U.S. and the World
China at War with U.S….Cyber War
Reaffirming what has long been suspected, a report prepared for Congress says China is actively probing U.S. computer systems as part of a growing cyber-war campaign. Requested by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, the Northro... read more
Sweden First Country to Label Foods with Pollution Ratings
Packaging labels in Sweden now inform shoppers not only the ingredients and calories of the food they buy, but also how much carbon dioxide was spewed into the atmosphere as a result of its production. The CO2 data is part of an effort by the Swed... read more
Chinese and Taiwanese Companies Face Off in U.S. Court
Symbolic of the two country’s relationship, Taiwanese and Chinese based companies are bitterly fighting—in an Oakland Superior Court—over a 2005 settlement involving patented technology in the U.S.. The Taipei-based semiconductor company, Taiwan ... read more
Forget the Afghan Runoff Election; Call a Jirga Instead: Patricia DeGennaro
If the United States is sincerely interested in resolving the leadership issue in Afghanistan, it should drop the idea of a runoff election and do things the old fashioned way by calling a Loya Jirga, says Patricia DeGennaro, a professor at New Yo... read more
Afghan Opium Kills More Westerners than the Fight against the Taliban
One more factor to take into account as President Barack Obama frames his Afghanistan war strategy is a United Nations report that shows that sacrifices on the battlefield pale in comparison to the human cost of the opium drug market. According to... read more
Mexican Drug Cartels Threatened by Medical Marijuana Laws in U.S.
The expansion of legalized medical marijuana has caused significant increases in local U.S. marijuana farms, which has resulted in intensified competition with large Mexican drug organizations. About half of the marijuana consumed in the United St... read more
U.S. Spends $110 Million on New Military Bases in Bulgaria and Romania
The Obama administration’s scrapping of a missile defense system based in Poland and the Czech Republic does not mean the United States has given up on its commitment to defend Eastern Europe. Rather, the Defense Department is moving ahead with p... read more
Finland First Country to Declare Broadband Access a Legal Right
One upping the French, Finland has become the first nation to declare high-speed Internet access a right of all its people. While France was the first country in the world to establish the right of accessing the Web, the Finns have made history by... read more
VA Approves Agent Orange-Parkinson’s Disability Claims
Approximately 200,000 Vietnam veterans may soon be able to receive disability benefits for illnesses stemming from their exposure 40 years ago to Agent Orange. The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to propose this week new rules that add Parkin... read more
Political Refugee Sues U.S. Branch of Chinese Bank over Torture
Having failed to get the justice he sought in China, expatriate Liu Bo Shan has sued the recently opened New York branch of his former Chinese employer to prove his claims of being tortured for exposing corruption. Shan, who now lives in Flushing,... read more
Weapons Failed U.S. Soldiers During Fatal Afghanistan Battle
The M4 rifle is the main weapon of American soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, with more than 500,000 in service. Although the vast majority of soldiers are said to have no problems with the weapon, the M4 proved unreliable in a deadly fir... read more
U.S. Soldiers Killed in Philippines for First Time in 7 Years
For the first time since 2002, U.S. soldiers have been killed in the Philippines. On September 29, a landmine blast on the Philippine island of Jolo killed two soldiers as well as a Filipino marine. Thirty-seven-year-old Sgt. 1st Class Christopher... read more
In U.K., Prison Governors Propose Ending Sentences Shorter than One Year
Prison sentences of less than one year are a waste of government resources and should be abolished, says the Prison Governors’ Association in the United Kingdom. The problem with such short jail terms is that they don’t reform criminals, but they ... read more
Norway Best Place to Live; United States 13th
There’s more to good living than just money, according to the United Nations Development Programme. The authors of Human Development Reports seek each year to show which countries are better, or worse, at providing a state of well-being for their ... read more
There’s More to Health Care Options than Public vs. Private: Aaron E. Carroll
Are there really only two options to choose from with health care systems—government run vs. free market? No, says Aaron Carroll, associate professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. An examination of health care systems... read more
New Zealand Ranked World’s Most Peaceful Nation; U.S. 83rd
Not starting wars with other countries and maintaining a solid human rights record has landed New Zealand at the top of the list of the world’s most peaceful nations. Based on the Global Peace Index created by the group Vision of Humanity, New Zea... read more