In The News

Market Pulse: Theresa May Seeks Snap UK Election To Get Brexit Backing

Dean Popplewell April 19, 2017
British voters narrowly approved leaving the European Union a year ago, but political leaders are divided over how to proceed. So Prime Minister Theresa May is taking a gamble by calling for a snap election on June 8 in hopes of consolidating power behind a conservative approach and slowing opposition to details as she prepares to negotiate with the EU. The early election requires approval from...

Deutsche Welle: Turkey's Referendum Result Could Scare Off Investors

Rolf Wenkel April 18, 2017
Turkish voters narrowly approved a referendum, by 51 percent, to replace its parliamentary system with a strong presidency. That could cement power for the current president over the next decade, though opposition leaders object to last-minute changes in voting procedures. Investors will watch closely how political leaders handle the transition as well as minorities, including Kurds who make up...

Prospect Magazine: Gibraltar Dispute Is a Sign of Things to Come

James Black April 17, 2017
As Britain prepares to formally leave the European Union, it is facing a dilemma over Gibraltar’s sovereignty. Although “EU negotiating guidelines make clear that Madrid should have a say on any agreement affecting the territory,” writes James Black for Prospect Magazine, the UK is unwilling to let go of the territory that it has held since 1713. Due to its southern location, the tiny peninsula “...

The Atlantic: All the President's Flip-Flops

David A. Graham April 13, 2017
The US president, in office for less than 100 days, has reversed course on multiple campaign promises, as listed by David Graham for the Atlantic. The “most visible reversal” is on Syria – with Donald Trump rejecting foreign intervention in Syria, even after a 2013 chemical attack, before the election and as president ordering missile attacks. Trump’s praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin...

The Guardian: Report Says Foreign States May Have Interfered in Brexit Vote

Rajeev Syal April 12, 2017
A British parliamentary committee report suggests that “Foreign governments such as Russia and China may have been involved in the collapse of a voter registration website in the run-up to the EU referendum,” Rajeev Syal reports for the Guardian and describes a denial-of-services attack. “The committee does not identify who may have been responsible, but has noted that both Russia and China use...

Spiegel Online: Alexei Navalny Shakes Up a Slumbering Russia

Christian Esch April 5, 2017
Russia’s young are no longer staying quiet about the country’s corruption. “A singular wave of protests hit 82 cities across the land on Sunday, March 26, from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg, as people took to the streets to protest corruption,” reports Christian Esch for Spiegel Online. He goes on to describe angry confrontations between police and crowds. The Russian legal system is harsh on...

Project Syndicate: Illiberal Stagnation

Joseph Stiglitz April 4, 2017
Authoritarian leaders including Russia’s Vladimir Putin argue that their style of governance is pragmatic and sure. But stifling dissent and encouraging nationalism fail to contribute to market certainty, innovation and long-term prosperity, argues economist Joseph Stiglitz. He runs through Russia’s statistics – a GDP that is just 40 percent of Germany’s with life expectancy at birth ranked at...