In The News

Washington Post: Mattis and Shock Waves Abroad

Griff Witte and Isaac Stanley-Becker December 21, 2018
The United States has the world’s largest military, yet national security relies on a network of allies along with expectations that US leaders promote stability and keep their word during times of crisis. The Trump administration has demonstrated little respect for key allies. US Secretary of Defense General James Mattis resigned after Donald Trump abruptly announced withdrawal of US troops from...

Guardian: Tackle Climate or Face Financial Crash

Damian Carrington December 11, 2018
Some of the world’s largest pension funds, insurers, rating agencies and asset managers are heeding warnings from climate researchers to demand phase-out on all coal burning, reduced carbon emissions and introduction of carbon taxes. As ministers arrive for a UN climate summit in Poland, more than 400 investors signed a Global Investor Statement describing refusal to acknowledge climate change as...

Globe and Mail: Canada Arrests Huawei Global CFO

Robert Fife and Steven Chase December 7, 2018
The US-Chinese trade war has taken a new turn with news of the December 1 arrest of China’s Huawei Technologies chief financial officer in Vancouver, Canada – about the same time as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping put a pause on the trade war. Meng Wanzhou faces extradition for violation of trade sanctions against Iran. “The decision by Canadian authorities to detain such a high-profile Chinese...

Wired: Quiet War Over Who Makes Online Money

Paris Martineau December 7, 2018
At first glance, giant social media firms like Facebook, PayPal and Tumblr appear to be trying to block hate speech pornography from their websites. But the trend is not simple and suggests an ugly culture war is underway. After Reddit banned forums for incels, the men who identify as involuntary celibates are retaliating. The group distributes content policies of internet firms including social...

DW: Global Migrant Numbers Up 20 Percent

December 6, 2018
The number of migrants worldwide is growing, especially those of working age, reports the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The report details how migrants aged 15 and older make up 4.2 percent of the global population and migrant workers make up 4.7 percent of all workers. About 68 percent of migrant workers work in high-income countries, down from 75 percent in 2013. Almost 60...

Mail & Guardian: Western Museums and African Artifacts

Christine Mungai December 5, 2018
Economists and art historians are taking inventory of artwork and cultural artifacts removed from their lands decades or even centuries ago. The British Museum is returning an unknown number of artifacts, and France is returning 25 pieces to Benin. “The decision was made after French President Emmanuel Macron reviewed a report by Senegalese economist Felwine Sarr and French art historian...

Reuters: Clean Coal Fails to Deliver Smog Cuts

Tim McLaughlin December 4, 2018
Coal producers insisted that chemical treatments could reduce emissions. US electric company Duke Energy reports that refined coal “regularly fails to deliver on its environmental promises,” releasing more nitrogen oxide, not less. “The utility also discovered that one of the chemicals used to refine the coal, calcium bromide, had reached a nearby river and lakes – raising levels of carcinogens...