In The News

Immigrant Vote Could Sway Tight Scottish Independence Referendum

Lisa De Bode September 10, 2014
Scotland will head to the polls on September 18 for a referendum on independence from Great Britain, and immigrants could represent one in five likely voters. Like other Scots, immigrants are divided. Ending the 300-year union with England and Northern Ireland would have economic and political consequences, reports Lisa De Bode for Al Jazeera America, including reduced power of the Labour Party...

The Silence of the BRICS

Jaswant Singh September 5, 2014
Peace eludes the world, and moral authority is lacking. “For many, this global rudderlessness recalls Europe’s sleepwalk into catastrophe 100 years ago,” writes Jaswant Singh, former foreign minister of India for Project Syndicate. His essay reflects deep worry that a reckless accident or attack by just one person, combined with global tensions and nations’ refusal to accept borders, could...

Ukraine Accuses Russia of Invasion, West to Consider Sanctions

Gregory L. White and Colleen McCain Nelson August 30, 2014
Russia is sending troops and equipment to aid separatists in eastern Ukraine. Whether called incursion or invasion, the move widens the divide between Russia and the West. Tactics and terms used by Russians, including President Vladimir Putin, suggest the goal may be establish a corridor with Crimea, annexed by Russia in March. “Russia's latest moves suggested that the sanctions so far weren...

Turkey Struggles as “Lone Gatekeeper” Against Islamic State Recruitment

Nick Tattersall and Mariam Karouny August 27, 2014
Thousands of foreign fighters from Turkey, Europe and the United States have crossed the Turkish border with Syria, eager to join the brutal Islamic State group. Early in the Syrian uprising, Turkey maintained an open border to allow safe passage for refugees and support for moderate Syrian rebels. “That policy now appears to have been a miscalculation and has drawn accusations, strongly denied...

Italy and Japan: Troubled Twins of Globalization

Joji Sakurai August 26, 2014
Japan and Italy are major economies, ranked third and ninth in the world, respectively. Yet both have slipped in recent years, a result of insular policies that in turn encourage provincialism. The cultures offer beautiful and unusual elements that draw admiration from around the world. Ironically, challenges emerge as each are obsessed with preserving and perfecting traditions. “Japan and Italy...

Globalization’s Worst Crisis

Nayan Chanda August 25, 2014
Sanctions and counter-sanctions in response to Russian intervention in Ukraine will disrupt global trade. Russia is the world’s eighth largest economy. Industries will find stunted growth and respond with new patterns as retail outlets in Russia cope with empty shelves, European airlines mull closure of air space over Russia, agriculture producers confront stockpiles, and energy buyers will...

Pointless Punishment

Ely Ratner and Elizabeth Rosenberg August 23, 2014
The United States and the European Union have stepped up sanctions on Russia for its intervention in Ukraine – and have urged Asian nations like China and Japan to do likewise. Yet the conflict continues. Asia and Europe have more to lose from sanctioning Russia than does the United States. “The majority of the Asia-Pacific governments – including U.S. allies Australia and South Korea – have...