Can Twitter convince South Korea that North Korea sank its ship?South Korea is taking 70 students, bloggers and tweeters to tour the warship hull of the ship that was sunk in March by North Korea, killing 46 people, to help end public scepticism that the North was to blame.
United States
US is whipped by Israel
The US is loathe to say even the mildest criticism of Israel despite the flotilla attack, even though much of the world has condemned the conduct. Why is the US still protecting Israel? asks Glenn Greenwald.
White families are five times richer than black families
The gap between rich and poor is also a black and white issue in the States, where a quarter of black families have no assets at all and economic policies favour those better off.
Down the highway to the Mississippi Delta
Bob Gosford is on a roadtrip across the US, spotting the “fatality accident” markers, election signs and some local Louisiana and Alabama churches.
Chomsky: Why the US won’t allow peace in the Middle East
Israel and Palestine could reach a settlement, but the United States is unwilling to agree to it. It is the US who are continuing to fuel the Gaza war, writes Noam Chomsky.
Will Israel attack Iran?
Israel is getting fed up with America’s dithering over Iran, and its trigger-finger is getting increasingly itchy. Will — and can — it “go rogue” on the nuclear nation?
Move over Obama, Russia’s back
If the Kyrgyzstan uprising proved anything, it’s that Russia still has major dominance of the Eurasia region. Barack Obama may have declared the start of a new era for US-Russian relations, but this is vintage Russian power play.
Van Onselen: Rudd the jet-setter doesn’t take off
Our PM usually flies overseas at the drop of a hat to flaunt his skills on the world stage. So why is Kevin Rudd staying home this week rather than attending the crucial nuclear security summit in the US? Bad move, says Peter van Onselen.
Is the US and Israel love affair about to break up?
The relationship between Israel and the US is at crisis point, says The Economist, with Barack Obama becoming increasingly fed up after Israel’s announcement of 1600 new houses to be built in Palestinian Jerusalem.
America: the fall of the Empire
It’s the ‘Age of Angst’ in the States, with growing concern in the US that the GFC is making them lose their world leader top spot. Is the media freak out valid? asks Andrew Nagorski.
VIDEO: Hasn’t Haiti suffered enough? The new We are the World
Oh dear. The darlings of American pop, rock and hip hop have banded together to re-record We are the World. Starring Pink, Jennifer Hudson, Celine Dion et al, it is a total cheese fest. Hopefully some good will come from this awfulness.
The end of Uncle Sam’s reliance on the dragon?
Economic relations between the US and China have always been a successful “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” relationship. But with China in a tizz over the US weapons deal with Taiwan, who needs whom more now?
Obama’s big bank plan won’t do squat
Obama’s new restrictions on banks are a great idea, says Henry Blodget — except Lehman, Bear Stearns, Goldman, Morgan, et al. weren’t “banks”.
Best of frenemies: why Pakistan hates the US
Pakistan and the US have long had a complicated relationship but Pakistan’s recent actions have turned it toxic, writes Christopher Hitchens. When will the US realise that its true closest ally in the region is India?
Copenhagen’s nasty negotiations
The spirit of the Copenhagen summit was marked by a degree of fractiousness, pig-headedness, selfishness and deviousness not seen at previous UN conferences.
The dream and the dragon: the two world powers
If Copenhagen has taught us anything, it’s not to underestimate the power of the US and China. While the US is getting much of the blame for Copenhagen failures, if China wants to be a superpower it needs to face its climate responsibilities.
The end of the Third World
The tectonic plates of global politics shifted in Copenhagen last week, and it was tiny Tuvalu that exposed the rift, calling for large, high-polluting developing country to take on legally binding emission reductions.
US officially declares C02 a dangerous pollutant
To mark the beginning of Copenhagen, America’s Environmental Protection Agency has officially declared carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions as a danger to public health.
No more middle class America?
With one in five Americans now unemployed and serious economic issues — thanks to credit card debt, medical bills and mortgages — across the country, the suburban middle class American dream may be over, writes Elizabeth Warren.
Bernanke under fire
US Fed chief Ben Bernanke is currently appearing in front of the Senate to defend his troubled record in office and argue for a second term. Should he shoulder the responsibility for the Fed’s role in the global financial crisis?
MAP: What are Americans cooking for Thanksgiving?
It’s Thanksgiving in the US, giving Americans a chance to do what they do best: eat. The NYT has mashed-up search data from Allrecipes.com with a map to see what different parts of the country will be cooking.
Can prisoners on death row really request anything for their last meal?
Ever pondered what your final meal would be if you were facing the noose? Contrary to popular belief, prisoners on Death Row in the US don’t always get what they ask for. In fact, many just get something slapped together by a fellow inmate.
A lot to be said for socialism in an American ER …
The Democrats passed their health-care reform legislation in the House of Representatives over the weekend, though a Senate vote will be even tougher. The legislation may be imperfect, but it’s a start.
Washington Post / Thursday, 8 April 2010
The Washington Post has a new blog all about the “conservative movement” and Republican Party, promising to explain what the right is “doing, thinking, and planning”. Could be fascinating reading for political junkies of all persuasions.