U.S. and the World
Turkey and Armenia Open Diplomatic Relations
Although the two countries still have not resolved the Armenian genocide issue dating back to the early 20th century, Turkey and Armenia announced last week they are working on establishing formal relations for the first time ever. After a year of... read more
U.S. Drops Restrictions on Family Visits to Cuba
Following up on President Barack Obama’s declaration in April, the Treasury Department on Thursday officially removed most restrictions on family visits to Cuba. Previously, citizens and residents were limited to one family visit every three years... read more
Pirate Success Rate Dips as Attempts Increase
Since 2007, pirate attacks have increased off the Horn of Africa, one of the world’s most highly trafficked passageways, but their success rates have declined. In 2007, there were only 19 pirate attacks, but 63% were successful. The following year... read more
China Controls Rare, but Important Minerals
What OPEC is to oil, China is to rare earth elements, and the Chinese government is now taking advantage of its control over such materials to expand its economic clout. China possesses 93% of the world’s rare elements, and virtually all of the gl... read more
Withdraw U.S. Troops from Afghanistan: George Will
With obstacles mounting from both the enemy and the government in power, the U.S. should rethink its strategy in Afghanistan and dramatically downsize its forces, writes conservative columnist George Will. The current plan by President Barack Obam... read more
Former NBA Player Now Fighting in Iraq
NBA players who compare big games to that of going to war have nothing on Tim James. The former first-round draft pick of the Miami Heat gave up his basketball career last year and joined the U.S. Army, becoming the first former NBA player to serv... read more
U.S. Packs Up 1.5 Million Pieces of Equipment to Ship Out of Iraq
Not since the end of the Vietnam War has the U.S. military faced as large a task of hauling home weapons and equipment as it does in Iraq. More 1.5 million pieces of hardware, ranging from the 65-ton Abrams tank to antennas weighing a few pounds, ... read more
August Deadliest Month Yet for U.S. Troops in Afghanistan
For the second month in a row, a new record high in combat fatalities has been reached in Afghanistan for the U.S. military. A total of 45 American service members died in August, surpassing the 44 killed in July, which was the previous high mar... read more
Bush Shoe Thrower to be Released Early
Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who became internationally famous for throwing his shoes at former President George W. Bush, will be released from prison on September 14. The 30-year-old reporter was sentenced to three years in prison aft... read more
Running the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad to Cost $1.8 Billion a Year
The gradual withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq over the next two years will cause operational expenses at the American embassy in Baghdad to rise by hundreds of millions of dollars during that time. With fewer soldiers around to help provide secu... read more
Mali President Blocks Women’s Rights Law
Large, vocal protests have forced the president of Mali to not approve a new law granting equal rights to women. President Amadou Toumani Touré, who originally supported the plan, decided this week to send the measure back to Parliament to quell t... read more
Should the U.S. Pay $1 Billion to Nuclear Test Survivors?
Among the decisions left over from the Bush administration for President Barack Obama to decide upon is whether the federal government should pay a $1 billion settlement to the people of a tiny South Pacific island who were exposed to U.S. nuclear... read more
Pentagon Finally Gives Red Cross Names of Detainees in Secret Prisons
Detainees held at secret camps run by American commandoes will now have their identities released to the International Committee of the Red Cross under a new policy crafted by the Obama administration. While George W. Bush was president of the Uni... read more
Mali: Protests against Law Giving Equal Rights to Women
Some Sunni Muslim men and women are protesting a proposed law in Mali that would put the two sexes on equal footing for the first time. If the measure—adopted by the Malian parliament but awaiting President Amadou Toumani Toure’s signature—goes in... read more
U.S. “Vulture” Funds Prey on Poor, Indebted Nations
A coalition of advocacy organizations including the NAACP and Africa Action are lobbying Congress to adopt new legislation that would prevent so-called “vulture” funds from buying up debts owed by developing countries to Western governments and fi... read more
Biofuel Backlash
Rather than helping reduce global warming, biofuels may be exacerbating climate change and causing other environmental and social problems, according to a new study from Christian Aid, a British missionary organization. Researchers concluded that ... read more