In The News

Iran's Involvement in Syria Talks Alarms Hardliners

Kasra Naji November 2, 2015
The United States, Iran, Iraq, China, Saudi Arabia and Russia agree that Islamic State extremists are a menace for the Middle East and must go – but are divided about whether the al-Assad regime can stabilize Syria and whether rebels opposed to that regime should be crushed or lauded. Iran is divided about participating in diplomatic talks to end Syria’s civil war and cooperating with the West....

A Complicated Friendship Between China and Britain

James Richards November 2, 2015
Chinese and westerners enjoy cordial relationships in business, education and tourism. The best of relationships recognize differences and explore values. Yet “Party-controlled media virulently denounce [western] values and traditions” – employing cyber-surveillance and intrusive censorship of ranging from the internet to textbooks, explains former diplomat James Richards in an essay for the...

Iran Involvement in Syria Talks Reflects Russia's Growing Influence

Michael Pizzi October 30, 2015
Nations have taken sides in Syria’s civil war: The United States and Saudi Arabia support rebels striving to topple Syria’s ruler, while Russia and Iran support the Assad regime. Since Russia’s entry in September, the rebel forces have been pushed back; Turkey, fearing autonomy for the Kurds, attacks forces that have fought fiercely against Islamic State extremists. Diplomatic talks start today...

Wanted: Competent Foreigners to Work for Ukrainian Government

Olena Lennon October 27, 2015
Ukraine is in political and economic turmoil after Russia’s takeover of Crimea and support of separatists in the eastern part of the nation. The government cannot afford inefficiencies, and a new law allows the government led by President Petro Poroshenko to hire foreigners for top ministerial posts. The goal is to curtail corruption and encourage innovation. “While the process has been eased for...

The Silk Road – Old and New

Nayan Chanda October 26, 2015
In the summer of 2011, the US secretary of state called for a “new Silk Road” throughout Asia, investment in trade and infrastructure to counter extremism. China used the term But then China used the term for its own ambitious plans. “President Xi Jinping launched with fanfare an ambitious New Silk Road project on land and sea,” writes Nayan Chanda for Global Asia, a publication of the East Asia...

Beyond Hype and Pomp

Nayan Chanda October 22, 2015
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among many world leaders traveling to New York in September for the annual UN General Assembly meeting: “his principal mission was to sell India to US multinationals and tech titans, and to win the support of Indians overseas,” explains Nayan Chanda, YaleGlobal’s founding editor in his column for Businessworld. India is a vast, young and developing market...

Trudeau’s Challenge: Global Climate Strategy

Terence Corcoran October 21, 2015
National leaders must respond quickly to global events and challenges. A priority for Canada is the UN climate conference that opens November 30 in Paris, suggests the Financial Post. G20 and Asia Pacific Economic Summit meetings follow in November. Voters handed a decisive win to the Liberal Party. Justin Trudeau will be sworn in as prime minister; the party holds five times the number of...