In The News

The Court Rules in Pakistan

Paula Newberg June 21, 2012
Pakistan has a history of its civilian government being removed from power by the military, and last week the country’s Supreme Court mounted what could be the first judicial coup. As Pakistan faces terrorist challenges, political turmoil and economic crises, the activist Supreme Court has compounded the challenges – ruling that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani’s contempt-of-court conviction...

Could Europe Ruin the World Economy?

David Dapice June 19, 2012
Greek voters in parliamentary elections narrowly approved staying with the euro, but the debt crisis is far from over. Winning about 30 percent of the vote, the conservative leaders of New Democracy must build a coalition government and fend off a sizable opposition that resists austerity that was imposed as part of the bailout. Italy and Spain, heavily indebted, also test the eurozone’s...

World Expectations Lowered

Bruce Stokes June 14, 2012
US presidential campaigns often tangle over which candidate is best capable of boosting the country’s reputation abroad and providing leadership in global affairs. Trouble is, the two major political parties in the United States often don’t agree on how to achieve global respect. The diversity of global opinion based on political and cultural context does not help either. A survey of more than 26...

Time to End Fuel Subsidies?

Will Hickey June 7, 2012
Subsidies distort markets and discourage development of substitutes. Subsidies for fuel are especially problematic, because energy is a backbone of any economy. In terms of energy production and consumption, the world is an uneven playing field in terms of reserves, taxes, regulations, public versus private ownership and income availability. An abrupt end to fuel subsidies would crush the poorest...

China’s New Flexibility on Foreign Intervention

Johan Lagerkvist May 29, 2012
Authoritarian regimes around the world took note as protests spread swiftly throughout the Middle East, spurred by deep societal anger and the internet. Global powers had to take a stance, whether to side with brutal, corrupt, even delusional dictators or with citizens demanding justice and human rights. With its investments reaching every corner of the globe, China has struggled to rationalize...

What’s Next for Europe?

Alistair Burnett May 23, 2012
Politicians in power since the 2008 financial collapse, regardless of their political stripes, find themselves in peril. Analysis of the recent French and Greek elections followed three lines of thought – that voters soundly rejected strict austerity measures, blamed incumbents, and abandoned mainstream political parties for more extremist leadership, both right and left. The three...

A Global Economy in Danger

Manu Bhaskaran May 21, 2012
The week’s global consultations are in order – a G20 Labor and Employment Ministerial Meeting convened in Mexico on employment policies; the G8 reached consensus on eurozone reforms at Camp David; NATO meets in Chicago to prepare for withdrawal from Afghanistan. The globe’s major economies are interconnected in so many ways, and the separate set of difficulties of each threatens ability to...