In The News

Mail & Guardian: Land Reform Is a Broken Ladder

Leslie Bank and Tim Hart September 28, 2017
The rural people of South Africa expect land reform. Land is being redistributed, but the demand for small tracts is not being met, reports the Human Sciences Research Council, “as the state has sought to increase the percentage of land in black hands, it has focused increasingly on transferring large farms, often to established black businesses and commercial operators, rather than on supporting...

Caixin: China’s Quest for “World Class” Universities

Chen Shaoyuan, Xu Zhuang, Kong Xiangfeng and Li Rongde September 27, 2017
The ideas, studies and research pursued at the world’s top-ranked universities stimulate innovation and economic growth. China has targeted 42 universities for increased funding to improve their global rankings – Peking and Tsinghua universities may not have far to go, ranked 27th and 30th, respectively, by World University Rankings. Another 96 universities have been ordered to improve their...

BBC: Iraqi Kurds Decisively Back Independence in Referendum

September 27, 2017
BBC News reports that 92 percent of the people of northern Iraq, including Kurds and non-Kurds, favor pursuing independence for Kurdistan in a non-binding referendum. Turnout was more than 70 percent. Iraq’s prime minister, urging a cancellation of results, encouraged dialogue. “Kurdish leaders say the ‘Yes’ vote will give them a mandate to start negotiations on secession with the central...

Huffington Post: As Rohingyas Flee Myanmar, India Needs To Drop Religious Criteria in Its Refugee Law

Nafees Ahmad September 26, 2017
Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees are fleeing violence in Myanmar and heading to Bangladesh, with 30,000 people trapped near the border, reports Nafees Ahmad for the Huffington Post. Meanwhile, India’s prime minister has announced plans to deport 40,000 Rohingya refugees, and India’s Supreme Court is reviewing a plea by two asylum seekers to reverse the decision. Conservatives who support...

GlobalVoices: Puerto Rico, Trapped Between Colonialism and Hurricanes

Ana Portnoy September 26, 2017
Two hurricanes struck Puerto Rico and the island confronts a humanitarian crisis with flooding, ruined infrastructure, limited food and water supplies. The US president issued a disaster declarations and also pointed to the island’s debt woes. Challenges for Puerto Rico from hurricane damage, high levels of debt or unfunded pensions are compounded by colonialism, explains Ana Portney, writing for...

Reuters: Merkel Tries to Build Coalition After Vote That Puts Far Right in Parliament

Caroline Copley and Emma Thomasson September 25, 2017
Angela Merkel won a fourth term as Germany’s chancellor and reports she will keep an open mind in forming a coalition government. “Damaged by her decision two years ago to allow more than one million migrants into Germany, Merkel’s conservative bloc secured 33 percent of the vote, losing 8.5 points,” report Caroline Copley and Emma Thomasson. “Her coalition partners, the center-left Social...

The Economist: Another Earthquake Strikes Mexico

September 25, 2017
Mexico is reeling from the onslaught of at least two earthquakes and aftershocks with the span of a few weeks. More than 270 people are dead and numerous buildings in Mexico City are destroyed. Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world, and the area around the city accounts for nearly 25 percent of Mexico's gross domestic product, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Although...