Record-High GDP Print Disguises Sorry State of US Economy as a Half-Dozen Recession Indicators Continue Flashing
News reports hailed the recent third-quarter advance estimate for GDP of 4.9% as a sign of the “resilience” of…
Author: Andy Corbley
The Best Baklava in Baku: A Sickening Quest for Enlightenment of the Turkish Sweetmeat
Baku as a destination can be said to have it all. In the Azeri, there is a people that…
Another US Ally Wins Opposition Candidacy in Venzuela–Will the US Try and Intervene Again in 2024?
In Venezuela, one of the few states beyond US influence in the Western Hemisphere, the opposition political parties recently…
Crossing the Talysh Mountains and Meeting the People There
The south of Azerbaijan touches the Caspian Sea, the Talysh, or Hyrcanian Mountains, and the regional power of Iran.…
Azeri Modernity Remains Steeped in Tradition – Take Rap for Example
In this staple of Baku’s skyline, I saw a bagel bar posting advertisements for pumpkin spice lattes, and a…
What Scientists Hear May Prove More Valuable for Conservation than What They See—the Field of Bioacoustics
A field of science known as bioacoustic conservation has really surged forward in the last decade, with dozens of…
Breaking Down Baku Azerbaijan’s Glittering Oil Palace
According to a tweet from the Finance Minister, Azerbaijan’s non-oil-and-gas sector grew to 9.6% of GDP in 2023. That…
Belt and Road’s Failures Are Well Documented—the Successes Not as Much
Story at a glance… China’s Belt and Road Initiative was launched 10 years ago this month. Despite immense difficulties…
Republicans Oust McCarthy as House Speaker In Clear Opposition to Ukraine Aid Which Is Drying Up Across Europe
In a first for American republican democracy, the Speaker of the House, the third most powerful person in political…
End of the Empire 10/3: China Making Economic Inroads into Washington’s Closest Allies
End of the Empire is a twice-monthly feature on all news relating to the transition from the unipolar world…
Must See: Giant 16th Century Turkish Baths to Reopen in Istanbul as Part-Museum Part-Antique Spa
Following an extraordinary 13-year restoration project, Zeyrek Çinili Hamam, a historic bath in Istanbul, reopens this September after centuries…
Long-Range ATACMS Missiles Poised to Go to Ukraine Also Drop 300-900 Cluster Bombs
The Washington Post has reported that the US is close to giving Kyiv long-range ATACMS missiles that have a 200-mile…
UNESCO Heritage Sites Class of 2023: Central Asia Winning Out
The 45th Session of the World Heritage Committee took place in Riyadh from the 10th to the 25th of…
Xinjiang Has Returned to Normal After Less-Than-Severe Policing Campaigning Say Visiting German Sinologists
Story at a glance… After claims of genocide against the Turkic peoples in China’s Xinjiang Province were put forward…
Beloved Porcini Mushrooms Rank Among Highest in the World for Rare Essential ‘Vitamin’ Ergothioneine
Across Europe, autumn heralds the arrival of the coveted and delicious porcino, or Boletus edulis mushroom. A cultural and culinary…
NATO Members Complete Cluster Munition Disarmament, Urge Belligerents to Ban Controversial Weapons
The 11th meeting of the Convention on Cluster Munitions recently concluded in Geneva with two NATO members, Bulgaria and…
Two More Members of Pentagon Brass Discuss War with China Openly
Big spenders among the Air Force brass are keen to buy and build their way to a war against…
The US Space Force: Brand-Building, Woke Policy, and Economic Parasitism
The US Space Force is now 4 years old, and seems to be a microcosm (micro in the Pentagon…
Screen Use in Babies Delays Communication, Problem Solving—Except With Video Calls to Family
While it may be tempting at the end of a particularly challenging day when a parent has been running…
Radioactive British Tank Destroyed Amid 90% Ukraine Casualty Rates
British investigative reporters were earning their bread this week with some front-line coverage of Ukraine’s attack which has been…