Foreign Policy Public Health Blog

Say goodbye to those tuna rolls

The Washington Post reports that the United States backs a ban on trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna and listing the fish as an endangered species. Strickland said the U.S. decided it needed to push for the extraordinary new protection because "the regulatory...

Published Wed, Mar 03 2010 11:15 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: North America, Environment, Southeast Asia

Saudi religious police get beat up by a girl... again

This very amusing story has been making the rounds : When a Saudi religious policeman sauntered about an amusement park in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of Al-Mubarraz looking for unmarried couples illegally socializing, he probably wasn’t expecting...

Published Tue, May 18 2010 8:30 AM by FP Passport

The world's most dangerous banknote

The Independent has a fascinating piece on British authorities' efforts to stamp out the €500 bill (about $627), a denomination apparently favored by organized crime: This is why a little-remarked-upon development in official policy on the denominations...

Published Thu, May 13 2010 4:12 PM by FP Passport

Morning Brief: NSA Surveillance Went 'Too Far' Says Kerry as Snowden Agrees to Help German Investigation

NSA Surveillance Went 'Too Far' Says Kerry as Snowden Agrees to Help German Investigation Top News: Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden reportedly told a German member of parliament that he would cooperate in a German investigation of the U.S...

Published Fri, Nov 01 2013 5:09 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Morning Brief

Morning Brief: Tensions flare as volcano crisis continues

Tensions flare as volcano crisis continues Top news: As Europe's volcano-caused travel crisis entered its fifth day, airlines have begun lashing out at European aviation authorities. "The decision that Europe has made is with no risk assessment...

Published Mon, Apr 19 2010 5:55 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Morning Brief

World Markets to Congress: You're Not Being Serious, Right?!

There's no end in sight to the standoff on Capitol Hill, and that had markets reacting with something of a nervous laugh on Tuesday. If market graphs could speak, they might be asking lawmakers in Washington something like the following: "You...

Published Tue, Oct 08 2013 5:34 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: U.S. Congress, Economics

The World Isn't Sure What to Make of Ted Cruz: the 'Man Who Blocked America'

As the world has turned its gaze to the U.S. government shutdown -- what the Russian news service RT has called "the harebrained antics of Congress," and Germany's Der Spiegel has attributed to the actions of "Die Kamikaze Partei,"...

Published Wed, Oct 02 2013 2:30 PM by FP Passport

The U.S. Nuclear Posture Review Report

Here it is , for your reading pleasure. Read More...

Published Tue, Apr 06 2010 8:52 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Nukes

Cleric blames earthquakes on immodest women

Throughout history, supernatural causes have often been used to explain the occurence of natural disasters. These days, however, religious figures and political pundits seem to be grabbing at straws. Take the following example: An Iranian cleric, Hojatoleslam...

Published Mon, Apr 19 2010 12:03 PM by FP Passport

Kim Jong Un succession watch

There were a few new reports (or "rumors," if you prefer) on the Kim Jong Un front this week. First, the South Korean media reported on Tuesday that Kim Jong Il's presumed successor may have been "elected" to parliament last year...

Published Fri, Jul 02 2010 11:45 AM by FP Passport

Life, liberty, and cheap broadband? - By Joshua Keating

Finland, yesterday, became the world's first country to garuantee broadband access to all of its citizens as a legal right: The legislation, which came into effect Thursday, forces telecom operators to provide a reasonably priced broadband connection...

Published Fri, Jul 02 2010 11:23 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Internet

The White Flag approach

Somalia's transitional federal government doesn't have a lot going for it. No control over the territory, no money in the coffers, no ability to tax, and no ability to offer services. This is not exactly a new predicament, but it's also not...

Published Tue, Jul 06 2010 9:52 AM by FP Passport

Nigerian politician arrested with bellyfull of cocaine

The anti-narcotics department at the Lagos, Nigeria international airport is not fancy. There is a waiting room where perpetrators sit in angst; there is a small backroom with dusty equipment. And then there is the stash room, where all the confiscated...

Published Mon, May 17 2010 1:15 PM by FP Passport

Gay sex scandal at the Vatican

In his FP piece on the decline of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Patsy McGarry described the disatisfaction of Irish catholics with the Pope's tepid response to their country's priest sex abuse scandal. Now Benedict may have to do some damage...

Published Fri, Mar 05 2010 7:35 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Religion

Making You "Comfortable" with Spying Is Obama's Big NSA Fix

Barack Obama held a press conference on Friday afternoon, supposedly to announce reforms of the NSA's far-flung surveillance programs. In reality, the White House briefing was the start of a marketing campaign for the spy programs that have turned...

Published Fri, Aug 09 2013 2:26 PM by FP Passport