In The News

WikiLeaks Has Officially Lost the Moral High Ground

Emma Grey Ellis July 29, 2016
WikiLeaks is releasing sensitive documents – including emails from the Democratic National Committee in the United States and those of the Turkish prime minister – without ample vetting: “lately the timing of and tone surrounding their leaks have felt a little off,” comments Emma Grey Ellis for Wired. “If they’re not scrutinizing their own leaks on the base level of their content, it’s not hard...

Pokémon Go: Overnight Sensation Was 20 Years in the Making

Alex Hern July 25, 2016
Pokémon Go, an augmented reality computer game that aims to catch cute characters superimposed on surrounding scenery, has gone viral. Alex Hern of the Guardian profiles Dennis Crowley, whose career centers on location-based games like Pac-Manhattan, Dodgeball and Foursquare, and reminds that the game was 20 years in the making. Pokémon Go blends a popular game of the 1990s with Ingress, “a...

The Politics of Memory: Tiananmen at 27

Nick Frisch June 14, 2016
China has transformed since the 1989 crackdown on thousands of protesters in Tiananmen Square who demanded economic, political and social reforms. China’s leaders, initially triumphant about quelling the protests, soon retreated into a disciplined silence, banning public accounts or grieving. “As the years accumulate, the anniversary of the tragedy offers an occasion to wonder if the pursuit of...

Panama Papers: Leaks Spur Global Investigations

April 4, 2016
Investing funds in offshore accounts is not necessarily illegal, but avoiding taxes is a violation of local and national laws. “Eleven million documents were leaked from the secretive Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca,” reports BBC News. “They show how the company has helped some clients launder money, dodge sanctions and avoid tax.” The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists...

When Will the West Care About Terrorism in Pakistan?

Aaron David Miller March 29, 2016
European and US media devoted far more coverage to the March 22 terrorist attacks in Brussels than those in Lahore on Easter Sunday. Coverage of attacks anywhere is generally shallow, alarmist and more descriptive than analytical. Aaron David Miller, a vice president at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars, criticizes the media and government response in the West by comparing casualty numbers,...

Leaked IS Documents Identify Thousands of Jihadis

Stuart Ramsay March 10, 2016
A report, not yet been confirmed by authorities, suggests that a disgruntled Islamic State member confiscated a memory stick from the terrorist group’s internal security chief. The stick is said to contain thousands of documents including registration forms for recruits including names, addresses, family contacts, anticipated level of obedience and readiness for suicide missions. “A lot of the...

What the US Campaign Can Teach China about How It Is Viewed

March 7, 2016
A good test for US presidential candidate is how they respond about a rising China. While both countries can display nationalistic tendencies, the Chinese anticipate the next US president, regardless of campaign rhetoric as well as Republican or Democrat, to strive for middle ground and dialogue while embracing a more pro-active foreign policy. “As China rises in prominence in the global economy...