360 Articles
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360° Analysis / Egypt / Morsi / Politics / Soccer / Middle East / AfricaThe renewed clashes in Egypt are as much a protest against Morsi’s power grab, as they are with the failure to reform the police and security forces. A pledge by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to re-open all cases against those responsible for attacks on anti-Mubarak and anti-military protesters in the last 21 months did little to prevent militant soccer fans clamoring for justice for hundreds of dead protesters, including 74 of their own. The soccer fans joined the outpour of anger against the president’s unilateral decision to grab wide-ranging powers. Morsi had hoped that the re-opening of cases, which largely failed to condemn those responsible for repeated crackdowns on...
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360° Analysis / crisis / EU / Euro / Euro crisis / France / Germany / greece / Politics / Spain / UK / EuropeBy John BrutonThe former Prime Minister of Ireland discusses the possibility of the UK leaving the EU, and the questions it raises about the political structure of the union. This is the final part. Click here to read part one. ............ And Meanwhile in the United Kingdom As if Europe did not have enough problems, one important EU country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is preparing to renegotiate the terms of its membership of the EU and hold a referendum on the outcome, which would potentially decide whether the UK would stay in the EU or leave. The first thing to say is that the UK is entirely free to do this. Unlike other unions, like the United States or the...
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360° Analysis / Censorship / China / Leadership change / Political Reform / Politics / Social Media / Xi Jinping / AsiaThe once-per-decade Chinese leadership transition occured in a context of increased public political discourse. Social media platforms could potentially pose an issue for the one-party system. Over the past four years, social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook have played significant roles in stoking political events. The United States presidential elections, the Occupy movement and the Arab Spring each demonstrate the extent to which social media can facilitate popular political discourse. More interestingly, these events also show how social media enables dialogue across power hierarchies. Candidates, leaders, voters and demonstrators are able to convey their goals and opinions...
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By Jarno LangBarack Obama has been re-elected as president of the US. Given an increasingly complicated US – China relationship Indonesia now has to decide how to balance the two superpowers. On November 6th 2012, it was announced that the people of the US had reelected President Barack Obama to a second term in office. This election and its result are of special relevance to Indonesia, as the two candidates had different perspectives on future US foreign policy outlook. The article’s assumptions are based on interviews conducted shortly before and after Election Day. Hence, while not claiming comprehensiveness, this article nonetheless allows a view into the intricate Indonesian...
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America's failure to issue green cards to up-and-coming entrepreneurs has led to a serious decline of business launches. In 2005, immigrant entrepreneurs launched 52% of all startups in Silicon Valley. But today, the number has dropped to 44%, and America is not only losing the opportunity to create new jobs but also losing its competitive edge, argues Vivek Wadhwa in his short, passionately argued book, The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent. Unlike during the 1980s, when skilled immigrants could get green cards (that let them become permanent residents of the U.S.) in as little as 18 months, today it can take as long as 17...
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360° Analysis / crisis / EU / Euro crisis / greece / Politics / UK / EuropeBy John BrutonThe former Prime Minister of Ireland, John Bruton, disccusses the political and economic stresses that might lead to the break-up of the European Union, and its consequences for member states. This is the first of two parts. I have attended a number of conferences in the past few weeks where the future of the European Union has been discussed. Where previously the EU’s continuance was complacently taken for granted, now there is much more uncertainty, but also much more interest. The European Union has been a remarkably successful political experiment. It is the first ever voluntary coming together of sovereign states, pooling some of their sovereignty, so that they could do...
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Sherine Tadros of Al Jazeera and Mouin Rabbani discuss the conflict in Gaza on Voices of the Middle East and North Africa. The latest Israeli assault on Gaza has received ample coverage during the past week in the international media. In a special edition of Voices of the Middle East and North Africa, three guests deepen our understanding of the recent onslaught beyond the reality of the conflict. First, whose narrative does this media convey and why? Malihe Razazan poses this question to Sherine Tadros of Al Jazeera, who was one of a handful of journalists covering the attack from Gaza in the winter of 2008/2009. The other question is: Why did Israel really attack Gaza? Khalil Bendib...
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360° Analysis / Lebanese / Lebanon / Music / Arts & Culture / Middle EastBy Munir Atalla Mashrou’ Leila, a Lebanese band that emerged from the Beirut underground indie scene, have captured what it is like to be young in the Arab world, and understand their listeners, sometimes better than they understand themselves. “Ya Albi, (my heart), I hope this message finds you healthy, inspired, and far from apathy. I’m sorry I haven’t written in so long.” Begins a love letter. This letter, however, is not between two lovers, but between a band and their audience. Mashrou’ Leila is the Lebanese sensation that emerged from the Beirut underground indie scene some five years ago. When announcing their concert dates, the band takes on the...
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360° Analysis / Campaign / Dedication / Early Voting / Florida / Miami / obama / Politics / Swing State / United States / volunteersWhile working with the Obama campaign in the swing state Florida, Miranda Margowsky realized that poor voting conditions won't stop passionate voters. It was 5am when I pulled into the parking lot of an early voting site in Miami for the first day of early voting. There were already 30 people in line outside of the library, huddled inside blankets and clutching thermoses of coffee. There were families, toddlers, and a lot of lawn chairs. They were the first Florida voters to cast their ballots at the polls for the 2012 general election. In previous years, early voting had been allotted two full weeks, including two Sunday voting days that were all-important to the African-American...