Publications Review 19.04.2013

In this issue you will find: Information in the Internet Age,  Boston Marathon bombing,  Korean Crisis,  Reprimand of American nuns, Margareth Thatcher's  TINA (There is No Alternative), Afghan Narcotrafficking.

Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) announces the release of its most recent report, “The New  Gatekeepers: Controlling Information in the Internet Age” by Bill Ristow. The report traces how the technological revolution of the past few decades has created a new corporate world of Internet-based companies that have become the new gatekeepers of information.

One of the latest articles at the 4th Media summarizes opinions on who stood behind Boston Marathon bombing which occurred on 15th of April and what consequences will this terrorist attack cause for international politics and the US security policy.

In another article published by the 4th Media Prof. Bruce Cumings reviews historical background of Korean Crisis and argues that DPRK is not solely responsible for the present escalation of the situation.
 

Other News republish and article by Laurie Goodstein (The New York Times) which comments on Pope Francis decision to reaffirm the reprimand of American nuns issued by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. According to the article, the reprimand was issued by pope because

“the nuns’ group was tinged with feminist influences, focused too much on ending social and economic injustice and not enough on stopping abortion, and permitted speakers at its meetings who questioned church doctrine”

In another article published by Other News, Laura Flanders argues that the concept of TINA (There is No Alternative) needs to be buried together with recently deceased Margaret Thatcher.

“For thirty years we’ve lived with TINA: “There is No Alternative.” Thatcher deployed her most famous slogan to mean that certain debates were over, especially debates over capitalism. Globalized capitalism, so called free-markets and free trade were the best ways to build wealth, distribute services, grow a society’s economy; deregulation’s good (if not God.)
This week, as the canonization of Margaret Thatcher has played out, it’s clear that while Maggie may be gone, TINA lives”

International New-York-based non-partisan organisation EastWest Institute recently issued report Afghan Narcotrafficking: A Joint Threat Assessment. The report is a product of the Russian and American experts who participated in a working group convened by EWI. The contributors to the report point out that preventing an explosion in this opium trade is a prerequisite for improving the security of Afghanistan and its neighbors after the withdrawal of foreign troops next year.