In The News

Korea Times: Guarantee the US Guarantee

Charles Park June 11, 2018
All parties who care about the Asia Pacific region should hope for a successful summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. Expectations should not run high. “If the past is any indicator, the chances are high that the summit will be a failure,” explains researcher Charles Park for the Korea Times. “There may be no deal, or else it will be a short-lived one like all the previous nuclear deals...

Chatham House: Britain Stands Up to China Over Freedom of Navigation

Bill Hayton June 8, 2018
British naval ships traversed the South China Sea to demonstrate support for freedom of navigation despite China’s claims to most of the major waterway. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, signed by China and the UK, gives countries control over 12 nautical miles from their coasts – foreign military and other ships have the right to traverse such waters as long as they do not “threaten ‘...

Reuters: What the G7 Can Offer the World

Peter Apps June 8, 2018
Amid trade tensions triggered by the United States and debt troubles for Italy, leaders of the world’s top industrialized democracies gather in Canada. The Group of 7, or G7, has the potential to apply democratic values and restore faith in democratic institutions, maintains Peter Apps for Reuters. In turn, this will contribute to resolving global challenges from climate change to conflicts over...

African Business: Will Facebook’s Troubles Cost Africans?

Rafiq Raji June 7, 2018
Facebook admits to collecting data on people who are not users, who did not agree to terms of service, for security reasons. Such collections may clash with efforts of the EU General Data Protection Regulation that aim to give people control over their data. “The GDPR may become the global model for regulating tech firms that collect personal data and earn income by selling or drawing profitable...

Wall Street Journal: Western Cities Try to Slow Chinese Home Buying

Paul Vieira, Rachel Pannett and Dominique Fong June 7, 2018
Chinese buyers regard real estate in Western cities like Vancouver and Sydney as a good investment. Real estate prices in Canada and Australia were relatively low, inviting buyers and capital from China. The steady onslaught prompts fears about market distortions, changing local culture and inability of young adults to purchase their first home, reports the Wall Street Journal. “In Vancouver,...

Spiegel: Fixing the Euro

Henrik Enderlein June 6, 2018
The European Union has a lingering problem with some members taking on excessive debt. In turn, economic woes fuel resentment against more disciplined members, suggesting that some loans could go unpaid. “The danger emanating from the current, out-of-control situation doesn't just come from the possible return of the euro crisis and its far-reaching consequences for growth and prosperity,”...

Smithsonian: Globalization Changed How We Fight Disease

Daniel Fernandez June 5, 2018
Globalization has contributed both to spreading diseases quickly via travel and faster transportation systems and providing early warnings that lead to swift prevention mechanisms and treatments: “the rise of civilization – namely, the development of agriculture, animal husbandry and domesticated life – led to the growth of catastrophic illnesses such as smallpox, tuberculosis and polio,” writes...