In The News

Congress Overrides Obama on Bill Allowing 9/11 Lawsuits Against Saudi Arabia

Joe Gould September 30, 2016
US Congress defied some of the nation's top military commanders by overriding President Barack Obama’s veto of a law allowing those who lost family members in the 9/11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia in US courts. The country is a key US ally in the Middle East, but most of the 19 attackers who used commercial jets to attack New York and Washington in 2001 were Saudi citizens. Analysts have long...

US Presidential Debate Stirs Worries in Asia

September 27, 2016
The outcome of the US presidential election could shift global fortunes, and the first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump revealed sharp contrasts. “Mr. Trump has drawn attention for challenges to the Asia security and trade architecture that has girded U.S. alliances with Australia, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines for decades and more recently acted as a hedge against China’s...

The Growing Gap Between Town and Country

Ronald Brownstein September 26, 2016
The industrialized world is experiencing a growing divide between “diverse global cities” and the rural “places that feel left behind,” according to Ronald Brownstein of the Atlantic. Sadiq Khan, mayor of London and the first Muslim mayor of a major Western city, pointed this out during a visit to Chicago. Alongside Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Khan celebrated immigrants and increased opportunity...

Abe to Seek Cuba’s Help Over North Korea and Boost Trade

Ayako Mie September 21, 2016
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is making an unprecedented trip to Cuba off the heels of North Korea’s fifth nuclear test and the UN General Assembly. Cuba has been an ally of North Korea, while Japan and North Korea have strained relations due to the abduction of Japanese citizens and the potential for a close-range nuclear attack. Increased investment in Cuba reflects a larger pattern in...

Hawaiian Seafood Caught by Foreign Crews Who Are Confined on Boats

Martha Mendoza and Margie Mason September 16, 2016
Some fishing fleets along the US West Coast rely on foreign crews confined onboard for months at a time even when the vessels are in port. Federal laws allow the immigrant labor with low wages and no labor protections for what is ranked among the most dangerous jobs in the world. “With no legal standing on U.S. soil, the men are at the mercy of their American captains on American-flagged,...

US Economy: Citizenship for Sale

Kara Scannell September 14, 2016
US cities like Miami are using the EB-5 visa to attract wealthy investors. The program was designed to promote development in areas of need, but Kara Scannell of the Financial Times describes luxury office towers, hotels and retail complexes. “For a $500,000 investment in a project that creates at least 10 jobs in a high-unemployment area, a foreign national can eventually receive a green card...

Question Mark Over TPP

Nayan Chanda September 14, 2016
The outlook for the Tans-Pacific Partnership appears bleak with only a few months remaining for the Obama administration. Trade has been vilified in the US presidential campaign. “Given the lofty rhetoric and expectations surrounding the 12-nation trade pact, its increasingly perilous path to fruition is already causing damage to US standing in Asia and opening the door further for China’s...