My editor sent me this story on rape statistics in South Africa with an apt one-word comment: “Wow.” The gist: South Africa’s Medical Research Council conducted a survey on rape in the country and by any measure, even taking into account questions about methodology, the statistics are shocking.
A new report from the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs evaluates the new, hastily put together Palestinian Authority government led by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The article outlines opposition to Fayyad and illustrates the inability of any leaders in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to generate support. Instead, the backing for any leader remains fickle […]
Beijing defending “Buy Chinese” Policy Qin Gang, spokesman of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, defended Beijing’s government purchase policies. In early June, China’s National Development and Reform Commission, together with a number of other ministries, issued a notice requiring government bodies to source domestically for projects financed by the state. According to Mr. Qin, the […]
Citizens of Karachi have been without electricity for 22 hours! Yes, 22 hours in this excruciating heat. Electricity went out without any plausible reason and there was no answer or definitive time frame about electricity restoration from the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation. So, people were left with no option but to curse the government and […]
Most of what we read about the Arctic comes in the form of news articles, foreign policy statements, speeches, and scientific reports. Any books are generally historical recounts of expeditions. However, a novel about the Arctic called Rankin Inlet, by Mara Feeney, has just been published. Feeney became interested in the Arctic after spending a […]
Quick little round up… McKiernan officially out, McChrystal officially in as the top US and overall commander of forces in Afghanistan. McChrystal, known for his special ops strategic strikes in Iraq, has been hammering the point that protecting Afghan civilians is what will bring a change in the conflict’s direction. He is already reviewing troop […]
Within one week of each other Iran and Lebanon held national elections, the outcomes of which could not be more different. In volatile Lebanon, the chance for trouble before, during, and after the polling was high. With so many religious sects, ethnicities, and political parties, as well as its recent history of violence between them, […]
The past week of events – from a U.S. Senate hearing, to remarks by China’s State Council, to high-level talks in Beijing – have scattered a layer of rich soil from which robust US-China cooperation on climate change might spring forth. However, that soil is not uniform in content. The issue of quantifiable emissions reductions, […]
The Los Angeles Times published today the latest critique of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s speech from earlier this week, calling the statesman a “roadblock to Middle East peace.” Even though Netanyahu acknowledged his support for a Palestinian state, the editorial team contends that he placed far too many preconditions that would make independence unfeasible. Notably, […]
The secretariat of the European Council (the meeting of all the EU Heads of Government) on Monday released this factsheet on how it is creating an “enabling environment” for EU Memebr-States if they accept former Guantanamo detainees. In it’s own words it is for detainees that are “cleared for release” and “expressed their will to be resettled within the EU” […]
It is often said that Pakistan is on collision course with reality and sooner or later, it is going to get very tough for Islamabad to continue like this; no money, no income, terrorism across the country, politicians fighting with each others, people angry with their government, consumer unhappy because of unbelievably high inflation, business […]
The Israeli military continues to develop some interesting gadgets for multiple battlefield objectives,most recently a robotic snake for search and rescue, assassinations, and reconnissance applications. The newest device uses a robot that looks and moves like a snake in order to stealthily slither into hostile areas or through wreckage. The snake contains a camera and […]
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