The second day of the U.N.’s Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Conference, July 3, opened much as the first day had closed: with a very delayed start. The issue, still, was the Palestinian demand—instigated by Egypt—to be included as full participants in the conference, which continued to meet staunch resistance from …
Even by U.S. government standards (not a high one these days), the State Department’s budget process is a mess. In almost every budget cycle, billions and billions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars get allocated to the State Department in the last minute without proper congressional debate or substantive hearings. As a …
The much-heralded United Nations conference to negotiate the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) launched with a media and propaganda blitz, but the reality on the ground was less impressive. Not only did the conference achieve nothing in its first day, but it never got started. By closing time at 6 p.m.—U.N. …
On Friday, a district court issued a permanent injunction against New York City’s ban on the use of the schools for worship services, permitting city churches to continue renting space in public schools on weekends. “Churches that have been helping communities for years can continue to offer the hope that …
Last Friday, Russia’s Kommersant, a leading newspaper, reported that United Russia, the ruling political party, is about to submit a bill in the Duma that would tighten the activity of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) financed by foreign funds. This step is likely to severely curb freedom of speech in Russia. Under …
The Mexican elections that occurred on Sunday will be closely scrutinized and intensely analyzed after 49 million of Mexico’s 80 million registered voters went to the polls to select a president for a single six year-term (2012–2018), 128 senators, 500 deputies, and six governors, as well as the mayor of …
Syria’s long-suffering people need U.S. leadership, and they need it now. The situation is dire as activists say more than 14,000 people have been killed since the uprising began in March 2011. But effective action has been held up at the United Nations due to Russia’s diplomatic protection of the …
