The situation in Syria continues to escalate. Following the exchange of fire between Turkey and Syria across the border, the Turks forced down a civilian airplane it suspected of carrying military equipment for the Assad regime. There were a number of Russians abroad the plane, and the Russian government has demanded an explanation for the act. Russian involvement in the crisis continues to intrude upon attempts to limit the violence, and the situation seems to be very slowly escalating. It is not clear what NATO will do (Turkey is a member of NATO) if the Russians press the matter.
The global economic turmoil, as well as poor climactic conditions, are contributing to deteriorating food security in the world. The two regions most seriously affected by this problem are Africa and South Asia. Both regions have experienced impressive economic growth, but that growth has not translated into better access to food for the poorer sectors of society.
The Chinese-Japanese dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands has spilled over into global economics. The Chinese have indicated that they will not attend the IMF meeting in Tokyo in protest over the issue. The linkage is quite unfortunate–the inability to keep issues separate indicates that the issue has become more symbolic than real.
World Politics News 
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