Category: Featured

By Keith Nuthall, International News Services

This week, a small proportion of Europe’s electors (maybe less than 30%) will drift over to their polling station to do their European Union (EU) civic duty and vote for a European Parliament representative. That the proportion of EU citizens undertaking this easy task has dwindled is testimony to the failure of the parliament to do its job: to exercise power on behalf of the majority of the EU population.

By Raghavendra Verma, in New Delhi

The recent victory of the Congress party in the Indian general elections is a positive signal for international business and diplomacy. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has a good chemistry with many world leaders and has aptly stuck to his international commitments in the past - the successful implementation of the Indo-US deal on nuclear power is an example.

By Munza Mushtaq, in Colombo, Sri Lanka

The destruction of a ruthless armed seperatist organisation in a small south Asian nation may provide lessons to counter-insurgency units fighting terrorists and rebel groups around the world. Sri Lanka citizens rejoiced this week at the end of its quarter century long war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - dubbed as the world’s most ruthless terrorist outfit.

By Katherine Dunn, International News Services

Anti-piracy organisations are hailing as a victory the conviction in
their home country Sweden of the founders of the world's largest 'torrent'
digital fire-sharing site The Pirate Bay. But the case is really just
another round in an ongoing game of whack-a-mole that has seen national law
unable to contain transnational intellectual property rights infringement.

By Paul Cochrane, in Muscat, Oman

While construction workers are downing tools throughout most Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf and the future of massive infrastructure projects is in jeopardy, the Sultanate of Oman is bucking the regional trend by investing billions of dollars to bolster its nascent tourism sector, aviation and industrial base.

By Thompson Ayodele, in Lagos

As the Group of 20 top industrialised and developing economies prepared to meet in London, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon warned them that "the economic crisis may soon be compounded by an equally severe crisis of global instability." A key problem is that trade is deteriorating every day and political pressures demand import restrictions to protect employment. This is no way out: such protectionism would make this particular depression ‘Great’. 

By Lorraine Mallinder, in Montréal

As the polar ice cap continues to shrink, the five nations surrounding the Arctic Ocean are hurriedly positioning themselves for what is shaping up to be one of the biggest geopolitical brawls of the coming years.

By Keith Nuthall, International News Services

In tough recessionary times, publishers sensibly look to the bottom line. Agencies such as International News Services offer quality well-priced global coverage. Publications gain access to more than 40 experienced journalists worldwide, and the amount they need to spend can vary according to budgets and editorial demands.

By Keith Nuthall , International News Services

In tough recessionary times, publishers sensibly look to the bottom line. Agencies such as International News Services offer quality well-priced global coverage. Publications gain access to more than 40 experienced journalists worldwide, and the amount they need to spend can vary according to budgets and editorial demands.

By Eric Lyman, in Poznan, Poland, for ISN Security Watch

 As countries battle to come up with a plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions in 2009, attention will almost surely begin to focus on two main players that hold the fate of the international process in their hands: the US and China.