A Ranking To Avoid

Checking out Foreign Policy's annual "Failed States Index" is not exactly inspirational. But it's largely positive that in our region of interest the first country to appear on the list is Colombia at #46. (Ok, Haiti is #11.)

After Colombia, Bolivia checks in at #53 just ahead of Israel/West Bank at #54. Would love to hear Evo's take on that, given that he cut ties with Israel in 2009 over Israel's incursion/campaign/war/skirmish in Gaza.

As always with Foreign Policy, a beautiful photo essay, and highly recommended..

Image Source: RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images via Foreign Policy ("The streets of Commune 1, a shantytown in the country's second-largest city of Medellín, have been among the most violent in recent years. Drug gangs have fought out turf wars here, contributing to the ranks of the displaced -- still numbering about 3 million even after decades of internal conflict have slowly wound down.")

Online Sources: Foreign Policy, Al Jazeera

World Watch: This land is whose land?

* Israel: The government of Israel defied calls by the White House to not expand the construction of new settlements in the West Bank.

* Europe: A series of German AIDS awareness ads featuring depictions of Hitler and Stalin have raised the ire of European AIDS groups.

* Africa: Several African countries have called for the removal of international sanctions against Zimbabwe and its controversial President Robert Mugabe.

* U.S.: How bad is the budget crisis in California? Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger eliminated state funding for a program that paid for six domestic violence shelters.

Image- MSNBC
Online Sources- Al Jazeera English, MSNBC, BBC News, Guardian UK