March 2013 - Foreign Policy Public Health Blog

The long, international, and occasionally dignified history of the filibuster

Sure, Senator Rand Paul's 13-hour filibuster on Wednesday was dramatic in the moment. But in the history of filibusters, it's unexceptional. After all, it was the ninth-longest in U.S. Senate history, according to USA Today -- not exactly a glowing...

Published Thu, Mar 07 2013 1:45 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Politics, History, U.S. Congress, Democracy

Morning Brief: Syrian rebels seize 21 U.N. peacekeepers near Golan Heights

Syrian rebels seize 21 U.N. peacekeepers near Golan Heights Top news: Syrian rebels seized 21 U.N. peacekeepers from the Philippines on Wednesday in a bid to convince President Bashar al-Assad pull back from a rebel-held village near the Golan Heights...

Published Thu, Mar 07 2013 5:21 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Morning Brief

Victims' rights group names 'dirty dozen' papal candidates

The Vatican's ongoing sexual abuse scandal and the Catholic Church's often stumbling response is expected to play a major role in the coming papal conclave, and today the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) fired a major shot at...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 4:25 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Europe, Religion

The CIA didn't give Chávez cancer, but crazier things have happened

There is absolutely zero evidence to suggest the United States had a hand in the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, but that hasn't put a stop to a cascade of conspiracy theories about U.S. agents somehow infecting the charismatic leader with...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 4:04 PM by FP Passport

Did the U.S. just create a new category for best-friend allies?

Did the United States just create a new designation for its special relationship with Israel? Some news sources seem to think so. The National put it succinctly: It was widely reported last week that this year's Aipac conference, which ends tomorrow...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 1:30 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Politics, Middle East, Media, Israel/Palestine, U.S. Foreign Policy, International Relations, U.S. Congress

Top Democratic aide: We can't move forward until Paul stops

A final vote on John Brennan's confirmation was set to take place as early as today, but now all bets are off thanks to Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's fillibuster attempt. A frustrated Democratic leadership aide tells Foreign Policy that Paul's...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 1:05 PM by FP Passport

Who is mysterious trader no. 588?

The camera just loves certain people -- especially when it comes to unnamed New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Trader No. 588, who has become both a fixture on Getty Images and a weathervane for those tracking the financial winds. Photo editors the world...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 12:00 PM by FP Passport

Introducing 'War of Ideas'

A very exciting housekeeping announcement today. My new blog for FP , War of Ideas , has just launched. Here's what I wrote for the blog's intro post : Rather than following the day's headlines, my goal here is to explore the theory, data...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 11:47 AM by FP Passport

Rand Paul name drops bloggers in old-school filibuster

In a rather media savvy statement against White House drone policies, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is ticking off a who's who of civil libertarian bloggers, in an old-fashioned filibuster on the Senate floor today. Bloggers mentioned so far include the...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 10:45 AM by FP Passport

Anwar Awlaki recruits jihadists from beyond the grave

A new video published yesterday by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula features previously unseen footage of American-born Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki recruiting jihadists to attack the United States, Great Britain, and other members of the Western "crusade...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 10:20 AM by FP Passport

The death of Hugo Chávez -- as told by Latin American front pages

The news that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez finally succumbed to cancer broke around 5 p.m. yesterday, early enough to make today's newspapers. Here's a look at how the story played in the region: El Universal , Venezuela The Venezuelan daily...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 9:48 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Europe, Venezuela

The Bullyvarian Revolution: Hugo Chávez's most memorable insults

It was a key component of Hugo Chávez's special brand of charisma: the exotic, grandiloquent insult. Chávez was not the only world leader who relished a good -- if perhaps, at times, one-sided -- fight with los imperialistas , but what made him stand...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 8:27 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Latin America, Venezuela

From conspiracy theories to the apocalypse: the most bizarre reactions to Chávez's death

The death of Hugo Chávez has prompted varied reactions from leaders around the world -- as a quick scan of their tweets suggests. But while everyone seems to be weighing in on the Venezuelan president's much-anticipated parting, some reactions have...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 8:15 AM by FP Passport

Morning Brief: Hugo Chavez has died, Venezuela in mourning

Hugo Chavez has died, Venezuela in mourning Top news: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died Tuesday afternoon, succumbing to a long battle with cancer and bringing to a close a tumultuous political career that reshaped Latin American politics. Speaking...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 5:46 AM by FP Passport