The State Of Syria: Civil War Or Vicious Stalemate?
One thing that’s certain about the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad is that there is nothing romantic about it. Unlike Egypt, there’s no Tahrir Square filled with hundreds of thousands of people calling for democracy. Unlike Libya, there’s no Mad Max warriors in the desert fighting a dictator with guns they’ve welded to the [...]
Americans Barred From Leaving Egypt Include Secretary LaHood’s Son
Egyptian authorities’ efforts to prevent organizations that promote democracy from freely working inside their country have now ensnared the son of a U.S. cabinet secretary. Sam LaHood, the son of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and at least five other Americans have been barred from leaving Egypt. In late December, Egyptian security forces raided the offices [...]
Working Long Hours Can Be Depressing, Truly
Putting in a lot of of overtime can make a person more vulnerable to depression. You might have guessed that. But now there are some hard numbers, thanks to a study that tracked the health of civil service workers in Great Britain. People who worked 11 hours a day or more than doubled their risk [...]
Tibetan Areas Rocked By Protest, Chinese Crackdown
Frustrated Tibetans this week staged some of the largest protests against Chinese rule in nearly four years. Chinese security forces responded by opening fire on demonstrators, killing up to four and wounding more than 30, according to Tibetan rights groups. The demonstrations were inspired — in part — by a disturbing new trend in Tibetan [...]
No, Hedge Funds Can’t Foreclose On The Acropolis
Greece is broke. But there’s no blueprint for a country to declare bankruptcy, so Greece’s creditors are sort of making things up as they go along. “You’re taking some sort of loss,” Hans Humes, of Greylock Capital Management told me. “But it’s like, how much of a loss do you take? There’s this thing called [...]
Growing Pressures Prompt Plunge In Iranian Currency
The value of Iran’s currency — which had been sliding steadily for months — took another plunge this week. Faced with new economic sanctions from the U.S. and Europe, the rial now seems to be in free fall. But at least part of the dive could be linked to currency manipulation by the government itself [...]
For Turkish Journalists, Arrest Is A Real Danger
In the wake of the Arab Spring, some Muslims in North Africa are looking across the Mediterranean to Turkey as a potential model of a state that can be modern, Islamic and democratic. But some analysts in the region say that model is flawed, and they are questioning Turkey’s human-rights record and its dealings with [...]
Nigeria’s President Under Pressure To Quell Violence
Kano, the largest city in Nigeria’s Muslim north, is an ancient, sprawling city of more than 9 million. Last Friday, the Muslim day of prayers was shattered by a series of coordinated bomb blasts. Just down the street from one of the main market areas in the city, the street remains blocked off from a [...]
Can Sanctions Alone Get Iran To Negotiate?
A problem with sanctions is they don’t always work as intended. If the U.S. and Europe don’t buy Iran’s oil, but other countries pick up the slack, for example, nothing is accomplished. Or if some Iranian oil is taken off the market but the price goes up, Iran could earn just as much from its [...]
Why McDonald’s In France Doesn’t Feel Like Fast Food
Greetings from McDonald’s, or “MacDo,” as they call it here in Paris, where I am comfortably ensconced in a McCafé enjoying a croissant and a grand crème coffee. I’m surrounded by people of all ages who are talking with friends, reading, or typing away on their laptops like me. The beauty of McDonald’s in France [...]
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