Issues of Global Import

5 January 2004


No Earthquake in US-Iranian Relations Despite Humanitarian Moves
The city of Bam, Iran, fell down, and last week was devoted to pulling the bodies from the rubble. With a death toll that began around 5,000 and reached 28,000 and up in a day or two, the entire world volunteered to help. The result was the first US civilian flights to the Islamic Republic since the Ayatollah Khomenei took his country down its current path. Some thought this might bring a thaw in relations between Iran and the US. Fat chance.. Click here for more.

La Croix Fires Alain Hertoghe for Telling the Truth
The French newspapers are among the liveliest in the world in part because they do not pretend to be "objective." Regrettably, a fine journalist has lost his job at La Croix because he points out in a new book that in reporting on the recent war in Iraq, they weren't accurate either. Click here to read Kensington's Opinion.

Brazilian Judge Orders Americans Entering His Country Fingerprinted
In a situation of reciprocal inconvenience for security reasons, a Brazilian judge has ordered all American nationals entering Brazil to be fingerprinted and photographed. This mirrors the situation of Brazilians entering the US. However, Federal Judge Julier Sebastiao da Silva let his rhetoric get in the way of his good sense in making the ruling. Click here to read why.