In The News

The Battle of the Burkini

Ian Buruma September 6, 2016
French coastal communities went too far with rules targeting Muslim women who visit beaches in the so-called burkini – a bathing suit that covers most of the body but not the face. “A grotesque photograph soon appeared in newspapers around the world of three French policemen, one of them with a machine gun slung across his back, forcing a woman to undress on a beach in Nice,” explains Ian Buruma...

Flooding of Coast, Caused by Global Warming, Has Already Begun

Justin Gillis September 6, 2016
Rising waters threaten communities along the eastern and southern coasts of the United States even without storms as warned by climate researchers. “The inundation of the coast has begun,” reports Justin Gillis for the New York Times. “The sea has crept up to the point that a high tide and a brisk wind are all it takes to send water pouring into streets and homes. Federal scientists have...

Meant to Promote Cooperation, G20 Meeting Shows Discord

Chris Miller September 6, 2016
Fear is growing that globalization has spun out of control, with too many decisions at the local level left by the wayside. Contending with home-front discontent, leaders of the world’s major economies gathered for the G20 summit, encountering many reminders that nations are part of a global community and struggle is sure for any that try to withdraw and resolve big challenges on their own. Even...

Arms Race Threatened on India-China Border

Neeta Lal September 5, 2016
India has deployed supersonic cruise missiles to Arunachal in the northeast, and China promised counter-measures. India developed the missiles with Russia. “The deployment of the cruise missiles is the latest in what is starting to look like an arms race between the two countries, which have endured numerous standoffs along the Line of Actual Control in recent years despite joint goodwill...

G20 Must Address the Anti-Globalization Undercurrent to Stay Relevant

Peter Drysdale September 2, 2016
Immigration, trade and many other aspects of globalization are interwoven into daily routines, taken for granted, and some opponents contend that communities and entire countries can easily sever the connections. G20 leaders, meeting in Hangzhou, China, must address global stagnation and populism that feed resentment and disrupt cooperation, increasing inequality and the power of despots....

Despite Fears, Mexico's Manufacturing Boom Lifts US Workers

Natalie Kitroeff September 2, 2016
Automation is transforming manufacturing, reducing jobs and need for skills. A Los Angeles Time article describes apprenticeships for young Mexicans working alongside robots in a BMW plant in Mexico. US presidential candidates question the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement, but many companies – including those from outside the US – are shifting operations from China to Mexico....

Despite Chinese Shadows, Southeast Asian Friendship With US Worth Cultivating

Satu Limaye September 1, 2016
The United States and China are among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' dialogue partners. Under President Barack Obama, the United States has forged closer ties with the regional group that will endure, explains Satu Limaye, director of the East-West Center in Washington and the Asia Matters for America initiative. The ASEAN summit in Vientiane, Laos, will be Obama’s last as US...