Topics

Raufa Hassan was a fearless, focused and inspirational Yemeni political activist, journalist and thinker.  She died last week at 53.   These tributes below capture her well.   I first met Raufa in Sanaa, Yemen, in 1997 when I travelled to Yemen on my first ever trip to work with non-American women running for office (in this […]

My very first post for this blog, on February 24th, discussed the need for consistency in U.S. policy regarding prevention of proliferation.  I’d like to return to that subject to review recent Congressional action which, to my mind, helps to institutionalize some much-needed consistency in the context of Agreements for Cooperation, so-called 123 Agreements. The […]

When speaking of food deserts, areas that lack access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and other foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet, many would be surprised to learn that there are Americans who lack sufficient access to such resources.  Research has shown that increasing rates of obesity […]

Last week I wrote that inaction in Washington and at the UN does not live up to the brave and hopeful Syrians who have taken to the streets in protest of the Assad government. Many there probably looked at NATO’s intervention in Libya and expected something similar to happen if protests in Syria persisted. They […]

The debate about whether the U.S. killing of Osama bin Laden was legal is on.  It was legal, says John Bellinger, justified under the same rationale as U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan.  Though there’s a pretty fierce debate about the legality of the drones program, thrust to a new level of complexity after Pakistan withdrew […]

Today is UNESCO World Press Freedom Day, therefore I wanted to take a brief moment to thank all of the journalists and press officials who work around the globe, especially those who risk their lives to bring us stories of oppression and conflict. Today is a day to remember the grave violations against freedom of […]

The Greenback has lost nearly 15% of its value against foreign currencies since the precipitation of the global financial crisis in 2008, and almost 5% since the end of last year. As a result, in 2010, Central Banks around the World became net buyers of Gold reserves for the first time in two decades, adding 87 metric tons of gold in government purchases by countries such as Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Cuba, South Korea, Bolivia, India, Russia and Nigeria, according to World Gold Council data. Interestingly, OPEC which denominates its oil reserves in US Dollars, has recently floated the notion of ditching the Greenback in favor of either the Euro or Gold as an alternative reserve denomination. China, with more than $3 Trn in foreign currency reserves, plans to set up new sovereign funds to invest in precious metals. Russia alone bought 8 tons of gold in 1st Q 2011. As developing countries accelerate purchases, gold may reach $2,000 per ounce this year,

I just got back from a lecture hosted by the INSEAD Africa Initiative featuring Hal Gregersen, professor of leadership at INSEAD.  Hal’s forthcoming book, the Innovator’s DNA (co-written by Jeffrey Dyer and Clayton Christensen) outlines the five essential qualities or skills that innovators possess: Associating, Observing, Experimenting, Questioning, and Networking. Contrary to the title of […]

Following my April 8th post, John Coster-Mullen wrote to me in response.  Luckily, he didn’t dislike what I wrote.  In fact, in a series of subsequent exchanges, he has breathlessly and enthusiastically shared with me a whole host of additional information he has obtained and developed in the course of his extensive research on Fat […]

‘World is Safer and Better Place Because of the Death of Osama bin Laden’ President Obama You got that right, Mr. President. The death of Osama Bin Laden, the perpetrator of numerous crimes against the United States and humanity, including mass murder, at the hands of an American soldier is justice served. Bin Laden’s orchestrated […]

In addition to holding back Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, people in the rebel-held city of Benghazi in eastern Libya are fending off a lack of access to food.  The conflict has raised prices of food supplies and suppliers are cutting off Libyan store owners who cannot guarantee payment because of the difficulty in accessing funds. The […]

A new US Energy Information Administration study, World Shale Gas Resources: An Initial Assessment of 14 Regions Outside the US, suggests that shale gas is going to be the game-changer around the world that it has been in the US. A good example is Poland. According to the EIA study, Poland has 5.3 trillion cubic […]