The problem of international naval piracy has received renewed attention in recent days, prompted by attacks on several ships, including a Saudi tanker off the coast of Somalia. Voice of America reports almost 100 ships have been attacked off of Somalia this year. Piracy, of course, is the original crime under international law, and so […]
Nelson D. Schwartz of the New York Times uses an example from the sorry history of the British motor industry to warn that auto bailouts, currently a hot topic in the United States, may not necessarily bring about the desired results. As a parallel with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, Schwartz describes the once-mighty British […]
Staying with the subject of the G20 Summit, I was looking over the White House website for the summit, they provide a fact sheet on the agreement reached by the world leaders last weekend in Washington, it makes for interesting reading. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace also takes a look back at the summit, […]
The New York Times' Stephen Castle reports from Brussels that on Wednesday November 12, the European Union has mostly done away with rules that banned "extra knobbly or oddly shaped produce' from grocery stores. The previous report that we cited on the matter concluded that Mariann Fischer Boel, the Danish European Commissioner for Agriculture faced […]
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama invited Hillary Clinton to Chicago last week for a talk. Inevitably, it was leaked that she was being considered for the post of Secretary of State. Most pundits have emphasized the positives of this possible appointment for the Obama administration. It would finally seal the deal with the small but persistent […]
Center for American Progress Action Fund vice president Nina Hachigian comments to Politico on the implications of the financial crisis for the U.S. role in the world: The financial crisis is horrible, but it's reinforcing two central truths. First, that we really have to focus on home and getting our domestic house in order […]
I'm a big fan of the "Financial Times." I think they have consistently excellent coverage on global issues, very much including energy and the environment. Their top reporter on the environment beat, Fiona Harvey, really seems to get to the heart of things and to find the compelling angles. They have an ongoing "In Depth" […]
Agence-France Press reports the Rwandan government may issue indictments against former French President Francois Mitterand and Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin for their alleged role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. A recent Rwandan government investigation held approximately 20 French officials, including Mitterand and Villepin, responsible. At the same time, a Rwandan official has been arrested […]
Facebook is now graced with a Women and Foreign Policy fan page. So, if you are so inclined, show your undying devotion to the blog. Not to sound too cheesy, but we hope that the page will foster a sense of community and provide another way for you to give us the always appreciated feedback. […]
I did the right thing today and brought some electronic waste downtown to a Department of Sanitation drop-off site. I can't say that I'm impressed with New York City's program in this. The advertising was poor – you really had to search for it even at their website. Plus, there were far too few locations […]
On the 20th of November we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and what better way to celebrate and bring attention to children's rights then to publish a children's version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We Are All Born Free is a picture book celebrating […]
The extreme toll that the fighting in the Congo has taken on children is only beginning to emerge. In all conflict children are the hardest hit, but the severity of the situation in the Congo highlights the country's ability to handle the capacity of those affected. Children who have either been orphaned or lost in […]
"Osama" is the story of a 12 year-old girl living in Afghanistan during the rule of the Taliban. When the girl and her mother lose their jobs at the local hospital because of the Taliban crackdown on women's rights, she must cut her hair and pretend to be a boy so she can work. The […]
The convergence of business and the non profit sectors in recent years has sparked an interesting conversation around the use of business lingo and methods in the social sector. Regardless of your preferred term – venture philanthropy, philanthrocapitalism, social entrepreneurship – the involvement of business in the social sector has prompted good debate on 1) how to quantify the […]
Faustin Chongombe is a journalist from eastern Congo. He is currently studying for his doctorate at Swansea University in Wales where I made his acquaintance. I have asked him, with his permission, to publish an email he wrote about the crisis in Congo. Dear friends, -I have been receiving hundreds of mails and phone calls […]