India, China in Economic Warnings: Eurofail Damages World

“Extremely grim and complicated” is how the Chinese describe the global outlook these days; the Indians are warning that they and others face much worse conditions as Europe’s austerity drive kicks in. This (paywall protected) FT story offers a useful overview of the reaction in the two largest developing economies to the disquieting news coming […]

Strangled by a String Of Pearls?

“There’s nothing wrong with China setting up a base in the Seychelles”. This is apparently what the Indian defense minister had to say when asked if China’s plans to build a naval port on the Indian ocean island chain was of concern to India. The Hindustan Times puts it this way: The Defence [sic] Ministry […]

Do Christians, Muslims and Jews Worship the Same God?

Are Christians, Jews and Muslims arguing about which God to follow or about how to follow a common God in the best way? Fellow TAI blogger Peter Berger is one of the great students of religion in our time and he chews over this important question in his uniquely fair minded, comprehensive but readable and […]

Occupy Wukan

The coastal town of Wukan in the heart of China’s industrial Guangdong province is under siege. Residents have blockaded city streets with tree limbs and armed themselves with homemade weapons. Nearby, police man their own roadblocks. The NYT reports: The conflict in Wukan…escalated on Monday after residents learned that one of the representatives they had […]

To Err Is Human, But the Church Can Forgive

It’s a bad day for any tsar when he loses the support of the Russian Orthodox Church, a faith which historically has been kept on a short leash by generations of Russian rulers.  But that is the problem Prime Minister Puting faces this week when numerous members of the clergy and the Church leadership voiced […]

Hezbollah: Champion of Lebanese Shiites…And Drug Dealer?

The New York Times published today a lengthy investigation of the Lebanese Canadian Bank and its ties to Hezbollah. More than serving as a hub for Hezbollah’s money-laundering and funding purposes, the bank, investigators say, is part of a web of Hezbollah operatives and Lebanese businessmen from Africa to South America who are integrally involved […]

Cybersnoops: The New Face Of War

“They are stealing everything that isn’t bolted down, and it’s getting exponentially worse”. So said Representative Mike Rogers (R-MI), commenting on the explosion of China-based cyber espionage directed at the West. From biotech to aerospace, hackers in China are stealing secrets left and right. Here’s the story at Bloomberg: The hackers’ interest in companies as […]

From Eurofudge to Eurofail, Again

“Can we have a summit?” asked Zerohedge’s twitter feed last night.  The effects of the last European summit (yet another agreement to agree at some undisclosed point in the future) are wearing off and the exuberance is out of the markets.  Though central banks are printing money as fast as they can, asset prices are […]

Turkey vs. Iran: New Grudge Match Shapes the Middle East

Not long ago it appeared Ankara and Tehran were the best of friends. Today that situation is different. From Iraq to Lebanon and across the Middle East, Turkey and Iran are locked in a zero sum competition for influence and power. Here’s the story from the FT: Iran has criticised Turkey’s secular system of government […]

Religion & Other Curiosities
Do The Three Abrahamic Faiths Worship The Same God?

Both those who say no and yes are right, in a way.

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