Emphasizing invented enemies, tyrannical leaders argue that only they can protect their nation, sometimes with brutal methods. Yet such tactics weaken the sense of nationhood when citizens have to cower in fear, doubting their own worth. Informed by satellite television or social media sites and...
The spark that was lit in Tunisia has now spread the brushfire to four countries after consuming Egypt's long-time president Hosni Mubarak. Coming days will show if the Tunisian uprising will become the Arab equivalent of the 1980 Gdansk strike in...
Spain’s second largest city must cope with a water shortage resulting from extreme drought. Now, the city must import water by ship and rail. Barcelona has a reputation for efficient infrastructure, reports Elizabeth Nash for the Independent, but climate change and water shortages disrupt city life...
Click here for the original article on The Independent.
An increasingly interconnected world cannot withstand enormous inequality. An overhaul of the UN system is in order or the international body will be marginalized, warn prime ministers from Pakistan, Mozambique and Norway, who were charged by the UN secretary general to offer recommendations on...
On Thursday we are presenting proposals to Secretary General Kofi Annan on how the United Nations can greatly improve its effectiveness in the fields of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment. The...
The mercenary companies operating in Iraq recruit a large number of fighters from Latin America – roughly a third of the estimated 30,000 currently deployed. The region boasts a large number of trained ex-military fighters, and a high level of unemployment makes many willing to accept wages that...
Media stories about private security firms (PMFS) such as Blackwater have highlighted the important—and controversial—role that private security contractors play in supporting U.S. military forces in Iraq. What few...
Pakistan was a source of nuclear secrets released to North Korea, Iran and Libya during the 1990s, but the Pakistani government long denied official knowledge of nuclear smuggling operations. A statement and documents released by Abdul Qadeer Khan, founder of Pakistan’s nuclear program, suggest...
Click here for the article in The Washington Post.
There is a surprising gap between government and public views on migration. Most governments tend to be favorably disposed to immigration, while the public remains fearful of admitting foreigners. Such a divergence in opinion is likely to cause significant turmoil in the future, according to Joseph...
NEW YORK: Despite the known reluctance of the overwhelming majority of people in most countries to let in immigrants, governments continue to promote policies that maintain or increase immigration levels. This thorny gap between public opinion and...
While the world waits for China to flex its economic muscle to ease the crisis, China’s exposure to the US dollar is a bigger issue with which the country has to contend. According to China scholar Wenran Jiang, Beijing is already taking significant steps to rectify this situation. Nonetheless,...
Ironclad hedge: Chinese steel company, Hunan Valin Iron and Steel Group invests in Australian iron ore to diversify its holdings
EDMONTON, CANADA: With the global economy continuing to shrink and the outlook for a US recovery still gloomy, world...
In devising foreign policy, governments must strive to understand differences and similarities in the structures of other governments. For example, the US and Israel err in assuming that Iran’s president has as much power as the US president, cautions author William Pfaff. Another err would be...
PARIS - A serious difficulty for those in the United States and Israel intent on eliminating Iran as an important Middle Eastern power center and political actor is that Iran presents a moving target. Yesterday it...