In The News

Lace Capital Riven by French Politics: NYT

Liz Alderman May 1, 2017
Technology, changing fashions, competition in Asia combined with the European Union ending textile import quotes in 2005, eroded jobs in the lace industry, reports Liz Alderman for the New York Times. “From steel mills to auto factories, the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs to globalization has created social distress – and competing visions from the candidates about how to fix it,” Alderman...

BBC: Chancellor Merkel Warns UK on Scope of Brexit Talks With EU

April 27, 2017
The European Union is setting priorities and preparing for an orderly Brexit with the expectation of settling exit terms before planning on future ties. Terms for settlement include British payments due for the EU budget and rights of EU citizens in the UK and British citizens in the EU. The British dispute an estimate from EU officials that the United Kingdom owes €60 billion. EU leaders will...

The New York Times: Macron and Le Pen Advance in French Election

Alissa J. Rubin April 24, 2017
French voters selected Emmanuel Macron, an economist and political novice, and Marine Le Pen, a far-right populist who opposes the European Union, to advance to a runoff. Two out of three French voters voted for non-traditional candidates. “Political experts said the vote showed a new, profound cleavage in French politics around globalization, as well as France’s relationship with the European...

Spiegel Online: Time to Break Off EU Membership Talks With Turkey

Markus Becker April 20, 2017
A narrow majority of Turkish voters have approved constitutional reforms that consolidate their president’s power. The European Union could continue to pursue economic ties, but end negotiations on Turkey’s membership. “The Turks have voted for autocracy, for the repression of political opponents and likely also for the introduction of the death penalty,” urges Markus Becker for Spiegel Online. “...

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...

The Guardian: Who Are the New Jihadis?

Olivier Roy April 18, 2017
The contemporary terrorist’s brutal acts against symbolic targets are centered around his or her own death, explains author Olivier Roy in an essay for the Guardian. “Muslim tradition, while it recognises the merits of the martyr who dies in combat, does not prize those who strike out in pursuit of their own deaths, because doing so interferes with God’s will,” he writes. Roy describes jihadism...

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 “...