Posts Tagged ‘government’
The Pope in Turkey
Pope Benedict XVI has embarked a trip to Turkey, where he began by supporting Turkey’s membership in the European Union and calling for more dialogue between Christians and Muslims. The Pope’s travels have spurred a flurry of media coverage, focusing not only on religion but also on Turkey and it’s role as a bridge between [...]
The tribal culture of Iraq
There are many people who would have us believe that the challenges of Iraq are all about politics and terrorism. And, of course, those obstacles are very real and are difficult enough to overcome. But the hurdles involved in putting that country back together actually go much deeper, since a solution to the Iraqi quagmire isn’t really possible without taking into account [...]
Maybe a coup isn’t bad for tourism, after all
Under normal conditions, a military coup against a democratically elected government would seem to be bad for national morale, at the very least, and potentially devastating for tourism. Apparently, though, that is not always true. At least not in Thailand. This is how the Washington Post describes the scene in Bangkok a day after the Thai Army deposed the [...]
Honor and tribalism in the Middle East
Anyone who is interested in knowing how culture influences the conflicts in the Middle East would enjoy an op-ed piece by John Tierney in yesterday’s New York Times . Tierney describes the importance of honor in that region of the world and how it can affect everything from tribal and family loyalties to communication styles. In the [...]
Autonomy for Catalonia
More news on the burgeoning movements for autonomy or independence among unique cultural regions. Voters in Catalonia approved a referendum that gives considerable autonomy to their region of northeastern Spain. The provisions, which give the Catalan government more tax powers and greater authority over judicial and immigration matters, will go into effect within days. New laws also [...]
The country of Transdniestria?
What is a country? That’s a more difficult question than it first appears, as we saw in the wake of Montenegro’s recent vote in favor of becoming an independent state. Now, the Christian Science Monitor has an interesting article about “The Coming of the Micro-States.” Experts fear that many “frozen conflicts” around the world … could reignite as ethnic [...]
New country joins the world
Montenegro, the tiny Balkan country that has long been connected to Serbia, voted yesterday to become an independent country. Montenegro will thus become the 193rd member of the international community (or maybe the 192nd or 194th, depending on who is counting). There are 191 members of the United Nations. However, the U.S. State Department and many other U.N. members recognize 192 [...]
U.S. scientists drawn to Singapore
Singapore is making a concerted effort to attract foreign scientists, and is beginning to have some success with U.S. stem cell researchers. The Southeast Asian city-state is trying to grow its biotechnology sector in an effort to become the “Boston of the East.” Singapore’s siren song is growing increasingly more irresistible for scientists, especially stem [...]
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Bob Riel is a writer and a traveler. Go here to read more about Bob, his work and the Travels in the Riel World blog.
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