In The News

How the Fed's Rate Hikes May Impact Asia

December 20, 2015
The US Federal Reserve responded to the 2007 financial crisis by reducing interest rates to stimulate spending and investment. Analysts since warned that a rate lift “could pose a challenge to a number of emerging market economies – particularly across Asia, a top exporter to the US – by pushing up bond yields, augmenting capital outflows and depreciating currencies,” reports Deutsche Welle. The...

In Fighting the Islamic State, Obama Is a Tortoise and the GOP is Harebrained

David Ignatius December 18, 2015
Combative rhetoric in free elections challenges a united national foreign policy. More than 15 candidates in the US presidential race, to be decided in November 2016, compete by siding with President Barack Obama or criticizing his policies. After serving two terms, Obama cannot run for reelection. The current point of contention: how to address religious extremism. Obama takes a deliberative...

Despite Their Economic Strides, China and India Lag on Health Care

Zeena Johar and Xue Ying Hwang December 17, 2015
Adequate health care, providing security for a nation’s workforce, is among the key attributes of economic development. “India and China have adopted insurance as a tool to provide health-care access and mitigate catastrophic expenditures,” explain Zeena Johar and Xue Ying Hwang, adding that each nation has adopted an independent route towards achieving universal health coverage. “Despite good...

India's Role in Climate Change

Nayan Chanda December 17, 2015
Global leaders attending COP21 in Paris have pledged to reduce carbon emissions – and now must follow through, convincing citizens and businesses at home to support tough policies that curb fossil-fuel production. The national commitments are voluntary. “After initially resisting Western pressure, Modi government has announced a pledge – the so-called Intended Nationally Determined Contributions...

How Fear Won the GOP Debate

Michael Grunwald December 16, 2015
Republican US presidential candidates insist they are ready to attack Islamic State extremists with full force. Some suggest banning refugees, and others go suggest a broader ban on Muslims, extreme measures considering the world has more than a billion Muslims and the CIA estimates that the Islamic State extremists total no more than 50,000. Moderators of the fifth debate bear blame for avoiding...

Saudi Arabia Forms Muslim Anti-Terror Coalition

Ahmed Al Omran and Asa Fitch December 16, 2015
Saudi Arabia announced plans for a coalition to battle terrorism in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan. “Absent from the list was predominantly Shiite Iran – the kingdom’s main rival for leadership in the Muslim world – as well as Israel and Shiite-led Iraq,” report Ahmed Al Omran and Asa Fitch for the Wall Street Journal. “Still, it remains unclear what the Sunni kingdom is asking the...

Global Consensus on Climate Change Is a Good Start

Scott Barrett December 15, 2015
The world has reached consensus: Climate change is a serious threat, and each nation can play a role in reducing fossil fuel emissions. The Paris Agreement relies on a voluntary approach for developing policies for transitioning away from fossil fuels. “The biggest challenge with voluntary agreement to limit countries’ emissions is enforcement,” explains Scott Barrett, economist and Columbia...