Last week, Indonesia arrested Abu Bakir Basyir, the most prominent militant cleric in the country, and a man believed to be the spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiah and its offshoots. The government…

After welcoming last week, in succession, Kim Jong Il and Burmese dictator Than Shwe, perhaps the Chinese leadership should go for a trifecta; maybe this week they can host a party for Omar al-Bash…

I am back from Turkey. Great trip except for the exceedingly large man sitting next to me on the flight from Istanbul to London. That was uncomfortable. Last June, I wrote about the divergence…

The resurgence of polio last week in Congo-Brazzaville illustrates the long over-hang consequences of civil war and political instability. Pointe Noire, the epicenter of the current outbreak, is a po…

Yesterday’s parliamentary elections in Egypt were pretty bad.  The litany of opposition complaints was long.  As I write, there are 8 confirmed deaths and numerous injured in clashes between the se…