Topic: Central Asia
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Briefing
Chechnya: How a remote Russian republic became linked with terrorism
The main suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing are two brothers from Chechnya, a Russian republic that has been the scene of cyclical revolts and brutal crackdowns for the past 200 years.
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CSMonitor editors share their favorite people to follow on Twitter
Twitter turned 7 this week. In celebration of the social network's birthday, The Christian Science Monitor compiled a list of favorite Twitter accounts. Each is informative and useful in its own way. Find out what each section recommends for you.
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4 ways US and Iran can make nuclear talks work
The Moscow talks on Iran’s nuclear program ended in stalemate June 19, as both cynics and optimists anticipated. While low-level experts will meet in July, the next set of sanctions against Iran are scheduled to kick in within weeks, arguably restarting the whole negotiating process. The next time around, the parties should consider broadening their approach in these four ways.
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Briefing
Gay marriage laws around the globe
There is no national gay marriage legislation in the pipeline in the US, however, numerous countries around the globe already recognize same-sex marriage or the right to civil unions. Here’s the breakdown by region.
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International Women's Day: How it's celebrated around the globe
International Women's Day has served for more than a century as a day to honor the achievements of women globally. Here are some ways people are celebrating:
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International Women's Day: How it's celebrated around the globe
International Women's Day has served for more than a century as a day to honor the achievements of women globally. Here are some ways people are celebrating:
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Violence in Western China underscores uptick in minority unrest
At least 12 people were reported killed Tuesday night in clashes in a Muslim majority Uighur region in western China.
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Putin vows to halt Russia's population plunge with babies, immigrants
If current trends continue, Russia's population will drop from 143 million to 107 million by 2050. Putin vowed in a newspaper article yesterday to reverse that trend if elected.
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Taliban infiltrators in Afghanistan? Pentagon warns of 'insider threat.'
Attacks by Afghan police and soldiers against US troops have caused friction and raised the threat that Taliban sympathizers could be joining the Afghan Army to attack or undermine NATO.
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Putin harnesses Russian nationalism to boost presidential bid
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says that multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot' but must find its own way.
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Opinion: Obama must keep US military in Afghanistan to counter China, Russia
The Obama administration must recognize that a total military withdrawal would have effects beyond Afghanistan's borders. It would devastate US interests – both political and economic – throughout Central Asia, a critical region where China and Russia now dominate.
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Killing the Cranes
After decades in Afghanistan, a Monitor journalist offers a memoir and field report.
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NATO drivers to US, Pakistan: Keep us truckin'
As Pakistan's blockade on NATO's Afghanistan supply lines enters day 20, truckers in Karachi are struggling to make ends meet.
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Why engage with Pakistan?
The US still needs Islamabad’s help on Afghanistan. Pakistan needs US aid money and global connections to avert international isolation.
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How do key countries rank on corruption?
Every year, the group Transparency International releases its Corruption Perception Index, which measures the perception of corruption – misuse of public resources, bribery, and backdoor deals, to name a few – in countries worldwide. On a scale of 0 (most corrupt) to 10 (least corrupt), no country scores a 10 and more than two-thirds of the 183 countries on the index score below a 5. The US comes in at 7.1. The index is built using data from surveys examining enforcement of anticorruption laws, tracking of public funds, kickbacks in government contracts, etc.
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Good Reads: Why British diplomats consider Tehran a 'hardship post'
Yesterday's rampage by Iranian 'students' are just the latest example of how Iranian domestic anger gets focused on diplomats.
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Peace Corps withdraw abruptly from Kazakhstan
More than 100 Peace Corps volunteers are leaving Kazakhstan, after the US organization announced an abrupt end to its program.
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In Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, residents see experiment with autonomy as 'illusion'
One area of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir was given limited autonomy in 2009 and hailed as a successful model for the disputed region – but many residents say there hasn't been enough change.
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Iceland blocks Chinese businessman from buying land
Chinese businessman Huang Nubo planned to invest $200 million in Iceland, but it has sparked national security concerns, despite popular support in a country still reeling from its 2008 financial collapse.
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Saudi crown prince dies, leaving succession uncertain
The younger brother of King Abdullah was in his 80s, and there is no formal method to name a replacement from the sprawling royal family.
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China can meet US, Europe where their interests converge
The promoter of China's 'peaceful rise' argues that China needs a new approach in its relations with the United States and Europe. Beijing should build on common interests, such as investment in each other's countries, stability in global hot spots, and climate change.
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Pressuring Pakistan, Afghanistan's Karzai signs deal with India
Afghanistan signed a strategic partnership with India today that allows arms transfers and military training in India. The move puts pressure on Pakistan to rein in militants.
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A "third wave" of Somali pirates?
A new group of younger, more violent Somali pirates may be on the rise, says Jay Bahadur, author of "The Pirates of Somalia."
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In Afghanistan war, US civilian surge peaks as Pentagon begins pullback
While President Obama has laid out a path for reducing US military involvement in the Afghanistan war, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the civilian surge of 1,100 engineers, aid workers, and diplomats is only now hitting top gear.
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Afghanistan looms large at SCO security group meeting
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) meeting in Kazakhstan focused on how Central Asia could be affected by the possible spread of the Arab Spring – as well as failure to stabilize Afghanistan.
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What Pakistan Prime Minister Gilani wants from China
The Pakistan premier may be trying to forge a loose alliance between China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to undermine US influence in the region.
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After bin Laden: Why the US wants military access to Afghanistan beyond 2014
Without a deal to allow US military access to Afghanistan beyond the 2014 date for withdrawal, the US ability to smoke out terrorists in Pakistan could diminish in the years to come.
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Arrests at UK's Sellafield nuclear plant raise concerns about security
The five men who were arrested outside the Sellafield nuclear plant have been released without charge. But the incident has turned attention to nuclear facilities' security.
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Opinion: World Press Freedom Day: Don't believe the numbers, the good guys are winning
Today, on World Press Freedom Day, many will rightly mourn the alarming rise in the number of journalists killed or incarcerated around the world. But the much-cited freedom of expression indices are misleading. The real story on press freedom is that our side is winning. Here's why.
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Obama's new national security team faces major challenges
President Obama's new national security team, headed by Leon Panetta and General David Petraeus, has a wealth of experience. But it faces major challenges, especially in Afghanistan.
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