In The News

A Wary US Remains Open to Chinese Investments

Ziad Haider February 6, 2014
China with its fast-growing economy is on the hunt for global investments. The United States reviews most investments for national security implications with its Committee on Foreign Investment, chaired by the Department of Treasury, and Ziad Haider, attorney and writer, argues Chinese companies fare better than most would assume: “The volume and sophistication of Chinese firms looking to enter...

Coca-Cola's Multilingual "America" Ad Didn't Hit Wrong Notes

February 5, 2014
A major US sporting event is the football championship known as the Super Bowl. Many anticipate the television advertisements aired during the game more than the game itself. Coca-Cola’s ad celebrated multiculturalism by featuring the song “America the Beautiful” sung in eight languages from Arabic to Tagalog. Critics immediately blasted the ad, suggesting that the patriotic song should be sung...

Reid Deals Body Blow to Obama on Trade

William Mauldin, Siobhan Hughes January 31, 2014
US President Barack Obama and Senate Majority leader Harry Reid share party affiliation as Democrats and are typically strong allies. But Reid has announced opposition to legislation that would provide fast-track approvals of major trade deals and prevent nitpicky amendments in Congress. “The move spells trouble for two sets of complicated talks” – namely the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the...

Venezuela's President Blames Soap Operas for Crime

Fabiola Sanchez January 28, 2014
Once the United States ended its love affair with late afternoon soap operas, a result of women joining the workforce and television turning to talk shows, South America filled the void with telenovelas. Some creators and analysts credit the popular long running storylines with reducing birthrates, increasing awareness of women’s rights and reflecting society’s increasing violence. Venezuelan...

China Exports Pollution to US, Study Finds

Edward Wongjan January 27, 2014
Pollution knows no borders. A study by nine researchers in three nations quantifies “how air pollution in the United States is affected by China’s production of goods for export and by global consumer demand for those goods,” reports Edward Wongjan for the New York Times: “The scientists wrote that ‘outsourcing production to China does not always relieve consumers in the United States – or for...

Per Fars News Agency, US Run by Nazi Aliens

Max Fisher January 24, 2014
The gulf between Iran and the United States is wide. Iran’s Fars News Agency reports that US National Security Agency documents released by a former contract worker suggest that a shadow government of aliens ran Nazi Germany, intent on world domination, and now runs the United States, also intent on world domination. The report, labeled under the category of “space,” emerges as the United States...

Going the Distance

David Remnick January 22, 2014
President Barack Obama is a man with strong opinions but cautious about imposing those on others. The first quality irritates his opponents and the second frustrates supporters. David Remnick, editor of the New Yorker, profiles Obama and tackles the array of issues confronting any president. Depending on luck and which issues are pursued, Obama still has potential for presidential greatness. Yet...