U.S. and the World
Pentagon Task Force Tries to Battle Contractor Corruption in Afghanistan
The Department of Defense has created a special task force to “follow the money” in Afghanistan to ensure that billions of taxpayer dollars are not spent unwisely on American or foreign contractors hired to support the U.S. military mission.
C... read more
Largest Immigrant Groups in U.S.: Mexican, Filipino, Indian
While there’s been no change at the very top, the leading immigrant groups in the United States now have a new member of the top three. After the two largest immigrant populations—Mexicans (No. 1) and Filipinos (No. 2)—Chinese are no longer third.... read more
U.S. Takes Control of South Korean Computerized War Game
In a sign that Washington is taking seriously the heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, the United States’ top military commander in South Korea will take back control of an annual military exercise between American and Korean forces.
... read more
Saudi Royal Family Blocks UN Study of Climate Change
Small island nations throughout the world are vulnerable to rising sea levels, which is why their representatives called for a study at the climate change talks currently being held in Bonn, Germany. But the effort to examine the challenges and da... read more
UNESCO Gives Award Named for One of World’s Worst Dictators
For two years the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been trying to create a life sciences award in the name of the dictator of the West African nation of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who donated $3 mi... read more
U.S. Funding Child Soldiers in Somalia
There are only two countries that have not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the use of child soldiers: the United States and Somalia. Perhaps then it is no surprise to learn that American taxpayer dollars are goi... read more
USDA Bans Nebraska Organic Food Inspector for Using Chinese Government Employees
Until now, federal regulators relied on a U.S.-based inspection operation to certify organic goods imported from China. But after discovering that the inspector—Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) of Nebraska—was using Chinese government e... read more
Foreign-Language Speakers in State and Defense Departments on Decline
Both the State Department and Department of Defense need to improve or expand their ranks of foreign language specialists, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO in its report on national security programs criticized Stat... read more
Taliban Rules 4 Million People in Pakistan
Amnesty International has accused the government of Pakistan of turning its back on four million of its citizens by leaving them under the rule of the Taliban. In its new report (As if Hell Fell on Me: The Human Rights Crisis in Northwest Pakistan... read more
Border Patrol Agents Kill 27-Year Resident of U.S. and 15-Year-Old Boy
Agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service are coming under scrutiny for killing two individuals near the border with Mexico in recent weeks.
In San Diego, CA, an illegal immigrant who lived in the United States for 27 years... read more
First Convictions in 1984 Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster
Described as “too little, too late” and a “joke” by survivors and advocates, convictions were finally handed down in India related to the 1984 Union Carbide gas leak that killed approximately 15,000 people.
Eight former executives of the compa... read more
Afghan Warlords Gain U.S. Funding by Rebranding as “Private Security Companies”
Willing to secure local domains and fight alongside Western forces, many of Afghanistan’s warlords are paid by U.S. and NATO commanders as “private security” businesses—even though these arrangements are threatening to undermine the West’s mission... read more
World Cup Guide: The 32 Teams
David Wallechinsky is the author of The Complete Book of the Summer Olympics and The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics. He is the vice-president of the International Society of Olympic Historians
Introduction
The World Cup, by far the bigg... read more
Haitians Suspicious of Monsanto Seeds Distributed by USAID
Agricultural biotech giant Monsanto is having a hard time giving away free plant seeds in Haiti, thanks to the company’s reputation for using genetically-modified crops to exploit farmers in other countries.
Through the U.S. Agency for Interna... read more
Appeals Court Allows Interpreter to Sue L-3 for Keeping Him in Slavery in Iraq
Abdulwahab Nattah, hired by a subsidiary of L-3 Communications to work as a translator in Kuwait, is suing the defense contractor for breach of contract, including allegations of being “sold” as a slave to the U.S. military.
A dual citizen of ... read more
First-Ever Hearing for Afghans Held by U.S.
Due process of law (of sorts) is becoming available to detainees held in Afghanistan. With approval from American officials, a local court presided over by three Afghan judges held the first hearing involving those accused of being insurgent threa... read more