given this attention, it is heart-breaking that the private and public donations […]
The world is watching in shock as Pakistan grapples with one of the worst floods in history. This week the UN estimated that the floods in southern Pakistan have displaced about a million people in a matter of two days. The massive floods began almost a month ago and have since displaced about 20 million […]
In a sad indicator that Mexico’s drug violence has reached a new level, 72 bodies were found on a ranch near Monterrey, about 100 miles south of the U.S. border. The 58 men, 14 women were believed to be illegal immigrants, crossing through Mexico from Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Honduras. The lone survivor, who […]
Johannesburg (52), Nairobi (56), and Lagos (59) made the Foreign Policy magazine’s 2010 Global Cities Index. The index provides a comprehensive ranking of global cities’ performance by measuring their influence on the world stage, ranging from the size of the economy, politics to culture. Not a surprising choice here, but personally I find the three […]
Two new reports – by Morgan Stanley and the Asian Development Bank – offer optimistic, albeit caveat-filled, appraisals of India’s long-term economic outlook. But whether the country can fulfill its potential is still an open question.