“Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world” -Maria Montessori (Italian physician and educator, 1870-1952) Giving children freedom of expression and the freedom to pursue their own interests is the greatest gift we can give our children and our future. Sadly this gift is all too often unseen around the globe, […]
I am not going to say a lot here about how Governor Palin and the Republicans are treating the climate change issue at this point. I looked at McCain and Obama back in June. It is very interesting to note, though, that Palin's entry in the race has generated a huge amount of ink, and […]
Today began like any other day for me and so many others, as in an early morning fog craving a cup of coffee I boarded the metro praying for a seat. My prayers were answered and I put on my headset and tucked into my magazine. Then I could faintly hear an announcement…something about the […]
A poll released yesterday by the German Marshall Fund basically echos one released the previous day, and, for that matter, echoes most other polls conducted on the subject of world views on the Presidential candidates. From the press release: “A survey released today shows that nearly half of Europeans (47%) believe that relations between the […]
Today is, of course, the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. President Bush's remarks on the dedication of the Pentagon's memorial to the victims are here. There's little Dan or I can add to the great deal that has been said about the attacks except to add our prayers for the victims and their families […]
The United States paused today to note the anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. This is an opportunity for reflection and resolve. We look back on those attacks (the archive of The New York Times report can be found here) from this safe distance seven years later and marvel at the national unity that arose […]
As I am currently based in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and working on issues of religion and politics (with the Tajikistan Dialogue Project), I couldn't resist sharing with you the following Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty articles. The first and most recent piece is titled, "Tajik Women, Young People Appear to be Embracing Islam." Farangis Najibullah […]
I received information from a source inside Human Rights Georgia that some of the components of the cluster bombs dropped on civilians may have been manufactured by a German facility that produces decoy countermeasures. These include flares and chaff amongst others. It is claimed that the said company's labels were found on unexploded cluster bomblets. […]
Former Darfur Commission chair and ICTY President Antonio Cassesse has this op-ed in the Lebanese Daily Star on the international law implications of the Russia-Georgia conflict.
This week saw new developments in the U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation accord. In case you’re unfamiliar, this deal would allow the US to ship atomic fuel to India, for use in its civil nuclear energy program, in return for international inspections of India's civilian reactors, to make sure they don't use this technology to make nuclear weapons. As […]
Green Jobs , A report out yesterday from the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and commissioned by the Center for American Progress, says that a $100 billion, two-year national investment in renewable energy, mass transportation, and a "smart grid" for electricity, would yield two million new jobs, with a […]
President Bush has announced that he will send additional military forces to Afghanistan (The New York Times – 8,000 Troops to Leave Iraq Next Year): President Bush has accepted the recommendation of his senior civilian and military advisers to reduce the number of American troops in Iraq by 8,000 in the early months of next […]
While some Americans questioned whether Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin could hold high office and simultaneously look after five children, an article in the New York Times, "Wage Gaps for Women Frustrating Germany' examined the difficulties faced by German women who want both a family and a high-flying career. The article blamed sexist attitudes […]
A new poll published yesterday by the BBC World Service, GlobeScan and the Program on International Policy Attitudes asked publics in 22 countries three key questions about the US Presidential election. First, who do you prefer be the next US President, McCain or Obama? Second, what effect do you think each candidate's eventual Presidency have […]
Starting this month, secondary school students will learn about Britain’s involvement in the slave trade and in the abolition of the trade in their history classes. According to activist, having children study the slave trade will help to combat modern slavery. As an abolitionist myself I am ecstatic to hear that the UK will be […]