In The News

The Guardian: "They Treated Her Like a Dog"– Tragedy of a Six-Year-Old Killed at Croatian Border

Emma Graham-Harrison December 28, 2017
The death of six-year-old Madina Hussiny has shed light on an enduring sociopolitical problem along Europe’s borders – the precarious status of asylum seekers and refugees. Emma Graham-Harrison observes for the Guardian, “The tragedy of the Hussiny family, who tried to reach Croatia after spending nearly a year in Serbia hoping for legal passage into Hungary, was the latest in a string of deaths...

BBC: China Condemns US “Cold War Mentality” on National Security

December 19, 2017
A new US security policy labels China and Russia as “rival powers” that threaten US economic dominance, reports BBC News. A China spokesperson suggested that the United States is “distorting China’s strategic intentions,” and Russia responded by suggesting it “cannot accept” being regarded as a threat. The United States, in emphasizing “America first” policies, must prepare for other countries...

Politico: How Facebook Changed the Spy Game

Asha Rangappa December 19, 2017
Law enforcement agencies strive to thwart propaganda and disinformation campaigns, but social media has opened up a new frontier in shaping public opinion. Facebook reported deleting hundreds of accounts based in Russia and paid to promote polarizing material during the 2016 US presidential campaign. “The rise of social media platforms makes the pervasiveness and impact of these operations today...

The Korea Times: North Korea Threatens China, Too, Notes South Korea’s Moon

Kim Rahn December 15, 2017
North Korea’s government continues to develop and test ballistic missiles – 15 this year alone – along with nuclear tests despite a flailing economy. The international community recognizes that the rogue regime is not above extortion and could nuclear weapons to coerce any country. “North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations are threats to the peace of not only South Korea but also China...

The Guardian: Abbas Warns World Leaders Over Trump's Recognition of Jerusalem

Peter Beaumont December 7, 2017
Mere days before Donald Trump announced that the United States intends to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel, President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas made a last-ditch effort to rally diplomatic support against such recognitionl. “Abbas placed a series of phone calls on Sunday with world leaders both to ‘explain the dangers of any decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem or...

Middle East Eye: “'Huge Implications” for Moving US Embassy to Jerusalem

Ali Harb December 6, 2017
Donald Trump, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, plans to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The plan overturns seven decades of US policy. Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv and the surrounding area, and a few maintain consulates in Jerusalem. “While the decision may cement Washington’s pro-Israeli bias, analysts say, its symbolism insults not only...

The Atlantic: Saleh's Death in Yemen Sends a Message to Other Dictators

Krishnadev Calamur December 5, 2017
Allegiances change swiftly in the Middle East as a brutal proxy fight escalates between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The death of Yemen’s former President Ali Abdullah Saleh “at the hands of Houthi rebels who were his allies just a few days ago, shows not only the perils of that balancing act, but also the political shifts in a country wracked by civil war since 2015,” reports Krishnadev Calamur for...