Why did we go to Vietnam? What did we do there? And what did going there do to us? Those are the questions asked by “Hearts and Minds” director Peter Davis. At first glance, “Hearts and Minds” is pure anti-war propaganda. Upon subsequent viewing, however, it shows itself to be a truly hands-off approach to […]
I want to flag four important major reports on the impacts from climate change. Three of these came out in June, the third a few months back. What all four do is underscore the urgency of our situation. As you know, the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change came out […]
Demonstrating their global reach, Brazil, Russia, India and China are improving ties with Africa. The BRICs are looking to gain influence, friends, access to raw materials and export markets. Standard Bank of South Africa is publishing a “BRIC in Africa” series focusing on the new players in Africa (the initial report was released in May […]
The re-release of a May 2004 internal CIA report on the agency’s secret detention and interrogation program was again delayed this afternoon, CNN reports. The document has been requested by the ACLU as part of its ongoing Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. It is a report regarding then CIA inspector general John L. Helgerson’s May […]
The Economist developed a multimedia feature about the rich world’s rapidly aging population and the anticipated economic consequences. “At present, the developed countries on average have about four people of working age for every person over 65. But by 2050 this will have come down to only two workers for every pensioner.” With people living […]
The FDA has confirmed the prescence of E. Coli 0157 in raw samples of refrigerated Toll House cookie dough produced in its Danville, VA plant. The FDA and CDC had been tracking the E. Coli outbreak, suspecting Nestlé’s raw Toll House cookie dough, since it was the one food commonly consumed by the over 70 […]
As the U.S. Senate’s permanent committee on Investigations begins an examination of the role of Traders, speculators and Hedge Fund managers in world energy markets, economists and policymakers make a compelling case that price behavior in global energy markets violate basic priciples of economic supply & demand.
This post can also be found on FPA’s Latin America Blog. It came as no surprise to those who knew about the past rights abuses by Iran’s government when many Iranians, especially young Iranians, took to the streets in the last two weeks and were met with brutal retribution affecting every sector of Iran’s vibrant […]
Today marks a milestone in the history of U.S. involvement in Iraq as the U.S. completes the withdrawal of combat forces from Iraqi cities. Will the Iraqi security forces be able to keep the peace? This report from The Washington Post reports that the withdrawal is off to a rocky start: At least 26 people […]
An African Union summit will bring African heads of state together tomorrow in Libya; in anticipation 8 human rights organizations yesterday called on the AU to ensure that Senegal prosecutes former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré for crimes against humanity and torture. Habré, dubbed the “African Pinochet”, ruled Chad from 1982 until 1990; a Truth Commission […]
About two weeks ago John Vidal of the Guardian newspaper wrote that conflicts will increase as government backed companies in the scramble for resources push into territories contested by indigenous people. About a week before his article, something extraordinary had happened. Peru sent in heavily armed police to clear away some 2000 Aguarana and Wampi Indians […]
Mexico’s midterm election for its Chamber of Deputies, six governors and mayors and local legislators in 11 states will be held next Sunday July 5. The governing National Action Party (PAN) has deployed an agressive campaign that attempts to turn the elections into a referendum on President Felipe Calderón’s war against the drug cartels: either […]
Today the American Dollar was met with both encouraging and potentially disheartening news. First, the Dollar rose against the Australian Dollar, Swiss Franc and Yen as China announced that the USD will continue to remain the world’s leading trade currency. In addition, Beijing said it will not make changes to its foreign-exchange reserves. This comes […]
Human trafficking is the worlds fastest growing industry, according to the 2009 State Department Trafficking in Persons Report over 80% of those victimized by transnational trafficking are women and children. According to the International Labor Organization (End of Child Labor Within Reach 2006), each year, some 1.2 million children are trafficked for the purposes of […]
We were away for several days (see post below), otherwise I would’ve further deluged you with information on the passage of the landmark American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454), aka ACES, beyond what you may already have been experiencing. I should, of course, weigh in with my humble opinion. My first impulse, given […]