In The News

Inept Multilateral System: Council on Foreign Relations

Stewart M. Patrick April 1, 2020
With COVID-19 sweeping the globe, “international cooperation has been missing in action and global solidarity has been AWOL,” reports the Financial Times. Instead of confronting the shared threat, countries take unilateral steps to protect themselves, exchanging blame for the pandemic. The Group of Seven, Group of Twenty and the United Nations have taken limited actions. The G7 finance ministers...

Post-Pandemic World: Al Jazeera

Fahd Humayun March 30, 2020
Responses to crisis that resist fear, focusing on analysis and repair, will minimize damage. The liberal international order that emerged after World War II was “ gradually eroded by the combined forces of globalisation, poverty and the unresponsiveness of mainstream political parties to local discontent,” explains Fahd Humayun for Al Jazeera. Recent erosion of that order led to inequality,...

US-China Relations Worsen Amid Pandemic: Economist

The Economist March 26, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic could have been an opportunity for the U.S. and China to cooperate and disregard previous enmity. On the contrary, both countries approach the worst period since the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 through mutual exchanges of blame and conspiracy theories. The first-stage deal to stop the trade war has been signed, but tensions continue in other areas. In January, China...

Coronavirus and the Ego Trap: DW

Frank Hofmann March 24, 2020
The coronavirus struck China in late 2019, paralyzing the economy by January. Few leaders in the West expected the virus to disrupt their operations, and many citizens followed that lead in resisting social distancing or empathy for the vulnerable. Arrogance, egotism and possibly greed are factors, suggests Frank Hofmann for Deutsche Welle. He refers to the US and Brazilian presidents who played...

Virus Outbreak Tests EU: New York Times

Steven Erlanger March 19, 2020
The abrupt coronavirus outbreak poses a tough test for the EU’s solidarity and democracy as well as its US alliance. Italy, where the outbreak is most severe, asked for aid from fellow EU members without success. Germany and France restricted the export of healthcare goods while Austria and the Czech Republic banned travelers from Italy. On the other hand, China immediately sent medical experts...

COVID-19 Tests World Image: New Statesman

Jeremy Cliffe March 18, 2020
Many nations view their citizens as resilient during times of crisis, capable of putting the best minds to work and and enduring sacrifices for the common good. The challenge during the COVID-19 crisis is convincing citizens to self-isolate, avoiding infections and overwhelming health systems – even as the cure imposes severe damage to local and national economies. “Around the world as in Britain...

Israel’s Gantz Vows “Broad Government”: Haaretz

Jonathan Lis and Chaim Levinson March 16, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic may have ushered the end to Benjamin Netanyahu’s lock on Israel’s government along with efforts to avoid a trial for corruption. A close majority of Knesset lawmakers gave a go-ahead to Kahol Lavan Chairman Benny Gantz in forming a government. Two elections during the past year failed to produce a clear winner and a governing coalition. Gantz promised to “form a national...