In The News

Germany’s Nationalist Movement Rides on a Wave of Islamophobia

Frank Griffel January 29, 2015
Nationalists in Germany are making Islamophobia a scapegoat for troubles, with protests in Dresden and support spreading throughout the country. Political, business and cultural leaders are determined to block parties with xenophobic rhetoric, explains Frank Griffel, professor of religious studies at Yale University. Adolf Hitler published Mein Kampf in 1925, exposing his ideology and anti-...

Weak Think Tanks Shackle Nation’s Governance Upgrade

Wang Wenwen January 29, 2015
The mission of most think tanks is to analyze and propose policies for all segments of society, and this requires the ability to investigate, criticize and envision policies freely, often with government or foundation funding. China has more than 400 think tanks, second after the United States with more than 1,800 think tanks, reports Wang Wenwen for Global Times. The Central Committee of the...

Pull of Global Economy Increases Latin America-Africa Engagement

Manuel Orozco and Julia Yansura January 26, 2015
Africa and Latin America are opening new trade and diplomatic relations, particularly in four key countries of Brazil, Mexico, Cuba and South Africa. Compared with their exports to the northern hemisphere, the exchange of goods between Latin American and African countries remains small, around 3 percent. However, trade between the two continents grew 75 percent between 2005 and 2012, and new...

After Obama’s Visit, India-US Relations Must Not Be Allowed to Drift Again

Nayan Chanda January 23, 2015
As the world’s two largest democracies, India and the United States have little choice but to endure the minor frictions that test relations and draw fierce public response – for example, the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York City. President Barack Obama is returning to India for his second visit to join the country’s Republic Day celebrations. “The significance of a sitting president...

Obama in India: Time to Get Serious on Common Goals

Vikram Mansharamani January 22, 2015
As the world’s two biggest democracies, India and the United States share many interests on trade, investment and security matters. US President Barack Obama will attend India’s Republic Day celebration on January 26, and many in business and government look forward to a stronger partnership between the two countries on energy, manufacturing and IT. “If Modi and his team can help get India out of...

China and Japan Mending Frail Relationship One Step at a Time

Kristine Kwok January 21, 2015
Negotiating the politics of a shared history of war and territorial disputes is less easy than managing trade. China and Japan are each other’s second largest trade partner . Despite nationalistic fervor and intense mistrust in both nations, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met briefly in November during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, preceded by...

US Congress Blocks World Bank Move to Slash Safeguards

January 16, 2015
The US Congress has inserted a provision in an appropriations act that requires greater “protection for the environment or for human rights than the bank’s current safeguards,” reports Environment News Service. The United States is the largest contributor for World Bank operations, and the measure formalizes criticism about the World Bank’s 2014 proposal on environmental and social safeguards: “...