Russian tanks and troops descend upon the Crimean peninsula. The Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk describes the situation as a “red alert” and “a declaration of war.” NATO calls an emergency meeting. The UN Security Council convenes to assess the situation. President Obama gets on the phone with allies in Europe and even speaks … Read more
HPR writers analyze the situation in Egypt following the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. What comes after protests, constitutional reform, and governmental transition?
The Ukraine is boiling over. The Maidan, the Tahrir Square of Kiev, is a war zone. The battle lines are constantly being redrawn, and the conflict has already spread beyond the capital, even into traditionally Russian strongholds. But you might miss the rapidly unfolding human drama if you follow only American news sources. Here’s your … Read more
Protests across Venezuela have worsened since their start over a week ago. At least two more people have died from violence during the protests, bringing the death toll to five. One of the deceased is Genesis Carmona, a beauty queen from the state of Carabobo. In addition, the main highway in Caracas remains blocked by protesters, limiting mobility … Read more
The protests currently gripping Venezuela-the largest since the violent days after the election of current President Nicolás Maduro-continue to pit anti-government protesters against the police and military. The unrest began on February 12th with peaceful student rallies in several major Venezuelan cities to oppose the current government, which protesters say has done nothing to stop … Read more
In early January, the nation of Iraq saw days of intense violence and conflict, culminating in the capture of the Iraqi city of Fallujah by forces linked to Al-Qaeda. Fighting has raged around Fallujah and other cities in Iraq’s restive Western Anbar Province in recent weeks, and has become a three-way struggle between army forces loyal … Read more
In early January, the nation of Iraq saw days of intense violence and conflict, culminating in the capture of the Iraqi city of Fallujah by forces linked to Al-Qaeda. Fighting has raged around Fallujah and other cities in Iraq’s restive Western Anbar Province in recent weeks, and has become a three-way struggle between army forces loyal … Read more
Contrary to popular belief, the use of biological weapons is not a modern occurrence. The first documented case of biological weapons occurred in Europe in 1346 when the bubonic plague was used as an agent. The invading Tartar Mongol army from Asia catapulted plague-ridden corpses into the besieged city of Caffa on the Crimean Sea. … Read more
In 1906, England launched the HMS Dreadnought. Although it bore the name of a half dozen ships before it, this Dreadnought was so much more powerful than its predecessors that it became the gold standard of power on the seas, ushering in a new generation of warships with bigger guns and steam turbine power plants. … Read more
In recent months, international attention on Iran has shifted from the usual fear and disapproval of its policies to an attitude of hopeful intrigue. In the months between President Hassan Rouhani’s election in June and the much-publicized phone call between Rouhani and President Obama on September 27, concerns over Iran seemed to subside. Iran has … Read more