Red and Blue America took different roads. Here’s how to bring them together
America has been coming apart at the seams, with Democrats and Republicans increasingly unable of communicating with one another. Red states and blue states, as decided in the 2016 election, have confronted each other in incomprehension, and are leading very different lives with very different econo…
International Day of Democracy 15 September
The unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has resulted in major social, political and legal challenges globally. As states around the world adopt emergency measures to address the crisis, it is critical that they continue to uphold the rule of law, protect and respect international standards and basic princ…
Prepare for election month, not election night
All of us need to start preparing for a deeply worrying scenario on Nov. 3. It is not some outlandish fantasy, but rather the most likely course of events based on what we know today. On election night, President Trump will be ahead significantly in a majority of states, including in the swing state…
Why Does California Have So Many Wildfires?
Again, California is aflame — and it isn’t close to being over yet. As of Tuesday, more than two million acres have burned across the state so far in 2020, which makes this a record year, surpassing 2018, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. About 200 Labor D…
Four Reasons Why Regime Change Won’t Occur In Belarus
There is no reason to believe that the Belarusian opposition will come to power any time soon. Instead, there are numerous differences between what is occurring in Belarus and what occurred in Ukraine in 2014 and in Armenia in 2018. Here are four reasons why. First, President Alexander Lukashenko is…
The burgeoning Balkan-Latin American crime nexus threatening the Balkans’ future
Many criminal groups in the Balkans trace their roots to the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the conflict that ensued. Under a new generation of criminals, these erstwhile local groups, criminals, and paramilitaries expanded in size, purpose, and capability, muscling thei…
Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond
International Literacy Day 2020 focuses on “Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond,” especially on the role of educators and changing pedagogies. The theme highlights literacy learning in a lifelong learning perspective, and therefore, mainly focuses on youth and adults. Th…
Dialogue to Nowhere: The Lack of Legitimacy in the Serbia-Kosovo Dialogue
Serbia and Kosovo have been talking about normalizing their relations for close to a decade. By now, it is the dialogue that became normality, instead of pursuing the goal of “normal” relations. Serbia denies Kosovo’s independence and many questions between the two countries remain open. There is a …
Amid COVID-19, don’t ignore the links between poor air quality and public health
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in the United States, with deaths surpassing 169,000 and “red zones” emerging in 21 states, preliminary research suggests that people living in communities with significant exposure to air pollutants have an increased risk of hospitalization or even death …
Senior Merkel ally urges action over Bulgaria’s corruption crisis
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s efforts to hang on to power amid a spiraling corruption crisis face an unexpected new challenge after a top ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday urged closer scrutiny of Sofia. For years, Borissov has enjoyed a close alliance with Merkel, and h…