In The News

Rappler: ASEAN’s Deafening Silence on Human Rights Violations

Jodesz Gavilan November 13, 2017
The 31st summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was marked by a failure to address human rights. “This comes at a time when some citizens of most, if not all, of ASEAN member-states are experiencing some form of oppression by their own governments,” writes Jodesz Gavilan for Rappler. “Rising authoritarianism cripples various freedoms that should be universally enjoyed.” ASEAN has 10...

The Guardian: Lebanese Leaders Step Up Demands for Return of Prime Minister Saad Hariri

Martin Chulov November 13, 2017
The abrupt resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hairiri has raised numerous questions and exacerbates political tensions in the Middle East. As Martin Chulov observes for the Guardian: “Hariri’s unexpected departure has placed Lebanon at the heart of an intensifying power tussle between Riyadh and Tehran, and has alarmed allies of the fragile state who are scrambling to contain a move they...

Los Angeles Times: Prime Minister’s Disappearance in Lebanon

Nabih Bulos November 11, 2017
Even the most fragmented, polarized nations tend to unite when external powers interfere in bullying ways. Such is the case of Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Lebanon’s population is 6 million, Saudi Arabia’s is 32 million and the crisis for the smaller country is an extension of the war for regional influence between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Lebanon’s citizens worry about Prime Minister Saad Hariri who...

Financial Times: Trump Demands End to Asia’s “Chronic Trade Abuses”

Demetri Sevastopulo and John Reed November 10, 2017
In addressing the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam, Donald Trump said the United States would not tolerate chronic trade abuses and he urged fair and reciprocal economic relationships. The talk came after his visit to China, the country that has the biggest trade deficit with the United States. Yet the presidents of both countries flattered each other, and Trump said he did not...

The Economist: The Balfour Declaration

November 10, 2017
While the Balfour Declaration was not as strong as Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann had hoped when ratified in 1917 as it turns out, the public statement of support issued by the British government during World War I for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine did reinforce the settler project and deliver Israeli statehood. According to the Economist, “...

The Wall Street Journal: Strategy for the Post-ISIS Middle East

Suzanne Maloney and Michael O’Hanlon November 8, 2017
As the war against the Islamic State winds down and territory is regained in Syria and Iraq, regional and international leaders ponder the next steps. Many challenges remain: combatting other extremist groups and pinpointing sources of extremism, securing oil shipments through the Persian Gulf waterways, calming conflict among coalition partners like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and ending divisive...

Spiegel Online: Monsanto Faces Blowback Over Cancer Claims

Philip Bethge November 7, 2017
A class-action lawsuit in the United States claims that the active ingredient in Monsanto's herbicide Roundup, glyphosate, causes a form of lymph node cancer. “Monsanto's strategies for whitewashing glyphosate have been revealed in internal e-mails, presentations and memos,” reports Philip Bethge for Spiegel Online. The company’s argument: The chemical could not be described as a...