Senior Lecturer in Government and International Affairs, Durham University
Senior Lecturer in the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University in the UK and author of Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success and Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond
The Collapse of the 'Dubai Miracle' Two weeks ago, the world of finance was told that Dubai had weathered the global recession. But last week, markets around the world were shaken when Dubai World, the country's major developer, asked for a six month delay in payments on billions in debt. Now, global financiers are claiming they've been misled. Should investors have seen it coming? What's the possible impact on the global economy? Is the next step a kind of test for Islamic finance under Shariah law?
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.