U.S. and the World
Did Gen. Petraeus Accuse Afghans of Burning Their Own Children?
Officials in Afghanistan have expressed shock at the suggestion of America’s top general that local citizens burned their own children to make the U.S. military look bad following an attack in the mountainous region of Konar province.
The Wa... read more
Academy Awards 2011–Foreign Language Films
This was not the best of years for foreign language entries. There were a lot of good films, but so many of them were bleak and depressing, a reflection no doubt of the downturn in the global economy. As for the nominees, the group is tainted by t... read more
Academy Awards 2011—Documentary Shorts
This year’s documentary shorts nominees are, well, earnest. All five of them center on uplifting responses to difficult situations.
Killing in the Name (USA)
You might recall the 2005 terrorist attack in Amman, Jordan, in which an Iraqi terro... read more
Academy Awards 2011—Animated Shorts
This year’s animated shorts nominees include two children’s cartoons, two non-U.S. entries noteworthy for their skillful and creative animation, and one political satire.
Day and Night (USA)
If you’ve seen Toy Story 3, you’ve probably seen Da... read more
Academy Awards 2011—Live Action Shorts
The Confession (United Kingdom)
In The Confession, nine-year-old Sam, the son of a farmer, and his best friend are preparing for their first confession. The problem is that they have nothing worth confessing. Sam is concerned because he thinks th... read more
Ex-FBI Agent Still Missing in Iran after almost 4 Years
A State Department cable released by WikiLeaks has bolstered the contention that former FBI agent Robert Levinson has been held in Iran after vanishing on March 9, 2007, while working as a private investigator on Kish Island, a popular tourist r... read more
State Dept. Unveils Plan to Fight Internet Censorship around the World
Led by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Obama administration announced this week that it wants to facilitate Internet freedom, especially in situations where authoritarian regimes have tried to cut off its populations from the outs... read more
Ecuador Court Fines Chevron $9 Billion in Rain Forest Pollution Case
In one of the largest settlements ever handed down in an environmental pollution case, a judge in Ecuador has ordered oil giant Chevron to pay more than $9 billion in damages and legal fees for polluting a stretch of the Amazon decades ago.
... read more
As Revolt Grows against Yemen’s Dictator, U.S. Expands Training of Yemeni Military
In the wake of public overthrows of two longtime Arab dictators, the United States has stepped up military assistance to the regime governing Yemen out of concern that al-Qaeda may seek to exploit the volatile situation in the strategically impo... read more
The Shrinking World of George W. Bush
In what would have been his first European trip since leaving office, former President George W. Bush has cancelled his visit to Switzerland after human rights groups threatened to picket a fundraiser he planned to attend and file a torture comp... read more
Mubarak Transfers Power to Torture Chief Omar Suleiman
In a speech to his nation, Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak announced that he would transfer power to his recently-appointed vice-president, Omar Suleiman. So who is Suleiman?
“Mubarak and Suleiman are the same person,” Emile Nakhleh, a forme... read more
KBR Tries to Convince Judge to Use Iraqi Law in Shower Death of Green Beret
Defense contractor KBR is trying to get out of a lawsuit stemming from the death of a U.S. soldier by claiming that Iraqi, not American, law should apply in determining a verdict.
The civil case was filed in a Pennsylvania court against KBR,... read more
Surprise! Taliban and Al-Qaeda are Worlds Apart
Contrary to the established perception that they are of one mind, the Taliban and al-Qaeda are not in lockstep. In fact, the Taliban in Afghanistan could be persuaded to renounce the infamous terrorist group led by Osama bin Laden.
According... read more
Are Food Shortages Around the World being Caused by Investors’ Speculation?
World food prices have continued to rise over the past five years, creating the potential for malnutrition and starvation in the developing world, and fomenting political unrest in nations like Egypt. While some economists have blamed the price ... read more
School Vouchers…U.S. Should Learn from the Swedish System: Odd Eiken
If the U.S. still wants to pursue the idea of school vouchers, it should look to Sweden for answers, writes Odd Eiken, executive vice president of Kunskapsskolan Education, the largest private school provider in Sweden. The former state secretary ... read more
Will Mubarak be Replaced by Egypt’s “Mr. Torture”?
In one of his first moves during the ongoing political crisis, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt appointed Omar Suleiman as his vice president, hoping the change, along with the dismissal of the rest of his cabinet, would placate the hundreds of th... read more