In The News

NPR: Net Neutrality Rolled Back – But Not Dead Yet

Laurel Wamsley June 12, 2018
The US Federal Communications Commission has rolled back net-neutrality rules but telecommunications companies may be slow to charge more for popular sites or slow down smaller sites that cannot pay new charges: “The net neutrality rules were approved in 2015,” explains Laurel Wamsley. “Companies couldn't pay service providers like Verizon or AT&T extra to make their site or app load...

Financial Times: US Relations With Allies at New Lows

Chris Giles June 11, 2018
Trade tensions made for an acrimonious G7 summit, reports Chris Giles for the Financial Times: “The west was in disarray after Donald Trump left the summit early, instructed his officials to tear up the bland G7 statement, threatened to impose more tariffs and called the Canadian prime minister ‘very dishonest and weak.’” Trump administration officials became defensive after G7 host and Canadian...

Reuters: What the G7 Can Offer the World

Peter Apps June 8, 2018
Amid trade tensions triggered by the United States and debt troubles for Italy, leaders of the world’s top industrialized democracies gather in Canada. The Group of 7, or G7, has the potential to apply democratic values and restore faith in democratic institutions, maintains Peter Apps for Reuters. In turn, this will contribute to resolving global challenges from climate change to conflicts over...

Project Syndicate: Macron’s Internationalism

Kemal Derviş June 1, 2018
In stark contrast to the views of the US president, French President Emmanuel Macron embraces a new global order and the growth of intergovernmental organizations. He still has strong faith in the Iran deal, and supports international trade is necessary for liberal-democratic politics. In the wake of Brexit, he pursues pan-European politics, maintaining a pro-globalization stance in the face of...

Foreign Affairs: How Xi Jinping Views the World

Kevin Rudd May 31, 2018
Chinese President Xi Jinping is prominent among world leaders because of the size and continued growth of the Chinese economy as well as the nation’s military presence, role in development, and regional interests. Writing for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd describes Xi’s interests as seven concentric circles: His primary goal is keeping the Chinese Communist Party in power for the long term, making...

BBC: Italy Political Crisis Hits Stock Markets

May 29, 2018
Italy is in political upheaval three months after the election and protracted negotiations between Five Star and League, two parties combined that won 50 percent of the vote. President Sergio Mattarella “vetoed their choice of a eurosceptic economy minister, and appointed former International Monetary Fund official Carlo Cottarelli as interim prime minister with the task of trying to form a...

The Guardian: Imprisoned, Threatened, Silenced: Human Rights Workers in Asia

Andrew Gilmour May 29, 2018
Human rights and civil society representatives across the Asian continent face increased repression and government scrutiny in recent months. As UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour observes for the Guardian, “advocates the world over are increasingly threatened, attacked and silenced. The message is clear. No one is immune and many advocates across the region will be...