A Nuclear Affair

On June 15, more than 130 nations reconvened at the United Nations for the final session of negotiations on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons. While the U.S. and other nuclear-armed and nuclear-allied nations boycotted this process, the clear majority of the world’s nations showed readiness to definitively prohibit nuclear weapons – the only weapon of… Continue reading A Nuclear Affair

Published
Categorized as Blogs

Meritocracy or Kleptocracy: Kurdistan’s Political Leadership in Turmoil

The Kurdistan region has been suffering on multiple fronts be it an economic crisis and delays in salaries for six months to disputes over budget cuts by the central government and decline in oil prices. There’s also a presidential crisis with Masoud Barzani’s expired tenure after two terms and two years of extension; Barzani has… Continue reading Meritocracy or Kleptocracy: Kurdistan’s Political Leadership in Turmoil

Published
Categorized as Blogs

Mystery Surrounds Shahbaz Taseer’s Captivity and Return

Shahbaz Taseer was a high-profile kidnapping victim in Pakistan — missing for almost five years after he was abducted a few hundred meters from his home in an affluent neighborhood in the city of Lahore on August 26, 2011. His case was major news in Pakistan because in January the same year, his father Salmaan Taseer,… Continue reading Mystery Surrounds Shahbaz Taseer’s Captivity and Return

Published
Categorized as Blogs

Egypt: Our Daily Bread

A particular brand of urban entrepreneurship is keeping food on the table for millions, as a hard currency crisis has crippled Egypt’s business activity in recent months. Unregulated, untaxed businesses are operating in the shadow of the state, making up a large portion of what is broadly referred to as Egypt’s informal sector. It’s an… Continue reading Egypt: Our Daily Bread

Between Bernie, the Vatican, and a Muslim American Liberation Theology

On April 15, the Bernie Sanders campaign will make a visit far from the presidential electoral map: The Vatican. Pope Francis invited the presidential hopeful to a conference addressing social and economic inequality, acknowledging Sanders’ relentless campaign against structural poverty and its attendant perils. While the presidential field is comprised of five self-identifying Christians, Sanders… Continue reading Between Bernie, the Vatican, and a Muslim American Liberation Theology

Published
Categorized as Blogs

From Reassurance to Shared Interests: Bridging the Gulf at the Riyadh Summit

President Barack Obama’s meeting with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Saudi Arabia this week is a previously scheduled follow-up to last year’s Camp David meeting, which notably secured the Gulf states’ passive endorsement of the Iran nuclear deal. There is no comparable deliverable expected this week, and the case for low… Continue reading From Reassurance to Shared Interests: Bridging the Gulf at the Riyadh Summit

Published
Categorized as Blogs

UNHRC: Denying an Individual Access to Internet is a Violation of Basic Human Rights

In the 21st Century, a new divide between the poor and the rich is emerging, one that is threatening the basic tenants of freedom and development. The reach of the internet is simultaneously fast and secure, and categorically denying that to an individual is now considered a violation of basic human rights, according to a… Continue reading UNHRC: Denying an Individual Access to Internet is a Violation of Basic Human Rights

Published
Categorized as Blogs

Cracking The Crisis

Technology can and must address the tremendous challenges posed by the worst refugee crisis in recent history Some problems are so big, you don’t even know where to start. The refugee crisis is a problem of this magnitude. With the refugee population reaching around 20 million, governments are failing to address the atrocities and provide for… Continue reading Cracking The Crisis

Published
Categorized as Blogs
Exit mobile version