TURKEY: Military Emerges for Modernity

The election of the Justice and Development (AKP) party in 2003 has given an old debate a new turn.

RIGHTS-URUGUAY: Uncovering the Truth, Three Decades On

Juan María Bordaberry attained a certain notoriety outside of Uruguay's borders when he transformed himself from democratically elected president to dictator in June 1973, dissolving Congress, outlawing political parties and civil society organisations, and suspending civil liberties in a coup d'etat in which he joined forces with the military.

POLITICS-IRAN: Hardliners Try to Steer Crucial Polls

Iran's government is attempting to suppress its critics and consolidate its power before two key elections on Dec. 15 - for the Tehran city council and the national Assembly of Experts.

POLITICS-US/MIDEAST: “Strategic Consensus” Redux?

President George W. Bush and his peripatetic secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, may believe that they have broken with 60 years of U.S. policy in order to "transform" the Middle East, but to long-time regional observers, their latest initiatives look painfully familiar.

ARGENTINA: Human Rights Trials Trigger Wave of Threats

The reopening of human rights cases in Argentina as a result of the revocation of amnesty laws that let off the hook members of the police and military who took part in the 1976-1983 dictatorship's "dirty war" against dissidents has triggered an unexpected wave of bomb and death threats aimed at intimidating witnesses, judges, lawyers and journalists.

TRADE: EU Move Could Bring Disaster to the Poor

The decision announced by the European Union to pursue bilateral trade deals in the absence of a comprehensive world trade agreement can mean disaster for poor countries.

POLITICS: Musharraf’s Memoir Sets Cats Among Pigeons

By launching his memoir amidst a two week-long high-powered publicity blitz across three continents, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has set a cat, or rather several cats, among the pigeons.

POLITICS-US: War on Terror Returning to Its Cradle

Five years after the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was putting the final touches on a brilliant campaign plan to oust the Taliban and its al Qaeda allies from power, Afghanistan is back in the headlines here, and the news isn't good.

IRAQ: Kirkuk Fearful of Future

The security situation in the northern oil-rich city of Kirkuk has further deteriorated over the past few weeks after the Iraqi government formed a committee assigned to "normalise the situation".

TRADE: Water Scarcity Crossing National Borders

Historically, water scarcity was a local issue. It was up to national governments to balance water supply and demand. Now this is changing as scarcity crosses national boundaries via the international grain trade.

POLITICS-ZAMBIA: The Fiscal Conservative or the Firebrand?

Elimination of double-digit inflation, economic growth in the region of five percent last year, a reduction of foreign debt from some seven billion dollars to 500 million: these are figures guaranteed to earn the president of a developing country another term in office, not so? Maybe yes, Maybe no.

IRAQ: U.S. Writes Sunni Resistance Out of Anbar Story

Are the Sunni leaders in Iraq's Anbar province finally coming around to joining the U.S. counterinsurgency war?

AFGHANISTAN: Military Policy ‘Barking Mad’

There have been critics enough of the U.S.-led military actions under way in Afghanistan, but now military commanders too have begun to question just what they are doing in Afghanistan.

RELIGION: Muslims Offered Italian Values

Interior Minister Giuliano Amato proposed in August that Muslim organisations in Italy will need to subscribe to a Charter of Values to signal their readiness to be fully integrated into Italian society and its political culture.
Pope Benedict's controversial speech in Regensburg in Germany added to Italy's concerns about its integration policy towards Muslim minorities.

RELIGION: Muslims Offered Italian Values

Interior Minister Giuliano Amato proposed in August that Muslim organisations in Italy will need to subscribe to a Charter of Values to signal their readiness to be fully integrated into Italian society and its political culture.

FINANCE: ‘Bank and Fund Won’t Change Their Spots’

Can the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) be reformed or should they both be boycotted and dismantled? This is the growing debate that has been fuelled in the aftermath of the organisations' annual meetings in Singapore last week.

ECONOMY-THAILAND: Back to Basics After the Coup?

As Thailand settles back to a normalcy of sorts after a dramatic military coup, attention is now shifting to the economic implications, underlying which is an uneasy conflict in values between the self-sufficiency championed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the gung-ho capitalism and consumerism espoused by ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

POLITICS: Italy Boosts Talks on Iran But Real Test Lies Ahead

After a tense week with several U.S. allies breaking ranks with the George W. Bush administration on Iran, an agreement has been reached to give diplomacy a bit more time.

POLITICS: Italy Boosts Talks on Iran But Real Test Lies Ahead

After a tense week with several U.S. allies breaking ranks with the George W. Bush administration on Iran, an agreement has been reached to give diplomacy a bit more time.

POLITICS-US/IRAN: War, Diplomacy on Parallel Tracks

If you're feeling increasingly confused about whether the administration of President George W. Bush is determined to go to war with Iran or whether it is instead truly committed to a diplomatic process with its European allies to reach some kind of modus vivendi, you're not alone.

POLITICS: Iraq Occupation Depends on Sadr – and Iran

For many months, the George W. Bush administration has been complaining that Iranian meddling in Iraq is a threat to the country's stability and to U.S. troops. The irony of this publicity campaign over Tehran's alleged bid to undermine the occupation is that Iran may well be the main factor holding up a showdown between militant Shiites and U.S. forces.