Archive for the ‘World current affairs’ Category
Should we be worried about a nuclear meltdown? (2)
March 15th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
After a third explosion at the Japanese nuclear plant in Fukushima Daiichi, there is understandably rising concern, but the risk should be kept in proportion. The BBC web site has a helpful question and answer here.
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Should we be worried about a nuclear meltdown? (1)
March 14th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
As if the death and destruction of the Japanese earthquake was not horrific enough, there are media reports that one or more nuclear reactors might suffer a meltdown. What is happening and what is the risk? You’ll find a helpful explanation here.
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When 13 March is really 14 March
March 13th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
I am something of a student of politics, current affairs and international relations, but understanding the situation in Lebanon – which I have just visited – is something else. It is so complicated and ultimately politics here is a matter of life and deaths with a devastating civil war from 1975-1990 and more recently targeted […]
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What’s in a name – and title? (2)
March 1st, 2011 by Roger Darlington
A week ago, I did a posting on a bizarre German political scandal about the Defence Minister who was accused of plagiaring his doctorate. As fun as the issue is his name: Karl-Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester, Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg or simply Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg or – as his […]
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The importance of resources in international relations
February 25th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
I continue to attend my evening class in International Relations led by our lecturer Dr Dale Mineshima-Lowe. Normally we look at particular countries or regions. This week, however, we took a cross-cutting theme and discussed the impact of resources on international relations. What sort of resources? Obviously oil, gas, and mineral resources (such as uranium) […]
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Which democratic nation is launching an assault on collective bargaining by trade unions?
February 25th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
It’s the United States – see here.
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What’s in a name – and a title? (1)
February 23rd, 2011 by Roger Darlington
He’s in trouble for allegedly plagiarising material for his PhD so he’s decided to stop calling himself Doctor. He’s the German Defence Minister – at least for the moment. His friends call him simply KT. His full name is Karl-Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester, Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg. Check out […]
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Change in the Middle East
February 16th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
I continue to enjoy my evening class in International Relations led by our lecturer Dr Dale Mineshima-Lowe. The last few weeks have been incredibly topical because sessions on the Arab world have coincided with revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt and demonstrations in many other countries in the region. This evening we discussed parts of the […]
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The Iraqi who lied about WMD
February 16th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
“The defector who convinced the White House that Iraq had a secret biological weapons programme has admitted for the first time that he lied about his story, then watched in shock as it was used to justify the war. Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi, codenamed Curveball by German and American intelligence officials who dealt with his […]
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Watching “The Promise”
February 7th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
This evening, I watched the first of a four-part, seven and a half hour drama on the Arab-Israeli conflict called “The Promise” and broadcast on Channel 4. It is written and directed by Peter Kosminsky. A couple of weeks ago, the “Observer” had a good article on the making of the series. It concludes: “Whatever […]
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