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The confounding nature of Canadian politics

The trees might be blooming now, but it wont be long until leaves will begin to turn yellow and red. The next federal election shall soon be upon us, whether we like it or not. Yet, I find myself baffled, foolhardy, and even, I dare say, perplexed. A great deal of people in their juvenile […]


Sri Lanka: Why foreign investment should come

Sri Lanka: Why foreign investment should come

The end of civil war brings fresh opportunities Foreign investment is a hot topic at the moment. The idea mostly, in the current climate, invokes criticism and anger, such as the recent Guardian opinion piece that lamented the selling off of British and London infrastructure to foreign investors. To compound this, there has been general […]


Political murder of Boris Nemstov a continuation of a grim trend

Political murder of Boris Nemstov a continuation of a grim trend

Despite news reports, this is not a new development. Boris Y. Nemtsov was slain on Friday by an unknown gunman. He was a prominent opposition leader and he had been at the forefront of fighting for democratic reforms for over two decades. Russian President Vladimir Putin did was expected of him and offered his sincerest […]


Humanitarian crisis in Greece with closure of ERT news organization and mass layoffs

Humanitarian crisis in Greece with closure of ERT news organization and mass layoffs

THESSALONIKI, Greece — Over the past weeks, many hours of airtime and many inches of newspaper columns have been dedicated to the controversy of Greek national debt. The “modest proposal” presented by the Greek Government for debt renegotiations has drawn the attention of media across Europe. The Greek side of the debate has voiced great concern about the austerity policies […]


kosovo

Kosovo, still fragile after seven years of independence

BELGRADE, Serbia — Kosovo is well known for the war and consequent NATO campaign against Serbia. Armed conflict ended in 1999, and the forces of the Western alliance took control of the Serbian province, where they maintain a fragile peace over the area. Tuesday, the young state celebrated seven years of independence, but a fancy and expensive ceremony is not […]


The undeniable truth about Vancouver's housing market

The undeniable truth about Vancouver’s housing market

Prices keep getting steeper, and people’s tempers are rising almost at the same rate. That is the best manner in which the current situation of the Vancouver housing market, which has stirred debate in the last few years, can be described. Yet, there is an underlying issue which most are not willing to discuss. Every time […]


AENA's privatisation complete - global potential and global problems

AENA’s privatisation complete – global potential and global problems

MADRID, Spain — AENA, the world’s largest airport operator, has been floated on the stock market in Madrid. Josè Manuel Vargas, the company’s CEO, indicated in an interview with the Financial Times that the company’s entry onto the stock market preceded a wider move towards a more global reach for the company. However, while the […]


Greece: Do elections change anything?

Greece: Do elections change anything?

BERLIN, Germany — Two weeks since the coalition of the radical-left Syriza party won the elections in Greece, freshly assigned Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis completed his tour of the European capitals in Berlin last Thursday, Feb 5. In the German capital, Varoufakis’ meeting with his German counterpart, Wolfgang Schäuble, in a call for a […]


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The vaccination conundrum: collective irrationality

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate is a choice which is undoubtedly the right of every person in the “free world.” Yet, when the discussion of the anti-vaccination movement comes up it becomes immediately obvious that we are not talking about individuals. At least not people who are able to make individual choices. Rather, we see […]


Tamar

Historically illiterate: Canada’s baffling quandary

VANCOUVER, Canada — The fondness that I hold for this nation and its institutions is something which has been instilled in me since my youth. I always nitpicked and stacked my books on Canadian and British history, making sure that I knew the stories of the people who have not only let me live in […]


Pasu Au Yeung

Hong Kong streets “filled” with pro-democracy protesters

Hong Kong experienced another, much smaller, pro-democracy protest this Sunday when close to 13,000 people peacefully took to the streets. The organizers of the protest hoped to achieve a turnout of 50,000, but were disappointed to find out that only a few took to holding the yellow umbrella — the sign of protest that dominated Hong Kong […]


Rafael Medina

Israel moves to enlarge West Bank settlements

Despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s firm reversal of the Housing Ministry’s bid for the expansion of settlements into the West Bank, Ari Uriel, Israel’s minister of construction, decided to go forward with the plan of building an additional 450 housing units in the Eitam Hill area, just east of Efrat. A total of $215,000 (over 800,000 shekels) have […]