• A Corrupt Dictator Tries to Buy UNESCO's Brand Name
    Oct 15, 2010
    The UNESCO Executive Committee meeting at the organization's headquarters in Paris soon will have to make a decision about a very controversial Prize, the UNESCO-Teodoro Obiang Award for the protection of life. This prize is funded by Obiang, for 31 years the dictatorial President of Equatorial Guinea, who is trying to use Unesco's values and reputation to improve his international image. In June, UNESCO postponed an award ceremony after an international uproar over the planned "dictator prize."
  • UNESCO: Controversy Surrounding "Dictator" Prize
    Jun 24, 2010
    UNESCO, well known for deciding world heritages, is in the middle of a controversy surrounding a "dictator" prize. Japan should step in urgently to defend UN principles and to protect UNESCO's reputation.
  • UNESCO honors Africa’s Kim Jong-il
    May 17, 2010
    Imagine if the United Nations took money from Kim Jong-il and established a human rights award in his honor. No doubt many member states would be up in arms protesting such an outright mockery of the words “human rights.”
  • Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous
    Feb 19, 2010
    It's the easy relationships between corrupt officials and their US business partners that really should attract scrutiny. Banks, lawyers, real estate agents and others have made hefty profits off their partnerships with some of the world's biggest looters and most repressive politicians.
  • Equatorial Guinea: Resource Cursed
    Aug 28, 2009
    Equatorial Guinea is perhaps the world's most striking example of why oil hurts, rather than helps, many of the countries that have it. Will the Obama administration stop the country's dictator from sucking its people dry?