The negotiations about the possibility of negotiations between Sudan’s leaders and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Darfur’s largest rebel organization, have gone about as well as can be expected, assuming you know enough to keep expectations low. One of the problems is that while JEM is crucial to any peace prospects, its presence at […]
China eases Hukou restrictions for college graduates Faced with surging numbers of unemployed college graduates China has asked its municipalities to ease the Hukou restrictions for non-local college graduates. The Hukou system is a left-over restriction from the Cultural Revolution that allowed the Chinese government to control for migration and settlement of its population. The […]
Traffic accidents in Egypt continue to be a major problem as over 30 people have been killed and scores injured on the roads just this month. Official estimates place the number of deaths resulting from road accidents in Egypt at around 6000 to 8000 per year with tens of thousands of injuries. In August 2008, […]
Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman may recommend the formation of a Likud-Kadima-Yisrael Beiteinu coalition later this week amidst concerns that an ultra-right coaltion would not appropriately represent the Israeli people and respond to foreign criticisms. Another article questions the working relationship between a Likud-led or Kadiam-led coalirion with the United States, declaring a right wing […]
In contrast to its neighboring countries with vast oil and gas resources, Tajikistan has the most important resource in the world; large reserves of fresh water. Some of this water is now being used for a single dam, the Nurek, which provides the country’s electricity. Unfortunately, the dam alone cannot provide enough power for Tajikistan’s […]
Read it all on Al Manar. Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah declared on Monday that the Islamic Resistance has the full right to possess all kinds of weaponry, including anti-aircraft weapons, emphasizing that the Resistance has the courage to use such weapons. His eminence renewed his pledge to retaliate the assassination of Islamic Resistance […]
While the Arctic is seen primarily as a place to harvest the earth’s resources, it is also the site of major efforts to preserve the earth’s riches for posterity. On the island of Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic, scientists are working hard to increase the number of seeds at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a […]
The Vagina Monologues of Soviet studies is finally here! After years of being made to feel guilty and ashamed about their past, of knowing that they did not fit into the virgin/whore, dissident/collaborator straitjacket of Western sovietology, ordinary ex-citizens of the USSR can thank Alexei Yurchak for an empowering and nuanced take on everyday Soviet […]
Watch former Italian prime minister Giuliano Amato speak about “Russia today from the European perspective”, a lecture organised by the Foreign Policy Association for the Game Changers series.
Just as I was discussing on my other blog the Pakistani state’s inability to control or effectively coexist with the Islamic culture and religion within its borders, Islamabad announced a new deal allowing the Swat region to be ruled by Sharia law. This is yet another deal the Pakistani government has made with one of […]
the New York Times’ Sabrina Tavernise covers a conference among Muslim women interested in reform that took place this past weekend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She quotes several women advocating Islamic reform efforts to patriarchal systems, as opposed to reform efforts using the language of secular liberalism. She also points out references to Morocco’s sweeping […]
“What we want of the national dialogue is neither to negotiate disarmament nor to negotiate the integration of Resistance into the army. What we want is the completion of the defense strategy, ” said Hizballah official Mahmoud Qamati. MP Mohammad Raad tried to clarify [but in fact did not] the problem saying that Hizballah is […]
China and U.S. to resume military dialogue Following U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s Asia tour the U.S. and China will resume their military dialogue end of February, officials from both countries announced today. The dialogue was temporarily suspended last year as a result of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. China’s concerns over protectionism China’s […]
President Shimon Peres may urge Kadima and Likud to form a coaltiongovernment, he alluded to high school students in Be’er Sheva by stating his desire to ‘listen to the people.’ During the speech, he notd that upon receiving the official election results Wednesday nights, he would begin stressing coalition building for the next government. While […]
People are brutalized and some killed. Why? Because of political affiliation. Disappointingly that happens in today’s Lebanon. Hand Grenade Tossed at LF Center in Sin el–Fil Sfeir Criticizes Hariri Rally Violence that Left 1 Dead, 30 Injured Jumblat Calls for Restraint after Slaying of PSP Member And to end in the same tone. Berri came […]