“Already the world’s preeminent energy and trade interstate seaway, the Indian Ocean will matter even more as India and China enter into a dynamic great-power rivalry in these waters,” writes Robert Kaplan, a correspondent for The Atlantic and senior fellow at the Center for New American Security. Appearing in the current issue of Foreign Affairs, […]
Charlie Rose interviews Fred Mishkin, Nouriel Roubini, et al. This is a concise — but informed — discussion of where we are, and where we need to go as far as the current American banking and financial crisis. The interview by Charlie Rose of Fred Mishkin (Columbia University), Nouriel Roubini (NYU), Mark Zandi (Moody’s) and others […]
One way for an aspiring power to avoid the hard work of building a formidable economic base upon which to base future military power is to acquire nuclear weapons. Although not easy, this constitutes a fairly cheap way to become a major regional, if not a global, power in spite of one’s pygmy status in […]
Vaccine drive to tackle risks of Nigeria polio spread A $67 million campaign is underway to vaccinate 53 million West African children against polio in an attempt to raise immunity in one of the virus’ last bastions. “The plan is to reach every child, even in the most rural areas or in the most populated […]
On Sunday, Chinese authorties reported that the Chang’e-1 space probe made a successful and planned crash landing on the Moon. This is the first time any Chinese spacecraft has touched the Moon. China’s Xinhua state-controlled news service explains that the Chang’e probes are part of an extended mission aimed at eventually sending recoverable and manned missions to the Moon. Xinhua reports:
Clifford Levy writes an incisive peice about the current Ukranian financial crisis in today’s New York Times. The Ukrain experience has close parallels to what’s happening in the U.S. and western Europe, but on a smaller stage. Could this be where we are headed..??
One of the historic strengths of the U.S. economy has been its flexibility. Dust bowl migrants relocated to Michigan for auto jobs in the thirties. Hiring and firing has been less fraught with regulation in the U.S. than in other countries. Labor mobility has helped buoy U.S. productivity growth in years past. Rapid adjustment could […]
http://www.worldpress.org/ World Press Review is an excellent aggregator of breaking news headlines and analysis from the often forgotten corners of the world. The paper covers the major industrialized Markets; but it does a much better job of reporting from the dusty, but relevant , corners of the world. Expect to see well written analysis from […]
In his inaugural speech, President Barack Obama asserted that the United States remains “the most prosperous, powerful nation on earth.” No matter how powerful a nation is, however, its priorities still need to be rearranged and sometimes compromised, especially when dealing with key allies and partners. This much was evident by U.S. Secretary of State […]
All for multi-tasking and passing the boredom of standing in the grocery line, this new application from The Extraordinaries has gotten me excited about the new possibilities of volunteering. Smartphone software that allows someone to use micro amounts of spare time for social good. We deliver volunteer tasks on-demand directly to the phone like a […]
“I’m a normal teen; I’m just really passionate about social justice.” (Teen Voices Interview) Sejal Hathi is only 17 and still in high school, nonetheless she has found her calling and a way make an impact on girls around the world. When Sejal was only 15 she founded Girls Helping Girls, an international organization which […]
Here are some reviews of some books on two environmental visionaries, an article about a world-famous campaigner against the looming specter of climate change, and a lucid, comprehensive and deep report on managing solid and hazardous wastes. In The Ecstasy of John Muir, Robert Pogue Harrison reviews an apparently magisterial biography, A Passion for Nature: […]
Kipling had it right. I was at an event recently at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs (where I’m teaching) and Elisabeth Rosenthal, the “NY Times” environmental reporter based in Europe, was being interviewed. She touched on a number of important subjects including the talks in Poznań in December, some of the international politics of climate […]
That’s the title of Paul Krugman’s column today at the “NYT.” As I’ve been saying here, that sure seems to be the gestalt of the Obama administration and the new Congress when it comes to energy, the environment and climate change. Krugman says here, among other things, “…it’s also heartening to see that the budget […]
Federal authorities Friday moved alleged al-Qaida operative Ali al-Marri to the civilian court system following six years of solitary confinement in a Navy brig in South Carolina. U.S. officials announced al-Marri would be transferred to Illinois to face in the civilian courts charges of providing material support to al-Qaida and for conspiracy. Each count carries […]