Perceived Corruption High in Sub-Saharan Africa
Voice of America
Several African nations were among the worst performers in Transparency International’s annual report on perceived corruption. The report gave each nation a score between 0 and 100. Besides Somalia, African countries that scored 20 or below on the list include Sudan, South Sudan, and others.

 

Five things to know about Ukrainian Crisis
USA Today

 

USA Today poses five important questions on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The questions give context to the current situation and provide analysis for the importance of the latest developments.

 

Uncertainty over security clouds NATO talks on Afghanistan
Elise Labott / CNN Politics
NATO warned it may be forced to withdraw all of its troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year if President Hamid Karzai doesn’t sign a security agreement with the United States. The pact lays out the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after 2014, when the force of nearly 80,000 troops is scheduled to leave.

 

Biden: U.S. ‘deeply concerned’ about China air zone
Calum MacLeod / USA Today

 

Vice President Biden voiced strong opposition Tuesday to China’s new air defense zone above a set of disputed islands, showing a united front with an anxious Japan as tension in the region simmered. USA Today provides an enticing and interactive map delineating various claims to the contested territory.

 

 

North Korea powerbroker ‘dismissed’
BBC News

 

A powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been removed from his post, South Korea media reports say. Citing South Korean’s agency, they say Chang Song-thaek, lost his position as vice-chairman of the North’s top military body while two close aides were also were executed for corruption.

 

Scientists: Nation Unprepared for ‘Abrupt’ Climate Changes
Ben Geman / National Interest

 

A new National Research Council report on the topic urges creation of an Abrupt Change Early Warning System to brace for fast-moving climatic shifts. These quick shifts while subtle, could have prodigious implications for the planet and pose as big threats to any nation that isn’t prepared.

 

Bruce Molnia’s Repeat Photos of Alaska, and What He Says They Reveal About Our World
Terrell Johnson / Weather Channel

 

Photos taken by Bruce Molnia illustrate the drastic effects climate change have had on one of Alaska’s beautiful national parks.

 

Egypt: Morsi’s links to Jihadists Probed
Hamza Hendawi / Associated Press

 

During his year as president, Egypt’s Mohammed Morsi cultivated ties with Islamic radicals through various actions and now is under investigation for accusations that place him behind waves of violence in the country.

 

On Our Flashpoint Blog

 

AP report Attacks in Sinai Peninsula Linked to Morsi
Associated Press

Insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula is growing as Islamists seek to reinstate Mohammed Morsi.

 

Egypt: Past, Present, and the Future – A Conversation with Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeid
Farhad Mirzadeh

At the event, Dr. Makram-Ebeid spoke about the prospects of democracy in Egypt, and what the current struggles mean for democracy in the country. She highlights the need for politics to dispense of radical ideologies and accept a modern, egalitarian stance toward running the country.

 

 

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