In The News

White House Pushes Back on State Ebola Quarantines

Colleen McCain Nelson, Melanie Grayce West and Betsy McKay October 27, 2014
Politicians in the United States are adding to challenges of health care workers traveling to West Africa to combat an Ebola epidemic. The federal government agreed to funneling travelers from West Africa, including health workers, to five airports. Three of those airports are among states that required 21-day mandatory quarantine for anyone reporting direct contact with Ebola patients, reports...

Disappearance of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un Could Ease Path to Peace, Coup or No

Paul French October 14, 2014
Kim Jong-un fell off the public radar for five weeks and has since appeared. Rumors flew back and forth, at least in the South Korean and western media. Kim was absent from anniversary celebrations for the ruling party, and earlier videos show the corpulent young adult walking with difficulty; state media reported he is suffering from “discomfort.” Every official event, including a visit to South...

China’s Biggest Political Challenge Since Tiananmen in 1989

Gideon Rachman October 1, 2014
Tens of thousands crowd Hong Kong’s financial center, challenging the Chinese government’s insistence on selecting a slate of candidates for the 2017 election. Gideon Rachman for the Financial Times describes the eerie parallels with the crushed pro-democracy Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement 25 years ago. China is wealthier with more global standing, and so too are the Hong Kong protesters...

Silk Road Diplomacy – Twists, Turns and Distorted History

Tansen Sen September 23, 2014
In foreign policy initiatives, China’s leaders promote an idyllic version of the Silk Road network of land and maritime routes stretching from Europe to Asia’s eastern coast, linking diverse cultures in trade. The goal is to link China’s historic and modern roles in promoting peace and prosperity for Asia. But the history of ancient expeditions is complicated, with goals and practices...

Scotland's Quarrel Is With Globalization, Not the UK

Gordon Brown September 22, 2014
Scotland rejected declaring independence from the United Kingdom, 55 to 45 percent. Businesses, investors and political leaders are relieved about some certainty moving forward. Many analysts credit the outcome’s wide margin to a last-minute, passionate appeal from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Those who fear globalization may “seek to insulate themselves against what appears like an...

Foreign Funding of Think Tanks Is Corrupting Our Democracy

John B. Judis September 17, 2014
Foreign governments donate millions to US think tanks to promote their positons, suggests a report in the New York Times. Research costs money; donors, foreign or domestic, may influence topics of research, sources and conclusions. “Washington think tanks, which were originally intended as a source of impartial, objective, and disinterested information, have become arms of foreign as well as...

Jokowi’s Sea of Troubles

September 5, 2014
As Indonesia prepares for incoming President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo taking office in October, the transition is rough. The government faces a range of challenges, including a need to reduce fuel subsidies. The outgoing president dashed hopes that he would launch the needed reductions. Fuel subsidies represent 14 percent of the budget, reducing government spending on infrastructure and social...