Foreign Policy Public Health Blog

Reading Assad's emails

The Guardian appears to have come across a major scoop: a cache of 3,000 emails written by Syrian regime insiders, including President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma. The e-mails were reportedly leaked to a Syrian opposition group by "a mole in...

Published Wed, Mar 14 2012 12:47 PM by FP Passport

Will the U.S. Strong-Arm Brazil to Keep Snowden Out?

On Tuesday, the world woke up to a new missive from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, and no one quite seemed to know what to make of it. In an open letter to the people of Brazil in that country's Folha de S. Paulo newspaper, Snowden appeared to...

Published Tue, Dec 17 2013 9:54 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Latin America, Politics, Intelligence, International Relations, NSA

Sochi Watch: To Attend or not to Attend, That Is the Question

In August, British comedian Stephen Fry fired off an impassioned letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron, urging him to call for an "absolute ban on the Russian Winter Olympics of 2014." Cameron thanked Fry for his concern and offered...

Published Wed, Dec 18 2013 4:03 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Europe, Russia, Human Rights, Sports, Olympics, Barack Obama

Colonialism's last battle: to the victor go the spoils?

Colonialism has some unfinished business. Like a messy divorce, former partners scratch and claw for who gets what and all too often the colonized lost. Their treasures were stolen; their cultural heritage and national heirlooms were boxed up and shipped...

Published Mon, Oct 12 2009 11:42 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Diplomacy, Culture, Middle East, Afghanistan

Libya conflict is now a “civil war,” says the A.P.

The decision by the Associated Press -- the world’s most influential wire service-- to begin calling the conflict in Libya a “civil war” is worth noting since it’s where most newspapers (and websites, and television networks) across the United States...

Published Wed, Jun 15 2011 2:09 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Media, North Africa, Libya

Decline Watch: Should we pour one out for the U.S. beer industry?

Opinions differ between economists, investors, and psychologists as to whether alchohol consumption is a cyclical or countercyclical good. The latest annual report from the Beverage Information Group suggests the Amerislump is taking a toll on the U.S...

Published Thu, Sep 29 2011 2:11 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Decline Watch

Did Netanyahu or Obama doom the two-state solution?

With his decision to oppose the U.N. General Assembly's granting Palestine non-member state observer status, U.S. President Barack Obama leaves no doubt he is not modifying his pre-election position that "There is no daylight between Israel and...

Published Mon, Dec 03 2012 7:55 AM by The Middle East Channel

Filed under: Middle East, Israel/Palestine, Arab World, Thumbs, Middle East Poster 4

Was Libya worth it?

With the Libyan rebels now largely in control of Tripoli, and two of Muammar al-Qaddafi's sons in custody after a stunning final assault of the capital, the answer seems clear: absolutely. Many have criticized U.S. President Barack Obama's strategy...

Published Mon, Aug 22 2011 3:29 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Middle East, North Africa, Libya, Arab World

5 ways you know you're eating rat meat

On Thursday, China's Ministry of Public Security announced that the police had arrested 63 traders accused of buying rat, fox, and mink meat and then selling the meat as mutton. Apparently, the crime ring had been mixing the meat with gelatin, red...

Published Fri, May 03 2013 4:10 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: East Asia, China, Food/Agriculture

What is Ashley Judd’s foreign policy?

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 After several months of will-she-won't-she, today brought a fresh wave of speculation that actress Ashley Judd will challenge Mitch McConnell for his Kentucky Senate seat in...

Published Fri, Mar 08 2013 1:55 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Africa, Politics, Elections, Women, Celebs

Andrew Sullivan vs. TNR: Please shoot me now

I was expecting fireworks after reading Leon Wieseltier's 4,250-word attack piece on blogger and former New Republic editor Andrew Sullivan , and the Internet did not disappoint. Here's the quick and dirty summary: Wieseltier uses a W.H. Auden...

Published Tue, Feb 09 2010 6:48 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Media, Internet, Israel/Palestine

Facebook's Zuckerberg facing the death penalty in Pakistan

A Pakistani lawyer is seeking the death penalty for Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg over the "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" controversy: BBC Urdu reports — according to a Google Translation — that Pakistan's Deputy Attorney General has launched...

Published Mon, Jun 21 2010 9:03 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Pakistan, Freedom, Media, Fun Stuff

NFL Receiver Donte’ Stallworth’s Secret Life as a Foreign Policy Wonk

Donté Stallworth is currently a free agent who has been a wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, the New England Patriots, the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Washington Redskins. He also has some thoughts on Iran...

Published Thu, Oct 03 2013 2:30 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Culture, Celebs, U.S. Foreign Policy

Gaza's backwards economy

The underground tunnels that were until recently got everything from canned fruit to computers to Palestinians in Gaza are are now being used for export, according to this report . "We reversed our trade since the easing of the Israeli blockade and...

Published Wed, Oct 20 2010 10:18 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Middle East, Israel/Palestine, Trade, Egypt

Inside Biden’s Push to Head Off an Israel-Hezbollah War

Lebanon’s government seems eager for diplomacy, but the Iran-backed militant group may get the final say. Read More...

Published Thu, Jan 11 2024 3:00 AM by Foreign Policy

Filed under: Lebanon, Report, Israel, U.S. State Department, Israel-Hamas War