April 2013 - Foreign Policy Public Health Blog

Russia is no longer worried about U.S. missile defense systems

If Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin is to be believed, Russia has stopped worrying about U.S. missile defense systems in Eastern Europe. In a speech delivered Tuesday at the Russian embassy in London, Rogozin claimed that the American missile...

Published Tue, Apr 16 2013 4:50 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Europe, North America, Russia, North Korea, Obama Administration, U.S. Foreign Policy, Nukes, International Relations, Iran, National Security

How influential was that Reinhart-Rogoff paper, exactly?

The world of anti-austerians is abuzz (and maybe somewhat gleeful ?) this afternoon about news that a paper by Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff -- the paper for those policymakers looking for serious academic work to back up their proposals for debt...

Published Tue, Apr 16 2013 3:00 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Europe, Politics, Economics, Finance

Is it too soon for a book on Mohamed Morsy's accomplishments?

People have a tendency to get carried away when hyping a new leader -- particularly one who represents significant change. Still, reports on Tuesday that the Muslim Brotherhood will be publishing a book on Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy's achievements...

Published Tue, Apr 16 2013 2:40 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Culture, Egypt, Arab World

How long does it take terrorist groups to claim responsibility?

One reason many are speculating that the Boston Marathon bombing was the work of a " home-grown " or "lone-wolf " terrorist is the absence of a foreign terrorist group claiming responsibility for yesterday's tragedy. But how long...

Published Tue, Apr 16 2013 2:00 PM by FP Passport

Map: Epicenter of quake misses Iran's nuclear sites

Amid conflicting reports about the number of deaths caused by a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Iran on Tuesday, a map of the country's nuclear-related facilities shows that the sensitive structures are not located near the epicenter...

Published Tue, Apr 16 2013 9:00 AM by FP Passport

Muslim Brotherhood leader points to conspiracy behind Boston bombing

A common criticism of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has always been that it delivers one message in English to an international audience, and another message entirely in Arabic to its domestic audience. If anyone is ever looking for an example of this...

Published Tue, Apr 16 2013 5:43 AM by FP Passport

Morning Brief: FBI probe underway after Boston Marathon bombings

FBI probe underway after Boston Marathon bombings Top news: The FBI is leading the investigation into yesterday's bombing at the Boston Marathon , which left three people dead and injured more than 100. At 2:50 pm on Monday, after roughly three-quarters...

Published Tue, Apr 16 2013 5:36 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Morning Brief

What's keeping Gitmo detainees from going home?

Samir Naji al-Hasan Moqbel has been held at Guantánamo Bay for more than 11 years. For the past two months, he has been on a hunger strike, which he described in the editorial pages of the New York Times today: I could have been home years ago -- no one...

Published Mon, Apr 15 2013 6:45 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Terrorism, al Qaeda, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, National Security

A brief history of terrorist attacks in Boston

If confirmed as an act of terrorism, the two explosions that struck the Boston Marathon's finish line on Monday, killing at least two people and injuring dozens more, would represent the first such attack to strike the city in recent history. Authorities...

Published Mon, Apr 15 2013 5:30 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Terrorism, North America

The Boston Marathon conspiracy theories start

It literally took only minutes for the conspiracy theories to start after news broke about the twin explosions in Boston. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who has yet to find a tragedy he couldn't exploit, wasted no time: Our hearts go out to those...

Published Mon, Apr 15 2013 3:50 PM by FP Passport

The most striking photo so far of the Boston Marathon tragedy?

Boston Globe photographer John Tlumacki catches Boston's finest, guns drawn, at the moment they hear the second explosion go off. The runner on the ground was knocked over by the force of the first blast. Read More...

Published Mon, Apr 15 2013 2:50 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Security

What's the government's case against Gitmo's most famous New York Times contributor?

This morning, it was impossible not to feel a pang of sympathy for Samir Naji al Hasan Moqbel, the Guantánamo Bay detainee who described his miserable existence in a column for the New York Times . Moqbel, a 35-year-old Yemeni citizen, has been detained...

Published Mon, Apr 15 2013 2:00 PM by FP Passport

Reading these Boston Marathon tweets is like getting punched in the gut

Boston Globe reporter Billy Baker was on the scene of the marathon explosion. Watch as his tweets go from inspirational to horrifying in mere minutes: After 2 hours atop Heartbreak Hill, starting to see the struggling runners, cramping and crying, inspiring...

Published Mon, Apr 15 2013 1:08 PM by FP Passport

New York sports club pitches gym membership to Kim Jong Un

The New York Sports Club -- the gym that has previously hawked its facilities by offending Paula Deen fans ("paula, you made a fortune off of fat. call us if you want to be around to enjoy it") and New York City first-responders ("first...

Published Mon, Apr 15 2013 1:00 PM by FP Passport

Could falcons be the latest innovation in drone warfare?

Last time we checked in with Pakistan's falcon population, we reported on the surprising, feel-good story of how the Taliban have saved the fearsome birds in the tribal areas by fueling violence that has scared off poachers. Now there's a new...

Published Mon, Apr 15 2013 12:00 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Pakistan, Fun Stuff, South Asia, India