The stand-off between Kiev and Moscow over Russia’s offer of humanitarian aid for civilians caught in the besieged cities of Donetsk and Luhansk is the latest episode in a slow-burning crisis that continues to threaten to erupt into a broader conflict. The Ukrainian government is understandably wary of allowing onto
The Disintegration of Iraq
The news almost every day contains events which harken the end of Iraq as a nation state. Radical Sunnis take over Mosul for their ISIS state. Kurds tighten their control over oil in the north. Shiites kidnap a top Sunni leader and his security men in Baghdad.
It is not
Will Anyone Act Against Putin?
A myriad of investigators have descended upon Ukraine ostensibly to find out what happened to the downed Malaysian plane. But much is already plain: pro-Russian separatists, trained by Russia and utilizing Russian supplied antiaircraft weapons, mistakenly believed they were aiming at a Ukraine military aircraft.
Separatists had shot down a
New Food Safety Law for China
China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), has released a draft of the revised Food Safety Law (Draft FSL) for public comment. The comments are due on July 31, 2014. The Food Safety Law was last revised in 2009, when the government changed the Law’s name from the Food Hygiene
FDA Grapples with Nanotechnology
On June 24, 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released three final guidance documents addressing the agency’s general approach to nanotechnology and its use by the food and cosmetics industries, as well as a draft guidance on the use of nanomaterials in food for animals.
These guidance documents reflect
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Is Argentina Ready For A Rebound?
Pity poor Argentina. It was recently reported that Colombia had passed Argentina as the third largest economy in Latin America after Mexico and Brazil. If that wasn’t bad enough, tiny Uruguay is exporting more beef than Argentina. Inflation in Argentina was 30 percent last year; this year it could be
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Putin’s Pivot to Asia
The recent surprise announcement that Russia and China had reached agreement on a long term gas supply contract may portend a troubling development for the United States. The parties had been negotiating for 20 years. Then they suddenly reached a 30 year agreement at precisely the same time that
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Business Implications of the European Elections
The outcome of the European Parliament (“EP”) elections, which ended on May 25, will lead to a more unstable political landscape. This will require companies interacting with EU legislators to adapt their lobbying strategies. They are likely to find a shift away from the current pro-business approach in the European
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The Iran Negotiations Reach a Critical Point
The chances are no greater than 50 percent that the negotiations with Iran over its nuclear weapons program will succeed. And even if they do, this will not automatically open the gates for American companies to do business with Iran.
Last November, Iran and the five permanent members of the
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Uncertainty in the European Political Landscape
Europe is on the verge of major political developments. On May 22-25, EU voters will elect members of the European Parliament. In June, the European Council will appoint a new President and High Representative in charge of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to succeed the visible Cathy Ashton.
In the
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