Via Meadia recently commented on the rise of Abdul Lateef Al Kindi, a Salafist preacher who likes to whip up anti-West, anti-Israel feelings in his sermons and ridicules the more peaceful Sufi brand of Islam that is more popular in Kashmir. Al Kindi is not the only one preaching hatred in this extraordinarily dangerous corner of […]

The situation continues to deteriorate in post-Arab Spring Egypt. We’ve previously charted the alarming rise of Egyptian-Israeli tensions since the overthrow of Mubarak, and noted that most Egyptians want to annul their country’s peace treaty with the Jewish state. Now comes this: A leading Islamist candidate in Egypt’s presidential election has branded Israel a “racist […]

California’s budget woes combined with poor economic results have long made it a poster child for poor fiscal management. The state’s credit rating has been downgraded to an A- by S&P, the lowest rating for any U.S. state, and its budget and pension shortfalls are infamous. Even more so than in other states, the main political […]

For China watchers and human rights activists, the continued harassment of Chen Guangcheng’s family members is receiving considerable attention, and rightly so. But of more long term significance may be the latest head to roll in the Bo Xilai aftermath: Zhou Yongkang.Until recently, Zhou was head of China’s vast domestic security apparatus, responsible for the […]

Anyone who has been following the news recently should be well aware that college debt is quickly becoming one of the most serious problems facing young Americans. College loans recently made headlines by surpassing credit cards as the leading source of debt for Americans, and unlike credit cards, student loan debt cannot be discharged in […]

It isn’t just evil Wall Street bankers who commit financial fraud. Recent news out of Kansas City serves as a reminder that unions can be just as prone to financial shenanigans as major corporations. The Kansas City Star reports that multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Labor, have initiated an investigation into gross mismanagement […]

Tripoli, on Lebanon’s northern coast, witnessed street battles between pro- and anti-Assad groups back in February. Violence erupted again over the weekend, and intermittent fighting continued for a third day today. Rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun fire echoed through part of the city. Perhaps five people have been killed, and dozens wounded. Lebanon’s Daily Star carried ominous reports (“Tension […]

Little by little, American military engagement in Africa is deepening. Diplomacy, investment in infrastructure and energy, action in that thing we’re not supposed to call the war on terror anymore: these are all driving a greater US presence in and around Africa. If anything, this is likely to increase.The Washington Post reports: …[T]he number of […]

There’s a storm raging in the blogosphere over the recent firing of Naomi Schaefer Riley from the Brainstorm blog of The Chronicle of Higher Education. Her offense? Suggesting that Black Studies programs are “a collection of left-wing victimization claptrap,” and offering some pointed examples.We’ll leave the debate over whether Riley’s dismissal was a legitimate response […]

In addition to the sanctions imposed on Iran by the US, the European Union announced earlier this year that it too would impose an embargo on Iranian oil. That embargo is due to take effect in less than two months, but there are signs that not all EU members are singing from the same hymn book. […]