The PMLN’s policy of not recognising the “PCO Supreme Court” anticipated its decision to reject the verdict the Supreme Court reached Wednesday to disqualify the Sharif brothers. The deposed chief justice, Mr Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, was able to say in Dera Ghazi Khan that “the Court forfeits its legitimacy by issuing verdicts that are against […]
The depth and breadth of Operation Xcellerator suggests that Mexican drug cartels present a clear and present danger to the American population and its institutions. Operation Xcellerator is an extensive investigation that resulted in the arrest of 775 criminals and the seizure of almost $60 million dollars and 23 tons of drugs, among other assets. […]
European Commissioner Charlie McCreevy, has delivered a stinging criticism of the financial regulation system (over which the Commission, incidentally has significant oversight power). He accused them of having tolerated relaxed lending practices and the accumulation of unsustainable debt by households, individuals and companies. Mr. McCreevy said there would soon be Commission action regarding the regulation […]
After Russia forced Kyrgyzstan’s hand in closing Manas Airbase, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), formed in 2002, has increased its role by creating a Rapid Reaction Force. The CSTO includes the four central asian states except for Turkmenistan (which is officially neutral), Russia, Belarus and Armenia. Its stated purpose is preserving its member states […]
A few items… 1. Eurasianet and the FPA’s Global Food Crisis blog have once again highlighted the plight of hunger in the Afghan state. The Eurasianet report states that around 40,000 Afghan citizens die every year because of hunger, way overshadowing those that are killed by violent conflict, though the two are connected in many […]
Two separate scientific surveys of climate change at the North and South Poles have just revealed new evidence that the poles are warming faster than expected. The International Polar Year 2007-2008 endorsed the work of over 160 different scientific projects to carry out a wide variety of research. Together, the scientists’ work illustrates the dramatic […]
Wedad Lootah, an Emirati social worker, has published a book about sex, marriage and Islam that is now for sale in the UAE. The title is “Secrets of Sexual Congress Between Married Couples”. She paid for the publication out of her own pocket, and had the mufti of Dubai review her manuscript beforehand.
Haaretz reports that Hizballah has a tough time finding another Imad Mugnyeh. The guy was a genius. There is no point to negate that Hizballah is a strong local and regional non state player, and in this context, it is better to have Lebanese instead of Iranians for whatever it is they want to do […]
New call for U.S.-China climate change summit Kenneth Lieberthal, a former National Security Council officer on Asia in the Clinton administration urged the leaders in the U.S. and China to focus their cooperation on fighting climate change. Mr. Lieberthal pressed the issue in Beijing at the release of his study on climate change in cooperation […]
There is no doubt that the people of Zimbabwe desperately need aid. Years of Robert Mugabe’s malign neglect, punitive policies, and utter disregard for the masses in his country have meant that access to basic food, health care, and other essentials has been limited to nil throughout the country. And so now, under the new […]
Kadima is likely to lead the opposition against a Likud dominated government, according to recent reports. The main sticking point in coalition building discussions focused on Palestinian statehood, with Kadima Chairman Tzipi Livni mandating a two state solution and Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu insisting limited sovereignty in the territories. Some analysts are at odds over […]
WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s foreign minister said Wednesday that his country has asked the United States to provide unmanned planes that would allow Pakistan to strike extremists hiding in rugged terrain along the Afghan border. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in an Associated Press interview with reporters and editors that Pakistan, and not the United States, […]
WASHINGTON: The US on Tuesday pledged close strategic consultations with Pakistan on plans for the high-stakes region along the Pak-Afghan border. The pledge came after a meeting between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the State Department – marking the formal start of a three-way American policy […]
WASHINGTON: Pakistan is on a rapid trajectory to failure as a stable, democratic state and needs a boost of $4 billion in US aid and loans each year to begin turning around, a private foreign affairs group has concluded. “Time is running out,” said the Atlantic Council, which urged more training and deployment of 15,000 […]
Maybe it was just a harmless aside that means absolutely nothing. Still, when I read that South Africa’s Kgalema Motlanthe recently said that Jacob Zuma would drop out of the race for the presidency if he thought it for the best for the country, my jaw dropped. Motlanthe was asked on Tuesday night by an audience […]