In The News

The New York Times: Worst Chemical Attack in Years in Syria; US Blames Assad

Anne Barnard and Michael R. Gordon April 5, 2017
A few days after the United States announced that it would not seek removal of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, a chemical weapon attack was launched against a rebel stronghold in Idlib Province, killing dozens and injuring more than 250. A nerve agent is suspected with images of people shaking or paralyzed, gasping for air, transmitted by global media. “A senior State Department official said the attack...

Spiegel Online: Alexei Navalny Shakes Up a Slumbering Russia

Christian Esch April 5, 2017
Russia’s young are no longer staying quiet about the country’s corruption. “A singular wave of protests hit 82 cities across the land on Sunday, March 26, from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg, as people took to the streets to protest corruption,” reports Christian Esch for Spiegel Online. He goes on to describe angry confrontations between police and crowds. The Russian legal system is harsh on...

Project Syndicate: Illiberal Stagnation

Joseph Stiglitz April 4, 2017
Authoritarian leaders including Russia’s Vladimir Putin argue that their style of governance is pragmatic and sure. But stifling dissent and encouraging nationalism fail to contribute to market certainty, innovation and long-term prosperity, argues economist Joseph Stiglitz. He runs through Russia’s statistics – a GDP that is just 40 percent of Germany’s with life expectancy at birth ranked at...

BBC: Graphene-Based Sieve Turns Seawater Into Drinking Water

Paul Rincon April 4, 2017
More than 95 percent of earth’s water is saltwater in the oceans. A research team with the University of Manchester has created a sieve that may remove salt from seawater. Testing is underway and “The sought-after development could aid the millions of people without ready access to clean drinking water,” reports Paul Rincon for BBC News. Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a...

Los Angeles Times: Movie Banned in India Because It Was “Lady-Oriented” Plays in US

Shashank Bengali April 3, 2017
Censorship of art in one country can put a global spotlight on the banned material. “’Lipstick Under My Burkha,’ which follows two Hindus and two Muslims searching for personal and sexual freedom, was blocked from Indian theaters this year by the national censor board even as it collected awards at international film festivals,” reports Shashank Bengali for the Los Angeles Times. The women have...

France-Amérique: NATO and the Trump Enigma

Guy Sorman April 3, 2017
French diplomats and pundits admit to confusion over US President Donald Trump's goals and opinions about NATO. An essay goes on to pose multiple questions and suggests that longstanding US allies such as France do not expect clear answers, with analysts wondering whether Trump deliberately presents two stances, one specifically for his followers and another for the world at large. “No...

The Diplomat: Will Central Asia Water Wars Derail China's Silk Road?

Nishtha Chugh March 31, 2017
China continues to expand influence with its modern version of the Silk Road, a “prodigiously bold economic ambition to connect with potentially 40 countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa,” reports Nishtha Chugh. “The vast economic corridors and infrastructural network, when fully functional, will potentially give China unprecedented access to 60 percent of the world’s population and a third of...