DC Insider
US Politics, World News & DC Living
Beyond the Beltway Soundbites
DC Insider Goes Global
My articles & talks on US politics & international affairs
“Top Obama official reflects on Biden, Kamala, Trump, and US aid” – July 2024
“US Rep. French Hill calls for a rethink of World Bank’s climate mission” – March 2024
“Munich Security Conference special edition: Navalny, Mottley, and WFP’s robot vehicle aspirations” – February 2024
“COP 28 special edition: The summit crawls its way toward a hotly contested finish line” – December 2023
“World Bank, Global Fund team up to tackle health toll of climate change” – November 2023
“Remember Afghanistan and Iraq? UNDP is trying to make sure you do” – November 2023
“US officials say they don’t need to compete with China’s Belt and Road” – November 2023
“IDB head’s big plan: Work with the World Bank, sweat the balance sheet” – October 2023
“Bjørn Lomborg: The climate contrarian who puts poverty first” – October 2023
“Gates Foundation CEO urges action to repair global north-south schism” – October 2023
“World Bank’s Ajay Banga on climate: ‘My grandchild’s time is running out’” – September 2023
“USAID health chief warns that primary care has been decimated by COVID” – March 2023
“The Manchema Mess: Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema are dictating the Democratic Party’s agenda. Is it fair? No. Is there anything Democrats can do about it? Not really.” – October 2021
“A Tragedy on All Fronts: American Hubris, Afghan Corruption Contributed to the Country’s Stunning, but Not Entirely Surprising, Downfall — And Now Ordinary Afghans Will Pay the Price” – August 2021
“The Bill Comes Due: Will There Be Repercussions for Trump and His Acolytes for Trying to Steal an Election?” – February 2021
“Sinam Mohamad Pushes U.S. Not to Abandon Her Fellow Kurds” – September 2020
“Crisis Manager: Canada’s New Envoy Confronts Pandemic, Protest and Protectionism” – July 2020
“Australia’s Boiling Point: Catastrophic Wildfires Leave Lasting Scars, and Lessons, on the Continent” – April 2020
DC Insider Goes Local
My coverage of culture & living in the nation’s capital
“The 20-Year Story of One Afghan’s Journey” – March 2022
“Turkish Coffee Lady Brings Caffeine and Culture to Old Town Alexandria” – February 2022
“George Mason University Celebrates 50th Anniversary by Looking to the Future” – January 2022
“‘Flight’ Takes Viewers on an Unforgettable Journey, Grounded in a Harsh Reality” – December 2021
“Meridian Brings the Magic Back — Safely — for 53rd Ball” – November 2021
“Johnny Artis, Staple of the DC Music Scene, Dies of COVID-19 Complications” – November 2021
“DC Skateboarder Finds a Souvenir from His Icon, Tony Hawk” – November 2021
“Spirited Excursions: Savor the Season by Checking Out the Area’s Many Wineries” – November 2021
“West Virginia Governor Would Welcome Western Maryland Counties with ‘Open Arms’” – October 2021
“In Maryland, 2 Separate Redistricting Commissions Look to Redraw the Legislative Map“ – October 2021
“Statue of Liberty’s ‘Little Sister’ Comes to DC to Celebrate US-France ties” – July 2021
“AU Marks 60 Years of Peace Corps with Intimate Stories and Memories” – April 2021
“Fauci Talks About His Italian-American Heritage at NIAF Gala” – December 2020
“Long Before Trump’s ‘Fake News’, Artists Stretched the Truth” – October 2020
“Ambassadors Ball Goes Virtual to Raise Funds to Fight MS” – October 2020
“Capricia Marshall’s New Book Makes Case for Enduring Power of Protocol” – July 2020
“Coronavirus Pandemic Transforms Holiday Etiquette” – October 2020
“Strathmore Creates Digital Monuments to Influential Local Artists” – October 2020
“GALA Hispanic Theatre Faces the Pandemic on Both Personal and Professional Level” – April 2020
Devex Newswire – a daily newsletter for the global development community that I pen every Monday and Tuesday. Click here for the full list. Here’s a sample:
Devex Newswire: We start the new year off in the halls of dysfunction
Useless thought of the day: Wind chimes are creepy.
Listen as I join This Week in Global Development, a weekly podcast produced by Devex.
Here’s a sampling:
What a Trump presidency would mean for US foreign aid
What to expect from development in 2024
Recapping the Munich Security Conference, and US-UN clash over UNRWA
Views from the ground — from unpaid workers to YouTube influencers
Key takeaways from the World Bank annual meetings
What in the World Is Going On?
A few random blog musings below. For more, check out my newsletter: Beltway Breakdown
What was Putin thinking?
Even if he succeeds in toppling Ukraine’s government, Vladimir Putin has already lost.
Give Biden a break
It’s time for everyone, the media included, to understand the limits of an American presidency.
D.C. Déjà Vu: Politics and Parties
What’s that in the air? Cicadas? Yes — that’s them making a kamikaze dive bomb toward your car. Humidity? Yes — remember, D.C. is a literal swamp. Political maneuvering and recriminations on the Hill? A given. But on a brighter note, D.C. is emerging from its pandemic hibernation and enjoying a renewed sense of normalcy.
THE DEMOCRATS’ (IMPOSSIBLE?) TO-DO LIST
AFGHANISTAN: 20 YEARS LATER
EUROPEAN AMBASSADOR STAVROS LAMBRINIDIS ON EU-US RELATIONS UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
REP. KAREN BASS: DIVERSIFYING THE U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE
TRUMP’S SHADOW: FADING OR BRIGHTER THAN EVER?
U.S. ELECTION SERIES: THE DAMAGE
U.S. ELECTION SERIES: THE AFTERMATH
U.S. ELECTION SERIES: RUSSIA
U.S. ELECTION SERIES: EUROPEAN UNION
U.S. ELECTION SERIES: CHINA
U.S. ELECTION SERIES: LATIN AMERICA
U.S. ELECTION SERIES: ISRAEL AND THE GULF STATES
VENEZUELA: WHAT’S NEXT?
CORONAVIRUS: WHAT DIPLOMATS NEED TO KNOW
POST-PANDEMIC LONG-TERM THREATS
LEADERSHIP DURING A PANDEMIC
DIPLOMACY IN AN AGE OF CORONAVIRUS
OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”
Gustave Flaubert
Photos from my travels around the world!
INSIDE THE BELTWAY
Washingtonians may work hard, but they also play hard. Here are some of the city’s mainstays and a few of its secrets:
About
As the managing editor of two news organizations, a reporter and a producer, I’ve spent my career shaping compelling stories for digital, print and broadcast on subjects ranging from Beltway politics to world news. I’ve assigned, edited and written long-form pieces on Mideast geopolitics, exclusives on scandals at the U.N., stalled bills on Capitol Hill, profiles of top global decision-makers, quick-hit pieces on D.C. living and everything in between.
I’m currently the managing editor of Devex, an online media platform for the global development community with a readership of over 1 million development professionals. I previously served as managing editor of The Washington Diplomat, the flagship publication of the diplomatic community in D.C., along with a stint as a producer for WTOP News. All throughout, my mission has been to give readers a clear-eyed view of U.S. politics, foreign policy and world affairs that goes beyond the Beltway noise to help people understand what matters and why.
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