Foreign Policy Public Health Blog

How Voice of America gets around the Great Firewall of China - by Brian Fung

For Chinese citizens, accessing information that Beijing hasn't screened beforehand is hard enough. For blacklisted "subversive organizations," though, drawing an audience in the first place can be infinitely more difficult. Take Voice of...

Published Wed, Aug 04 2010 6:52 AM by FP Passport

Does Nigeria have the best Somalia policy?

From the first moment that an African Union peacekeeping mission shipped to Somalia in 2007, backers of the force have engaged in an unrequited courtship with the continent's peacekeeping powerhouse: Nigeria. At first, it looked like the country would...

Published Wed, Aug 04 2010 12:15 PM by FP Passport

Could the euro crisis save Belgium?

It may be hard to imagine a silver lining in S&P's decision to downgrade Belgium's credit rating from AA+ to AA, but the move may have had the unintended consequence of pressuring Belgian leaders to finally get around to forming a government...

Published Mon, Nov 28 2011 9:09 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Flash Points

Could a floating city-state solve Silicon Valley's visa woes?

As Tyler Cowen notes , the new startup Blueseed is aiming for something of a libertarian hat trick combining the ideas of seasteading , circumventing U.S. immigration laws, and providing a regulation-free development space for tech firms. The idea is...

Published Tue, Nov 29 2011 11:43 AM by FP Passport

U.S. military brings scientists closer to Ebola cure

If you know anything about the Ebola virus, you're terrified by it. The disease, euphemistically dubbed a haemorrhagic fever, essentially causes one's innards to turn to mush, and blood begins to leak out of a patients eyes, nose, ears -- everywhere...

Published Mon, Aug 23 2010 8:43 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Science & Technology, Africa, Health

Can anyone win an election outright anymore?

Last weekend's inconclusive Australian election has produced the country's first hung parliament in 70 years. But as Patrick Dunleavy of the London School of Economics points out , the Australian result also marks another, albeit wonkier, milestone...

Published Mon, Aug 23 2010 3:49 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Politics, Elections

From the rare books dept: Chinese author Yu Jie takes on Wen Jiabao

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 "Mr. Wen needs to learn ... how to face and accept criticism for ideas, even very sharp." That's what Yu Jie, the author of a controversial new book on the Chinese...

Published Tue, Aug 24 2010 10:20 AM by FP Passport

Canada intercepts Russian bombers in the Arctic

It seems there was some excitement in the far north yesterday: Fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian bombers in the Arctic as they approached Canadian airspace on the eve of a visit from Canada's prime minister to observe an Arctic...

Published Wed, Aug 25 2010 11:04 AM by FP Passport

Japanese PM Candidate Ozawa: "I don't think Americans are very smart," "I don't like British people"

Ichiro Ozawa, the backroom dealer and longtime fixture of Japanese politics who announced today that he will challenge Prime Minister Naoto Kan as leader of the ruling Democratic Party, and therefore also as prime minister, will have some explaining to...

Published Thu, Aug 26 2010 11:33 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Japan

Video: Terrorism suspect sings Avril Lavigne in Canadian Idol audition

This is so ridiculous I'm almost waiting to hear that it's a huge hoax, but here, for your viewing pleasure, is the Canadian Idol audition of Dr. Khurram Syed Sher, who was arrested , along with two others, on terrorism charges in Ontario yesterday...

Published Fri, Aug 27 2010 7:09 AM by FP Passport

Friday Photo

Indian Muslim vendors arrange oranges in front of the historic Charminar monument during the holy month of Ramadan in Hyderabad on August 20, 2010. Muslims all over the world are supposed to go without food, drink and smoking from sunrise to sunset during...

Published Fri, Aug 27 2010 1:40 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Friday Photo

New record set in bog snorkeling

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Looking for a new hobby? You may want to give bog snorkeling a try. The latest out of Wales is that a bog snorkeler may have set a new world record time for the sport by more than...

Published Mon, Aug 30 2010 9:34 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Europe, Fun Stuff, Sports

Iran paper update: Carla Bruni must die

Calling French First Lady Carla Bruni a prostitute for having the gall to defend a woman sentenced to death by stoning just wasn't enough for the hardline Iranian newspaper Kayhan . Tackling the subject again today (is this what passes for an Iranian...

Published Tue, Aug 31 2010 8:58 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: France, Media, Iran

2011’s traditions you never knew needed protecting

Judging by the latest reports from Durban , your children may never know what a glacier is, but thanks to the UN's cultural body -- recently defunded by the United States for other reasons -- they'll still be able to watch cross-dressing Czech...

Published Wed, Nov 30 2011 2:57 PM by FP Passport

Morning Brief: Pakistan issues new rules of engagement following NATO strike

Pakistan issues new rules of engagement following NATO strike Top news: Pakistan's military has issued a communique giving its commanders in the Afghan border region permission to return fire if attacked, without waiting for authorization. The move...

Published Fri, Dec 02 2011 5:27 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Morning Brief