In The News

OPEC’s Control Over Global Oil Prices Slips Away

Chris Miller April 26, 2016
Member countries of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries produce about 40 percent of the world's crude oil, with exports representing about 60 percent of petroleum traded internationally. But when OPEC failed to reach agreement on controlling oil production levels at its April meeting, prices surprisingly crept up higher. For now, the global market has concluded that no producer...

Global Obama Versus Nationalist Europe

Daniel Williams April 25, 2016
US President Barack Obama is urging Europeans to stay united to better manage he increasing tally of cross-border challenges what author Daniel Williams calls “unbridled globalization.” Writing for TheWorldPost, he explains, “The fight is between the globalizers, of which Obama has emerged as a key spokesman, and nationalists, represented by a host of right-wing parties and populist politicians...

Islamic State Has Erased the Line Between Foreign and Domestic Policy

Nader Mousavizadeh April 25, 2016
The rise of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, both as security threat and driver of desperate refugees, has erased the line between foreign and domestic policy for the United States and Europe, explains author Nader Mousavizadeh for Reuters. He argues that a crisis of confidence challenges traditional politics with “a corrupting gulf between the professed values of democracy and civil rights...

Uncertainty Clouds Climate Deal as Nations Prepare to Sign Accord

Pilita Clark April 22, 2016
More than 150 nations are expected to sign the Paris climate change accord that aims for net zero carbon emissions by 2100. Delays are expected from countries that must pursue legislative approval. Scientific research overwhelmingly supports that the world is warming due to human activities. The United States is expected to balk at final approval: The US Supreme Court blocked regulation of...

The Need to Face Facts in Asia

Hugh White April 22, 2016
Neither the current US administration nor the presidential candidates vying to replace Barack Obama in January 2017, offer specific strategies for handling China’s challenge to the US-led order in Asia. Hugh White, a professor in the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at The Australian National University, outlines what is known about US strategy for East Asia Forum: “to take advantage of China...

Obama's Cautious and Calibrated Approach to an Assertive China

Robert Sutter April 19, 2016
The world’s two largest economies are rivals that fare best when cooperating on their many shared interests, whether stemming climate change or nuclear proliferation. A key area of contention between the two powers is the South China Sea, and under Xi Jinping, China has been more aggressive in pursuing its broad claims. Robert Sutter, author and international affairs professor, describes the...

How to Save Brazil

Luiz Felipe d’Avila April 18, 2016
Brazil, among the world’s 10 largest economies and the fifth most populous, is in political and economic turmoil. The president has been impeached and the Brazilian Senate will decide whether to proceed with a trial. Populist policies and a drop in commodity prices led to debt that is 70 percent of GDP. Political leaders must act swiftly to restore public confidence and reduce corruption...