The Nigerian film industry, which has taken on the derivative nickname of “Nollywood,” has just passed the United States and now ranks second only to India’s Bollywood in terms of number of films produced per year. I am not even going to begin to pretend that I had any idea about nigeria’s cinematic accomplishments.
President Barack Obama signed a proclamation declaring May the official Jewish American Heritage Month. To celebrate, I think I’ll go watch a Woody Allen movie. Notably, the White House release states: “Among the greatest contributions of the Jewish American community, however, is the example they have set for all Americans. They have demonstrated that Americans […]
Pakistan is not big a country and therefore, when one part is affected, the entire country feels the pressure. Now, after the operation against the Taliban in Swat, millions of people have migrated from the area and this exodus has created a tremendous humanitarian challenge for Pakistan. Not only is the country responsible for housing […]
In an interview with Middle East Progress, former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy discusses the threat of Iran obtaining a nuclear device and states that Israel should not interfere with the new administration’s approach towards the rogue state. According to Halevi, Iran merely seeks regional influence and the only manner in which Iran can extend the […]
The Pope’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories was marred by both sides of the ideological spectrum. After speaking at Israel’s holocaust museum Yad VaShem, many Israelis, including the speaker of the Knesset, lambasted the Pope for failing to show remorse over the six million Jews that were killed. Instead, the critics claim that […]
I apologize for my recent absence as I was getting married. Speaking of marriage, while I was gone US President Barack Obama deepened his ties to the conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Obama administration held another trilateral meeting with Afghan’s Karzai and Pakistan’s Zardari in DC, defended the US military’s use of airstrikes in […]
A new INSS article discusses Israel’s precarious posture between allying itself with the United States and the country’s refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. The article stems from a recent comment made by Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller urging every nation, including Israel, to sign the NPT. Israel refuses to sign the treaty, insisting […]
Zimbabwe’s unity government has reached the hundred days mark. This is a landmark of sorts, I suppose, albeit a rather artificial one. We live in an age of instant punditry, but my best interpretation of the plight of Zimbabwe is to reserve judgment. Governments are not based on increments of a hundred days (I think […]
Forging a new partnership between the United States and China can help address climate change, but only if regulatory and market shortcomings can be overcome. A new alignment on energy and the environment between China and the United States sounds like a formula capable of delivering real solutions on climate-change issues. China’s abundant scientific research-and-development […]
Bank lending slowed down in April China in April tightened its previously loose monetary policy in an effort to curb fears of new asset bubbles. State bank lending fell from a record RMB 1,891 billion in March to RMB 591.8 billion ($85.2 billion). Last month’s lending, however, was still well above the monthly levels of […]
Like its fellow resident the polar bear, the little furry seal has been at the center of international disputes in recent weeks. There are three species of seal in the Arctic: the harp seal, the ringed seal,and the bearded seal. The harp seal is white and fuzzy when it is a baby, and this is […]
It is just awful to see how rapidly everything in Pakistan is degenerating. There is hardly any sector or segment in the society that is either stable or making any progress. The overall situation looks even bleaker when one hears the masses talk about their daily lives. Therefore, it is not unusual to see […]
Eight countries from the Middle East and Central Asia met in Prague on Friday to push along plans for the Nabucco pipeline. Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Egypt signed the agreement while Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan insisted there were more issues to be addressed. Turkmenistan is sending a delegation to Brussels in June for another meeting […]
Normality is returning to Mexico City. Unfortunately, the Mexican economy is not. The economy is clearly beginning to lag, which has enormous implications for public finances and employment. The Ministry of Finance has just revealed that federal income has decreased while government expenditures have increased. This cannot be good for the national debt. It seems […]
A Hizballah official complained Monday that the Lebanese army is still not equipped to deal with Israeli aggression. MP Mohammad Raad commented on the situation: “In military science, two regular armies should own balanced weapons to be able to confront each other,” adding “Despite the brave officers and soldiers of the Lebanese army, there is […]