Category: Blogs

Slowly But Surely Kyiv Comes Around

By Alexander Motyl

How has Ukraine changed since the Euromaidan Revolution? In attempting to answer this question, I’ve used the governance-related categories in Freedom House’s Nations in Transit study, which tracks the reform record of post-Communist countries in Europe and Eurasia, and supplemented them with a few of my own. (Full disclosure: I’ve been involved in the Nations […]

EconSource: Turkey’s Erdogan Says Interest Rates Too High to Encourage Investment

By EconSource

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan renewed his call for lower interest rates on Sunday, saying they were too high to encourage investment and entrepreneurship.

‘It is Time to Take the Diplomatic, Military, and Cyber Gloves Off’

Atlantic Council analysts react to ISIS’ attacks in Paris The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attacks in Paris that killed more than 120 people on Nov. 13 — the deadliest attack in Europe since the 2004 train bombings in Madrid. French President François Hollande said the attack […]

A Zanzibar-Size Blemish on Tanzania’s Election

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Electoral panel’s decision to nullify Zanzibar vote must be recalled, says President of International Republican Institute Tanzania faces a crucial test of its commitment to multiparty democracy in the wake of October elections that were marred by the annulment of voting in the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, Mark Green, a former US Ambassador to Tanzania, […]

‘Rehumanizing’ War

By Alejandro Alvarez

After Veterans Day, authors urge public to remember human element of war A critical divide between the American public and military needs to be overcome to best provide for veterans returning home from war, said a VA official and authors at the Atlantic Council on Nov. 12. “Ignorance flourishes amid apathy, and we are a […]

Top News: ISIS Claims Deadly Twin Beirut Explosions

By MENASource

At least thirty-seven people were killed and more than 181 wounded on Thursday after two suicide bomb blasts, claimed by ISIS, hit a crowded district in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Top News: Russian Aviation Authority Bans EgyptAir Flights to Russia; Egypt Says Plane’s Final Seconds to be Analyzed Abroad

By EgyptSource

Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia has banned flights by EgyptAir, Egypt’s state-owned flag carrier, to Russia, effective November 14, an official of the Moscow Domodedovo airport reportedly said on Friday.

Vienna II: Who’s a Terrorist?

By Frederic C. Hof

On Saturday November 14, the participants of the October 30 Vienna conference on Syria will reconvene in the same place. This despite the fact that Assad regime attacks on civilians have relented not in the least. Indeed, military aircraft of the Russian Federation have supplemented the civilian-centric bombing campaign of Moscow’s client, reportedly adding cluster […]

EconSource: EU to Pay $3 Billion for Turkey’s Help in Stemming Migrant Crisis

By EconSource

European Union (EU) leaders agreed in principle Thursday to pay EUR 3 billion ($3.23 billion) to Turkey over the next two years in return for additional support in stemming migration flows into Europe.