In the Spotlight

Somali Piracy and the High Sea Drama

Piracy is a thriving business in Somalia, but the country has descended into a deadly spiral of anarchy. By Abukar Arman.

James Zogby and the Politics of Perception

James Zogby is an esteemed leader within the Arab American community. This is precisely why his latest article is so disturbing. By Remi Kanazi.

South Yemen Forms Liberation Council

Southern Yemenis just elected their own representative body which has called for an electoral boycott claiming the central government, not just the election, is illegitimate in the south. By Jane Novak.

Kosovo's Regional Recognition Almost Complete

Kosovo's regional recognition can be considered almost completed with Macedonia's and Montenegro's acceptance of its statehood early last month. But with the two countries' economies closely interdependent with Serbia's, it was not free of risk. By Risto Karajkov.

US President-elect Barack Obama crafts a home in History

As we venture into the future with Obama at the driver’s seat giving the orders ... motivating us toward the right direction of a new America, where everyone has a voice. By Roland Bankole Marke.

I wish to remember Rabin too

Thirteen years since Israel’s Prime Minister was assassinated by a Jewish murderer, the assassination should have become a national, moral watershed, and should have been etched in our consciousness as such. What should be the essence: The memory of Rabin the man, or the actual murder?
By Reuven Rivlin.

A role for religion in Turkish and Pakistani politics?

Pakistan and Turkey stand at a crossroads in their political evolutions. Both the PPP and the AKP have promised to bring about much needed political and economic reform, but their sincerity and ability to undertake such initiatives is very much disputed. By Özlem Gemici and Rehan Rafay Jamil.

Child war victim shows courage to go on

Unlike others at her downtown campus, Kamara is doing it all without hands. Hers were hacked off in a machete attack in her native Sierra Leone a decade ago. By Barbara Turnbull.

Some good news for a change

In Sherlock Holmes stories, the dog that didn't bark is considered significant. That is not true when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict where only bad news is considered news. By MJ Rosenberg.

Geopolitical Diary: The 'World Electoral Map'

The world is hushed, waiting in deafening silence for the next U.S. president to come to power. Here's how the 'world electoral map' breaks down. By STRATFOR.

Czech Republic: Quo Vadis

The Czech Republic is now a member of all western organizations and institutions. The question remains though, will Czechs rush to live and work in the U.S as it faces it biggest economic crisis since the great crash of 1929? And is riling the Russians with a radar site worth unsettling the siltation on NATO's eastern front for the Czechs? By Michael Werbowski.

Somalia after the Ethiopian Occupation

In light of the development of several critical issues that include U.S. economic volatility and the new political direction it’s likely to turn towards, it’s not farfetched to predict that Washington-supported Ethiopian occupation of Somalia will soon come to an end.
By Abukar Arman

Viewpoints: United States Elections

United States elections are drawing attention from around the world. We review press coverage from newspapers in Rome, Hong Kong, Washington, Berlin, London, Dublin, and others.

120 Years of Non-Concluded Abolition

Slavery was officially abolished more than a century ago, but there has never been a social inclusion policy for Brazil’s blacks. By Vinicius Souza and Maria Eugênia Sá.

US-Muslim relations at stake in US election?

Based on examples of media mania about Islam, one may have the impression that the future of American relations with the Muslim world depends on the outcome of the 2008 elections. However, Muslim-US relations will continue well beyond the November election. By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz.

Change is Unlikely Despite Blair Leaving

U.K-U.S. relations will remain intact with the new man-in-charge at 10 Downing Street. By Naheed Ali.

Muscle to Fight Malaria Receives a $3 Billion Surge

In September 2008, the U.N. Summit on MDGs converged in New York where world leaders announced a surge in funding of $3 billion on the war against Malaria. By Roland Bankole Marke.

Milan's Aperitivo Hour

The all-you-can-eat buffet is the last kind of dining experience you’d expect to find in Italy. Yet the two coexist in blissful harmony, for Milan is the home of the aperitivo—a tradition that raises the buffet to a new level. By Jenna Weiner

The Coke Coast: Cocaine and Failed States in Africa

The drug trade is fast turning large parts of West Africa into areas that are all but ungovernable, with major implications for international security. According to a 2008 report by UNODC, "The former Gold Coast is turning into the Coke Coast." By Joseph Kirschke.

Human Trafficking in Bangladesh and Beyond

Human trafficking is an international problem; UNICEF estimates that as many as 1.2 million children are trafficked every year. By Humayun Kabir Tutul.

Fight Against AIDS in East Africa

For the millions of Africans dealing with HIV/AIDS, a beacon of hope has emerged from an unassuming single story clinic, nestled in the hills of the city. By Frankie Edozien.

Rethinking National Security

National security involves the perceptions that other countries have of us, the strength of the economy, and the quality of our leadership. By Dr. Prakash Ambegaonkar and Andrea H. Pietrzyk.

Reconciliation of Sunni and Sh'ia

An Iraq that evolves into a non-sectarian and independent democracy initiates a hopeful path to stabilization of the entire Middle East. By Dan Lieberman.

Live up to the spirit of "One World, One Dream"

The tremendous efforts mainland China made to successfully host the Beijing Olympics in the spirit of fairness and peaceful athletic competition among people of all races and ethnicities have deeply impressed the world.
By Vanessa Shih.

Health Policy Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: National and International Perspectives

Health policy development is a fundamental weakness of resource sapped governments in Africa. This article provides an overview of key issues and a potential roadmap for future action. By Doyin Oluwole.

Paraguay: New Government Faces Elite Resistance

Reflecting a growing shift to the left across Latin America, the April 20 election of Lugo put an end to the rightwing Colorado Party's six-decade-long grip on power. By Kiraz Janicke.

The Western Balkans Will Make or Break the EU

With its eastern borders shut down, for the time being, the European Union must move its attention to the Western Balkans—where the expansion of union membership is crucial to maintain stabilization. By Anton Caragea.

Mapuches and Students Bear Brunt of Violence by Carabineros

Eighteen years after the end of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship, cases of police abuse—far from being an issue of the past—appear to be on the rise in Chile. By Benjamin Witte.

Russian-Georgian Conflict Impacts Middle East

Although the Russo-Georgian military clash appears over, its ramifications will be felt for a long time, especially as the political crisis between the two countries remains unresolved.
By Rayyan al-Shawaf.

Hope Rekindled Among the Desperate in Zimbabwe

Hope has been resuscitated among long-suffering Zimbabweans after a power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and his rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, was announced late on Sept. 11.
From IRIN.

The Smiles of Sept. 11

The dust and debris had yet to settle fully over lower Manhattan, more than 12,000 miles away, when I began to notice the smiles—and, even more distressingly, the laughter.
By Joseph Kirschke.

The Next Cuban Missile Crisis?

In a move that undoubtedly set off alarm bells in Washington, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced that Venezuelan and Russian ships could soon hold joint naval exercises in the Caribbean. By Nikolas Kozloff.