A special Bangladeshi court has sentenced Salauddin Quader Chowdhury to death by hanging. The court found Chowdhury guilty of nine charges including murder and arson in connection with the many deaths in the 1971 Bangladeshi war of Independence from Pakistan. Chowdhury is a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and his father was a key figure in the Muslim League. They did not support Bangladeshi independence, preferring that the area remain a part of Pakistan (it was called East Pakistan at the time). Chowdhury was found guilty of killing Hindus leaving in the country at the time. There are many questions about the legitimacy of the tribunal and security forces in Bangladesh are on alert in case of violent protests against the verdict.
A survey of African countries has found that, despite expectations, poverty has not declined substantially in the continent. Many countries have experienced high rates of economic growth, fueled largely by strong demand for raw materials in China, India, and Brazil. Sadly, however, that economic growth has not trickled down to the vast majority of the citizens living in Africa. The eradication of poverty requires more specific focus and targeting than simply relying on macroeconomic growth.
Violence in Iraq has already exceeded last year’s total death toll. The violence is all associated with jockeying among the Sunni, the Shia, and the Kurds for control of local and national political control. Most Americans have quickly forgotten about Iraq, and it is a serious mistake to blame all the violence on the American invasion in 2003 and its withdrawal in 2012. Nonetheless, the US has clearly washed its hands of the highly unstable state and its neglect is a serious mistake given the strategic and economic significance of the country.
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