In The News

BBC: Three Brexit Defeats for May

December 5, 2018
Members of parliament found British Prime Minister Theresa May’s ministers in contempt, ordering release of the government’s complete legal advice on proposed terms for Brexit. The government had been trying to rush the proposal through to avoid too many second thoughts. The attorney general published a summary and answered questions, but advised that release of the complete version was not in...

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...

RSIS: G20 and Time for Greater Multilateral Role

Pradumna Bickram Rana and Xianbai Ji December 4, 2018
The world’s 20 largest economies have met annually for 10 years, since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, to plan economic cooperation. At this year’s summit in Argentina, the US and Chinese presidents agreed to a 90-day pause on the trade war and continue negotiations. The United States will delay raising tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. G20 leaders also supported “necessary...

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...

Sierra: Global Warming Will Be Catastrophic

Jonathan Hahn December 3, 2018
Only foolish or superstitious societies ignore clear evidence of danger and take chances. The science on climate change and a warming world is overwhelming, yet a small, vocal minority insists that there is no need for humans to take precautions by reducing reliance on fossil fuels. US government scientists released the fourth National Climate Assessment, as required by Congress. “The report is...

The Local France: Savage Violence in Paris

John Lichfield December 3, 2018
More than 10,000 yellow-vested protesters in Paris expressed fury toward their government over increasing inequality, unemployment and poor services in rural areas with wealth going unshared. “The Arc de Triomphe, symbol of French Republican pride, was vandalised and tagged with insulting graffiti,” explains John Lichfield, adding that police acted with restraint as protesters set buildings and...

Project Syndicate: Silent Inflation

Robert J. Shiller December 2, 2018
Central banks manage inflation for stability, and Yale economics professor Robert Shiller describes the challenge of “silent inflation” – the practice of central banks setting inflation targets ranging from below or near 2 percent for Europe, the United States and Japan to 13 percent for Egypt. “Such policies cause a sort of magnification of the present in the minds of most people,” Shiller...