In The News

Brookings: Social Protection Programs and Life Satisfaction

Talajeh Livani and Carol Graham July 24, 2018
Do universal basic income and strong public welfare programs work? Experts in developed and developing countries have mixed reviews. Welfare programs “often come with stigma and disempowerment, in addition to high administrative costs, supporting the case for universal basic income guarantees” write Talejeh Livani and Carol Graham for Brookings. Measuring the effectiveness of social assistance...

The Washington Post: Jewish or Democratic?

Ruth Eglash July 23, 2018
The Israeli parliament's approval of a legislation on the nation's identiy is sparking controversy “over the foundations of democracy in the country and what it means to be Israeli, with critics saying it will deny equal rights to non-Jewish citizens.” Proposed by members of the ruling right-wing Likud party, the bill identifies Israel as the “national home for the Jewish people.” The...

Jurist: The US Abandons Legal Obligations in Syria

Louis René Beres July 18, 2018
Donald Trump undermined numerous US commitments, institutions, policies and values in his summit with Vladimir Putin. The rest of the world has long depended on the United States to uphold human rights, justice and other values. Syrians – under attack by extremists and Russian intervention – are vulnerable. Millions of Syrians have been displaced and thousands killed, some with chemical weapons....

Khaleej Times: UAE Tows Icebergs From Antarctica

Emirates News Agency July 16, 2018
The United Arab Emirates has launched a website to showcase a project that entails towing icebergs from Antarctica to the coasts of UAE. The hope is to use icebergs as new sources of water for the arid region and attract positive press coverage. Researchers aim to collaborate to conduct water research and create technology that will minimize ice melting during transport and reduce costs. “A...

Washington Post: Thousands of Syrians Fleeing Toward Israel’s Border

Ruth Eglash July 14, 2018
Israel’s hardline policy on entrance for refugees has drawn ire from the international community. As fighting in Syria draws closer to the Israeli border, Syrian refugees – an estimated 11,000 – plead for safe haven. A recent article for the Washington Post observes, “forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russian airstrikes, are in the midst of a final push to recapture territory...

The Guardian: Israel Deploys Border Reinforcements as Syrians Flee Strikes

Patrick Wintour July 13, 2018
Efforts to facilitate a broad ceasefire in southwest Syria broke down at the end of June, prompting the Syrian military to initiate a fresh round of air raids in the Daraa province – an area inside the de-escalation zone agreed on by the US president, the Russian president and the Jordanian government. The Syrian government claims to control of more than half of the province. The increase in...

The Economist: UN Refugee Agency for Palestinians Running Out of Cash

July 13, 2018
The Trump administration’s decision to withhold $305 million of $365 million annually directed to the UN’s Relief and Works Agency is poised to cause further damage to the 2 million people of Gaza. Moreover, the crisis looms large against the backdrop of increased tension between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs Gaza. Since the end of March, a series of protests near the border...