Editor's Note
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
The Price of Oil
Comment: If Only People Were as Valuable as Oil
Comment: Israel’s Big Mistake
Unnecessary Illusions: A Look Into Noam Chomsky's Necessary Illusions
Roses in Xian
Children of the Cordillera
Welcome Welcome to Five Minutes to Midnight’s latest issue about human rights and international affairs. To view a description of each article, move your cursor over the title box. Simply click on any title to read the article in full.   Editor's Note       by Hannah Renglich August's issue focuses largely on oil and the conflict in the Middle East, from which important lessons about humanity and compassion may be drawn. Read on to find the editor's take on poverty, the common cause and effect of these crises.   Every Rose Has Its Thorn       by Meghan Roberts While many nations have grown accustomed to the notion of universal suffrage, Kuwait has just recently arrived on the stage of gender equality. At the end of June, the country experienced the first election in which women could vote.   The Price of Oil       by Jessica Chee-Hing Although living a once oil-rich country, very few Nigerians can lay claim to the benefits that this cherished resource has had for their society. Jessica Chee-Hing questions the role of human rights in business, and its implications for the future of the citizens of Nigeria.   Comment: If Only People Were as Valuable as Oil       by Twiggy Thevapalan The Middle Eastern conflict is quite frightening, and even more so that it is just a story to most of us in the West. Human lives are not valued the way they should be in our capitalist society, and it's upsetting to see people take a stance against war only when it endangers something profitable, such as oil.   Comment: Israel’s Big Mistake       by Arash Rowshanzamir By tracing the origins of the Israeli-Lebanese conflict, Arash Rowshanzamir argues that Israel’s decision to invade was ultimately a poor one. This thoughtful analysis offers a provocative comparison of Middle Eastern conflicts witnessed in this generation.   Unnecessary Illusions: A Look Into Noam Chomsky's Necessary Illusions       by Anita Li Think the American government is more liberal than the Chinese government? Think again. Anita Li takes an in-depth look at renowned political activist Noam Chomsky's Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies, a non-fictional account that exposes propagandistic state media in your own backyard.   Roses in Xian       by Karmel Wong In this story of life on the streets of Xian, Karmel Wong weaves an enchanting tale of resilience through hunger and poverty, while the actions of a young boy who is confused by foreigners in his city echoes the innocence of the world's orphans.   Children of the Cordillera       by Maria Luisa Roldán Five Minutes to Midnight's first photo essay commemorates the historic month when the Philippines' Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) was formed. On July 15, 1987, administrative decentralization was granted to the people of the Cordillera after more than half a century.