(New York) – Jail and prison staff throughout theUnited States have used unnecessary, excessive, and even malicious force against prisoners with mental disabilities, Human Rights Watch charged in a report released today.The 127-page report, “Callous and Cruel: Use of Force against Inmates with Mental Disabilities in US Jails and Prisons,” details incidents in which correctional staff have deluged prisoners with painful chemical sprays, shocked them with powerful electric stun weapons, and strapped them for days in restraining chairs or beds. Staff have broken prisoners’ jaws, noses, ribs; left them with lacerations requiring stitches, second-degree burns, deep bruises, and damaged internal organs. In some cases, the…

Last week U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, an experienced diplomat, concluded bilateral consultations that focused on regional security and Algerian economics. The United States endorsed Algeria’s efforts to resolve the conflict in Mali, and the two countries pledged to work closely on counterterrorism. The United States also voiced support for Algerian efforts to diversify its economy and attract new investment, and the two countries will continue to build their bilateral cooperation in education. Algeria is an important partner of the United States, especially as both states confront new extremist threats in North Africa.…

I  spent the last week immersed in geopolitical conflict, but not in eastern Ukraine or the South China Sea. No, I was at NYU Abu Dhabi, one of the least conflictual places on Earth, at a Brookings Institution conferencetitled “International Peace and Cooperation in an Age of Global Competition.” The 40 senior policymakers and thinkers from the United States, Europe, and emerging countries largely agreed that we have entered a new world — one which looks very much like the old world — characterized by growing conflict between states. A few of us bridled at the premise. Someone — I think it…

Depuis la chute du communisme en 1989, on observe, en Bulgarie, des recompositions identitaires à fondement religieux ; mais celles-ci ne sont toutefois ni uniformes, ni systématiquement radicales. Pour en retracer les origines, il faut remonter au milieu des années 1980, à l’époque où le régime de Todor Živkov avait entrepris l’assimilation violente des Turcs bulgares. La revalorisation des marqueurs d’appartenance distinctive et la redécouverte de racines culturelles et religieuses spécifiques…

Experts Say Saudis Also Irked at Obama's Recent Criticism Over the last several days, the White House has trumpeted the planned visit of Saudi King Salman to the White House, saying it was a major move to consult on “bilateral issues.” Tonight, the Saudis announced the king isn’t coming. In a move which Arab officials say is a “sign of disappointment” about the White House’s stance on Iran nuclear talks, the Saudis say they are planning to send the Interior Minister in the king’s stead. Experts also believe the Saudis are angry about President Obama’s recent comments, in which he warned…