In The News

Opportunities, Not Oppression, to Stop Illegal Mining in the Peruvian Amazon

David J.X. Gonzalez February 18, 2016
Environmental degradation and human-rights abuses are often associated with small, illegal mining operations around the world. Peru, among the world's major gold producers, offers a case study on how local development could help solving a global problem. About 20 percent of Peru’s gold production comes from illegal and informal mines, and a crackdown on the small miners causes more problems...

A World of Scandal Descends on Malaysian Prime Minister

John Berthelsen February 3, 2016
Some political leaders might hope that by blocking media reports of investigations into corruption can eliminate the consequences, but the efforts often draw more global attention. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak has been linked to investigations, some on arms deals, in Switzerland, France and Saudi Arabia. John Berthelsen of Asia Sentinel describes a “government desperately scrambling to...

Publish and Perish in Hong Kong

Frank Ching January 28, 2016
The odd disappearance of five staff members of a Hong Kong book publisher raises questions about China’s commitment to the “one country, two systems” arrangement with Hong Kong. One man was taken from Thailand, another from Hong Kong and three detained in China. Two are foreign nationals, and no charges have been filed. “By openly flouting its commitment to respect Hong Kong’s political system...

China Backs Malawi’s Wildlife Crime Crusade

Charles Mkoka December 14, 2015
The Chinese Embassy is pledging support for a Stop Wildlife Crime campaign to stop ivory trafficking in Malawi. China’s ambassador to Malawi said that blame for such smuggling often centers on Chinese nationals, but the government opposes the criminal activity. Zhang Qingyang, China’s ambassador to Malawi, “added that China has put into force a number of laws and regulations and consistently...

G20 Leaders Endorse Crackdown on Tax Evasion

November 18, 2015
Global leaders are pledging to crack down on tax evasion and also work on sustainable growth. The group of the world’s 20 largest economies, including the European Union and 19 countries, “committed to the implementation of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project (BEPS) which closes gaps that allow corporate profits to ‘disappear’ or to be artificially shifted to low or no tax environments...

In China’s Alleyways, Underground Banks Move Money

Chuin-Wei Yap October 30, 2015
China’s government restricts movement of funds out of the country, but a network of middlemen charge fees for underground currency exchanges and remittance transfers. “Facing a turbulent stock market and a weakening economy, many Chinese are trying to move money offshore,” reports Chuin-Wei Yap for the Wall Street Journal. “No official data track the underground transfers, but central-bank...

You've Got Fail: High School Students Claim Hack on CIA Director's AOL Account

Sam Thielman October 20, 2015
Internet users can be swift and harsh with online judgments. US authorities are investigating claims that the CIA director’s email account was hacked with details on 20 employees released. One hacker claims to be a US high school student – “not Muslim” and “motivated by opposition to US foreign policy and support for Palestine.” Violence has spiked in Israel this month: Random, sudden knife and...