It could have been a bloodbath of historic proportions. But instead, one man made the end of apartheid possible. In February 1990, President F.W. de Klerk lifted the ban on the African National Congress and ordered the release of Nelson Mandela. As the world celebrated, Mandela would go on to become South Africa’s first democratically elected president - with de Klerk as his Vice President. But de Klerk’s history is complicated.
Five years ago, in 2012, Russia was a second-rate power surrounded by the expanding NATO alliance. Putin was destabilized since his controversial reelection triggered waves of protest. Yet he turned out to be a brilliant strategist, exploiting the weaknesses of the West and positioning himself as the main player in international affairs.
After three wars in eight years and an ongoing eleven-year blockade, how are the people of Gaza coping? Many public employees, whether they are doctors in the large hospitals or waste management supervisors in the garbage dump, have been working without pay for over seven years. And yet despite this, the provision of basic public services continues through the tremendous efforts of people trying to keep the city functioning.
