In The News

ScienceDaily: Antarctica Retreating Across the Sea Floor

April 3, 2018
The UK Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling at the University of Leeds has produced a map of how the Antarctic ice sheet's submarine edge, or "grounding line," is shifting. “Most Antarctic glaciers flow straight into the ocean in deep submarine troughs, the grounding line is the place where their base leaves the sea floor and begins to float,” explains Science Daily. The map...

Japan Times: Japan and Fourth Industrial Revolution

Heizo Takenaka April 2, 2018
Big data, artificial intelligence and robotics are revolutionizing business, both increasing efficiency and reducing labor requirements. Japan, the world’s third largest economy, confronts two challenges, slow government response for labor and other reforms and the need for stronger corporate governance, explains Heizo Takenaka, a former fiscal policy minister for the country. Japan also has two...

The New Yorker: Why Kim Went to China

Evan Osnos April 1, 2018
Under the helm of Kim Jong Un, who took control of the country in 2012, North Korea has spent years testing and pushing the boundaries of international diplomacy while expanding nuclear production and scheduling nuclear testing. US President Donald Trump heightened tension when he promised to respond to any aggression with “fire and fury.” Yet, at the turn of the new year, both leaders turned the...

Huffington Post: $1 Billion Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia

Nick Visser and Nick Robins-Early March 30, 2018
The Trump administration plans to approve a $1 billion dollar arms sale to Saudi Arabia, including “around 6,700 anti-tank missiles and $300 million in parts for the Saudis’ helicopters and tanks,” explains the US State Department. The deal is controversial due to the ongoing Saudi role in Yemen’s civil war. Since March 2015, the Saudi state has carried out lethal airstrike campaigns as part of...

Spiegel: EU Helped Fortify Turkey's Border

Maximilian Popp March 29, 2018
The European Union has funded Turkey to block Syrians fleeing the brutal war. “In March 2016, the EU and Ankara closed a deal under which the Europeans would pay 3 billion euros to Turkey if the country kept the refugees inside its borders,” writes Maximilian Popp for Spiegel Online. The funding contributes to harsh security measures from Turkey including a border wall, deportations, surveillance...

Bloomberg: China Back on Kim’s Side

David Tweed March 29, 2018
North Korea's Kim Jong Un got what he wanted with nuclear weapons: global recognition. South Korea’s Moon Jae-in, in seeking peace with North Korea, served as a mediator with Donald Trump. Xi Jinping, in power for more than five years suddenly rustled up his first meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. Thus, “Kim Jong Un just sent a powerful message to U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of...

Caixin: US-China Trade Tensions

Yukon Huang March 28, 2018
The Trump administration was warned about the economic and political consequences of protectionist measures like tariffs. Analysts point out that tariffs are illogical, and will fail to reduce the US trade deficit with China or boost jobs. The trade deficit and the jobs will shift to other countries. “It is a mistake to assume that trade is a bilateral issue when it is multilateral, especially in...