In The News

Russia's Putin Dominates G7 Summit in Absentia

The Associated Press June 16, 2014
The absence of the Russian President Vladimir Putin dominated the G7 summit. Leaders of seven economies snubbed Putin and issued a joint statement, urging the Kremlin to recognize the presidential elections recently held in Ukraine, withdraw troops from the borders Russia shares with Ukraine and stop the flow of weapons and militants. The G7 pointed out more sanctions were possible for Russia....

Will the European Union Crack?

Nayan Chanda June 16, 2014
Stagnation, unemployment, pessimism in democracies can motivate voters to endorse change. In India, voters embraced the growth policies of Narendra Modi while in European Parliament elections, extremists who oppose immigration and integration made gains. The similarities end there, suggests Nayan Chanda, editor of YaleGlobal in his column for Businessworld, and the trends in Europe expose “the...

Colombia Polls Give President Santos “Mandate for Peace”

June 16, 2014
Reelected for a second term Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos claims to have a mandate for wrapping up a peace process with FARC after five deades of war. Santos’ opponent Oscar Ivan Zuluaga criticized methods of peace negotiations and failure to levy sanctions against rebel groups. The opponent promised stricter conditions on the peace talks, threatening to break them off unless the rebels...

Guilty by association: Israel, Iran and North Korea

Yossi Mekelberg June 13, 2014
With negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program underway in Vienna, Israel’s prime minister denounced Iran while traveling in Japan. Benjamin Netanyahu labeled Iran as an international threat comparable to North Korea. An interim agreement expires July 20th Netanyahu worries about a rushed resolution. Netanyahu may hope to influence negotiations by drawing interest from countries beyond the Middle...

Obama’s Disciplined Leadership Is Right for Today

Fareed Zakaria June 13, 2014
US opposition parties often blast the president for “weakness” in foreign policy. No understanding of faraway places, complex history or intricate relationships is required. In a stable period, diplomacy is more essential than a fast finger on the trigger. “In this context, what is needed from Washington is not a heroic exertion of American military power but rather a sustained effort to engage...

Tiananmen: Vietnam's Newspapers Criticize Crackdown

Nga Pham June 13, 2014
Vietnam news media shocked readers by covering the anniversary of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and deploring the harsh crackdown on protesters. In the past, Vietnamese news media avoided such topics. Like China, Vietnam is a communist government. This year’s coverage reflected recent tense relations between China and Vietnam. The two nations are engaged in bitter quarrel over islands...

Modi Doubles Down on the Neighborhood

Alyssa Ayres June 10, 2014
In anticipating India's foreign policy under newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many have focused on his pragmatic growth policy based on international trade and investment while wondering if he would first turn to East Asia. Early signals suggest that Modi will focus on building closer ties in the immediate region – with other member states of the South Asian Association of...