In The News

Reform of Bretton Woods Institutions: The IMF Might Not Live to See Its Anniversary

Valentin Katasonov April 24, 2014
A key issue confronting finance ministers and central bankers is reform of the International Monetary Fund. A major element of the system was fixed exchange rates for the currencies of participant countries and credit for countries in need, explains Valentin Katasonov for Global Research, a publication of the Centre for Research on Globalization based in Canada. The idea for the IMF was born 70...

Obama Travels to Asia, But Future of Trade Pact Is Uncertain

David Dapice April 21, 2014
President Barack Obama begins travels this week to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines as the United States strives to convince Asian allies that a pivot to Asia is real. An indicator of US policy success is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade pact being negotiated by 12 Pacific Rim nations, explains economist David Dapice. Such regional trade agreements are emerging beyond the...

Testing Times for Globalization

Nayan Chanda April 21, 2014
Results of the upcoming European Parliament elections will reveal if rightwing, anti-immigrant, anti-globalization parties are on the rise in Europe or if a few discontents are making noise. Anti-immigrant parties have made gains in Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and France – and such victories force centrist parties to retreat on inclusive policies, assess citizen sentiments and appeal to...

Is Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy Becoming India- and Russia-Centric?

Harun ur Rashid April 18, 2014
Votes at the UN General Assembly reveal foreign-policy objectives and concerns. In March, Bangladesh, China and India along with 55 other nations abstained on a resolution suggesting Russia’s annexation of Crimea was illegal. “Dhaka claims that Bangladesh abstained because the country did not wish to get involved in the new cold war between Russia and the US because it is a strong believer of the...

Asia’s Big Democracies Head to the Polls

Pallavi Aiyar April 17, 2014
Unity in Diversity is a motto for both India and Indonesia, and ongoing elections demonstrate that Asia’s two largest democracies have much in common, explains journalist and author Pallavi Aiyar. Election operations are complex and impressive, considering that India has more than 800 million registered voters and Indonesia has nearly 200 million. “Noisy political rallies, outspoken trade...

“Partner for Russia”: Europe's Far Right Flirts With Moscow

Charles Hawley April 16, 2014
Members of the far right want to put a chokehold on government power in Europe, a goal shared by Russia. “Skepticism of immigration and a keen worry about the threat posed by Islamist extremism make Putin a natural ally for a xenophobic right whose political bread and butter is their vociferous attacks on European immigration policy,” reports Charles Hawley for Spiegel Online. “His heavy-handed...

Taliban Victory in Afghanistan Would Pose Problem for Pakistan

Riaz Hassan April 15, 2014
Perhaps no country depends more on stability in Afghanistan – as determined by fair elections, smooth withdrawal of foreign forces, long-term military agreement with the United States, and ongoing foreign aid – than Pakistan. Because of demographics and a history of conflict, Pakistan may well be relieved by Taliban political failure in Afghanistan, suggests sociology professor Riaz Hassan....