Section: The Huffington Post (USA)
Weekend Roundup: Laughing at God
The first principle of an open society is not to let the intolerant define “the territory of insult” — those areas off limits to criticism or ridicule. But how does one define “territory” when media now crosses the boundaries of nations, cultures and civilizations? In the end, free societies must defend the right of...
Ukraine Peace Talks Fall Apart Amid New Fighting
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine peace talks failed Friday as hostilities intensified between government forces and Russian-backed separatists in the east. The escalation in fighting has centered on the airport of the rebel stronghold, Donetsk, where rebel militia have renewed efforts to dislodge government troops. Separatists say they have almost...
Ukraine: Nationalist Flags, Insignia and Curious Symbolism
A year ago, during protests against the unpopular government of Viktor Yanukovych, Kiev’s Maidan square was full of activist encampments and a plethora of diverse political flags. On the Maidan, nationalism was often associated with pro-European Union sentiment, and indeed EU blue and yellow flags could be seen fluttering alongside the...
Obama, David Cameron Agree To Keep Sanctions On Russia
WASHINGTON, Jan 16 (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have agreed to keep sanctions on Russia until it stops its aggression in Ukraine, Obama told a press conference on Friday. “We agree on the need to maintain strong sanctions against Russia until it ends its aggression in Ukraine, and on...
Another Page in the Global War on Terror
Despite the horrific nature of the terrorist attack that has since put Charlie Hebdo on everyone’s lips, what happened in Paris this month does not resemble the terrorist attacks of September 2001, which struck New York and paralyzed Washington, and precipitated the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The similarity between the two attacks...
How to spot a zombie democracy
Is a country that holds regular elections a democracy? We take the electoral process to be the first symptom of a democracy, but that in and of itself is very far from sufficient. By that measure, Russia is a democracy, as are Iran and Singapore – and indeed, many of the former Cold War Warsaw Pact regimes. Yet we all understand that these...
Resurgent Nazism: New and Frightening Reports
Even as the world focuses on the murder of French journalists, police and Jews, the continuing growth of Nazi and neo-Nazi movements has the capacity to surprise and frighten. Next Wednesday, January 21, at the U.S. Capitol, the latest edition of the authoritative compilation of Nazi incidents and organizations will be released. The White Papers...
Lost in the Headlines: The Coming Hell for Eastern Ukrainians
Articles about the war in Ukraine invariably cite the over 4,800 casualties and one million displaced persons reported by the UN. That number, as horrible as it is, is just a small percentage of the humanitarian suffering that continues to unfold on the ground. Lost in the headlines are the three million eastern Ukrainians in Donetsk and Luhansk...
Ukraine Steps Up Mobilization, Warns Of Renewed Russian ‘Aggression’
KIEV, Jan 15 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s parliament voted on Thursday to refresh its front-line forces and resume partial conscription after a top security official warned that Russian forces backing separatist rebels had sharply increased military activity in the east. “Russian aggression is continuing. There has been a significant...
Russia’s Forests Overlooked In Climate Change Fight, Scientists Warn
By Angelina Davydova ST PETERSBURG, Russia, Jan 15 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – R ussia’s forests may lose their power to help curb global warming without stronger domestic protection and a place in a new global climate change deal, scientists have warned. Russia has 19 percent of world forest reserves by surface area. But experts...
