It looks like Afghanistan does not only have estimated $3 trillion untapped minerals, but also has hidden historical pieces like Buddha’s sculpture. People believed Bamyan was the only province where Buddhiests made their living centuries back, but Ministry of Information and Culture just discovered other precious pieces of Buddhas in south of Kabul in Shadah-i-Salihin […]
To the recent moves that the central government would deploy its own resources in covering remittances from international labor migrants, the AL government has announced that it will recruit international laborers alongside private recruitment agencies. The move is designed to result in lowering the individual and social costs of transacting with these private–often sordid, criminally […]
This post has been posted on FPA’s European Union Blog and Latin America Blog. FPA.org and the European Union Blog and Latin America blog is proud to blog directly from Toronto and the G8 and G20 meetings in Canada this weekend. Rich Basas, who is one of the principal bloggers and writers for both […]
The Daily Star reports today the program of street protests that BNP leader Khaleda Zia promised would oust the sitting Awami League government was just a bargaining chip to have cases pending against her and her two sons removed from the docket. Against those pending cases, the BNP offered to pull the program of agitation […]
In a move that signals a huge departure from standard practice, the Indian government announced plans to move closer to market-driven fuel prices.
Michael Hastings’ article published in Rolling Stone magazine has claimed more than Gen. McChrystal’s career. Seemingly taking the U.S. leadership hostage, the article seems now to have extended its long tendrils and has squarely, elastically exploded onto U.S. foreign policy in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The New York Times published a stunning article this morning that […]
Nazario Moreno, leader of La Familia, is known as El Mas Loco. He insists his followers do not use the meth they traffic through Mexico and the United States. For spiritual guidance, Moreno has authored a bible, Pensamientos, to guide the syndicate’s members, and he insists on prayer meetings before operations are launched. El Mas […]
Beginning July 1, Canada will enforce the Northern Canada Vessel Traffic Services (NORDREG) policy in its Arctic waters. Vessel tracking will be mandatory for cargo ships, cruise liners, ships over 300 tons, and those carrying hazardous material traveling through Canada’s Arctic waters up to 200 miles out from shoreline (the full extent of the Exclusive […]
Could Obama’s investment in a strong outreach to Medvedev mean that the Russian President, for so long considered a mere window dressing to Prime Ministerial rule, might stick around longer than Putin might like? But as Obama assured Russia of entry into the WTO and resolved the chicken wars, could all this rapprochment be a […]
Lawmakers get that Israel acted in its self defense by boarding the Gaza-bound flotilla of ships. AIPAC and J Street have been battling on whether lawmakers should use the incident to push for an end to the blockade (J Street’s position) or reaffirm the U.S.-Israel strategic alliance and American support for Israel’s security (AIPAC’s stance). […]
A recent New York Times article on disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff is worth a read, if for nothing else than a good chuckle. The former lobbyist, caught in a corruption scandal, is living in a halfway house and working at a Kosher pizza parlor in Baltimore. But, it appears the NYT reporter has never met […]
The annual Global Attitudes Survey released last week offers a fascinating snapshot of how Indians presently see their place in the world and their dealings with other leading countries.
Here are a few observations from Michael Hasting’s Rolling Stone article Obama-McChrystal seemed to be on same page in terms of actual Afghanistan war strategy/policy – This has been an underreported aspect of the whole incident. McChrystal and his aides were mainly critiquing (if ‘bite me’ is a critique) the political process and not the […]
Dear FPA Family, I am happy to announce my return to DC. I shall resume my weekly blogs soon. P.S: Thank you Derek Catsam for bringing the World Cup to us.
I am writing this in the King Shaka International Airport in Durban where I am about to trade the sea breezes and fine sandy beaches for Nelspruit, the gateway to Kruger Park, where I will attend the Cote d’Ivoire-North Korea game in hopes of seeing Didier Drogba and company bury the North Koreans in goals. […]