Regions

According to BBC, journalist Umida Niyazova has had her sentence lifted because she has changed her trial plea from ‘not guilty’ to guilty, and because the judge had compassion over separating a mother from her 2-year-old boy.  She recanted her association with human rights groups and others, citing ‘undue influence from her environment’.   I remain grateful for her brilliant work through discouraging […]

The United States is moving forward with plans to establish an Africa Command that will enable the United States to respond quickly to address strategic situations that artise on the continent, which is increasingly visible in American and global policy. The establishment of the new command, which will deal with issues such as terrorism, humanitarian […]

Larry Birns and Alex Sanchez of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs analyze the power of Mexican drug traffickers in their report, “The Government and Drug Lords: Who Rules Mexico?”  Arguing that the only viable solution to combating drug trafficking is further deployment of the Mexican army to relevant regions as well as the subsequent extradition […]

The daughter of former President Akaev, Bermet Akaeva, was interrogated again on May 5th for 4 hours–between 10 am and 2 pm.  This curious scheduling information is related to Ms. Akaeva's previous interrogation, which put her into the hospital, and lasted until after 10pm at night.  Following the interrogation, Ms. Akaeva has been put under house […]

Yes, trade can drive on in where pastors fear to tread: Edmund's, a trade group following the auto industry, reports that auto manufacturer GM-Daewoo has bought into the UZ-Daewoo plant in Asaka, a city in the Andijan region of Uzbekistan.  The article continues with a fine and high disregard for previous asset expropriation of foreign business, including […]

Cape Town mayor Helen Zille has easily dispatched of two rivals and will take the helm of the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa's biggest opposition party. The DA emerged after the disintegration of the National Party and its various and tepid successors. As a consequence the DA drew some of its membership from Nats who […]

My colleague Bill Hewitt at the FPA Climate Change Blog has posted an overview of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) activities over the last week in Bangkok, Thailand.   The bad news is no news: he isn't forecasting universally useful political agreement, with critical states dragging their feet (uh, that would be the U.S., […]

I am still studying agricultural policies for my follow-up on the Green Revolution, ignored–but in the meantime, a juxtaposition of two recent articles: A.   IWPR reports that several cotton farmers are facing criminal charges for failing to cultivate cotton and growing fruits and vegetables instead–crops for which they can be paid in currency at market value.  […]

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa visited Mexico this past week, calling on U.S. leaders to reform immigration laws and provide a permanent pathway to citizenship.  The Mayor, who emphasized business ties along with his immigration message, met with President Felipe Calderon and addressed the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.  Villaraigosa, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico, […]

Although it is hardly news that fears of crime in South Africa are “partly based on reality,” it is still worth pointing out that “Partly” implies that much of the fear of crime in South Africa is also overstated, at least to some degree. That is probably of little solace to those who have been […]

Xinhuanet reports that effective May 1, 2007, Uzbekistan's citizens may no longer purchase alcoholic beverages without a permit.  New zoning restrictions have also gone into effect.  The license may be purchased from local administrative departments.  The measure is designed to protect public health.  Failure to comply, the article states, will result in a fine and […]

I found this Central Asia album book in my favorite used bookstore.  Original publishing date: Glasnost. Magown, Robin (text) and Gippenreiter, Vadim (photos).  Fabled Cities of Central Asia: Samarkand-Bukhara-Khiva.  New York: Abbeville Press, 1989. This is not the first old book I have become enchanted with, nor will it be the last.  My all-time favorite […]