Shadowy rebels extend Myanmar’s wars
he stirring soundtrack of the video ‘Dream in Our Heart’ is accompanied by statements of defiance by ethnic Rakhine soldiers, male and female, of the Arakan Army (AA) from their mountain redoubt in Myanmar’s northern Kachin State. Army commander Major General Twan Mrat Naing (aka Tun Myat Naing) spe…
Tehran Terrorist Attacks Risk Unleashing All-Out War Between Iran And Saudi Arabia
Iran’s parliament and the shrine of its revolutionary father were the targets Wednesday of what appears to be the Islamic State militant group’s first major attack on Iranian soil. In an operation that seemed to require a level of coordination not often typical of ISIS attacks in the …
SPY VS. SPY The Game Is Afoot
In a 1932 article for the American Historical Review, the legendary maritime historian Robert G. Albion commented on the then-ongoing “communications revolution,” which in his view “has knit the world closer together…widened the horizons of every community, partly through the rapid di…
A look at what a hung Parliament means for Britain
Britain’s general election has ended with no party winning an outright majority, bringing the second so-called hung Parliament in the last three elections. Here are a few questions over what it means and its implications for the country. QUESTION: WHAT IS A HUNG PARLIAMENT? Answer: It’s an unusual s…
Changing the World as We Know It: The role of Industry 4.0 in Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 9 and the 2030 Agenda
The world we know is rapidly changing, creating new opportunities and bringing along new issues that require attention. We live in a very complex era with change and progress happening daily, and how we choose to act today will be a cornerstone of the planet that future generations will inherit from…
How Vienna produced ideas that shaped the West
ACROSS the cobbles of Vienna’s Michaelerplatz the world of empires, waltzes and mutton-chop whiskers glowers at the modern age of psychoanalysis, atonal music and clean shaves. In one corner, the monumental, neo-baroque entrance to the Hofburg palace, seat of the Habsburgs; in the other, the Looshau…
The Berlin attack proves Tunisia, the single success of the Arab Spring, is yet to overcome its past
Another terrorist attack in Europe brings more alarmed finger-pointing at Tunisia. Have we entirely misread the story of the small Mediterranean nation whose people’s bold protests for dignity and social justice sparked the Arab Spring six years ago? It is a deeply troubling puzzle. H…
How Europe can deliver on energy efficiency
The European Commission’s recently released Clean Energy Package, has a 2030 target of 30% energy savings. An important policy instrument to deliver these are Energy Efficiency Obligation (EEO) schemes. According to new research from the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), not only are EEOs a highl…
Turkey and Russia: Envoy’s Murder Will Bend Relationship, Not Break It
Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was shot and killed Dec. 19 at an art exhibition in Ankara, where he was delivering a public address. Turkish security forces subsequently killed the gunman, reported to be Mert Altintas, a member of the special forces department of the Turkish National Pol…
If we develop Africa’s bioeconomy it will be as transformative for us as digital has been
The late 20th century was a period of unprecedented advancement in information and communications technology. The rapid adoption of mobile phones in Africa laid the groundwork for a digital economy. According to a new study by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Creating Sustainable …