Q & A Archive

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the world. Russia recently passed a law to reduce the punishment for domestic violence to a fine and a short jail sentence. Though ostensibly an effort to prevent the separation of families over false charges of abuse, the move has been attacked by critics who argue it will lead to impunity for abusers. In an email interview, Ira Kosterina, program coordinator for gender at the Heinrich Böll Stiftung’s Russia office, discusses women’s rights and gender equality […]

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on income inequality and poverty reduction in various countries around the world. Last year, millions of South Koreans joined marches to demand that President Park Geun-hye step down over a corruption and influence-peddling scandal. But the protests also drew on popular grievances over growing economic inequalities. In an email interview, Anthony P. D’Costa, chair and professor of contemporary Indian studies at the University of Melbourne and editor of “After-Development Dynamics: South Korea’s Engagement with Contemporary Asia,” discusses income inequality in South Korea. WPR: What is the extent of income […]

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series about workers’ rights in various countries around the world. Dockworkers in Spain announced a series of strikes yesterday to protest a government plan to allow ports to hire nonunion workers. The strikes are set to begin March 6, although talks continue between the government and the unions. In an email interview, Alexandre de le Court, a visiting professor at the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona and member of the UPF Research Group in Labor Law and Social Security Law (greDTiSS), discusses labor rights in Spain. WPR: How robust are […]

A recent United Nations report found that civilian casualties in Afghanistan resulting from Afghan-initiated airstrikes doubled between 2015 and 2016, to 252. The American military says those figures are inflated, but has begun training a new cadre of Afghan air controllers who can warn Afghan pilots of the risks of collateral damage. In an email interview, Marc Schanz, the director of publications for the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, discusses Afghanistan’s air force. His opinions are not in any way reflective of the policies of the Mitchell Institute. WPR: What is the make-up of Afghanistan’s air force, in terms of […]

Earlier this month, Somalia’s parliament selected Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, a former prime minister, to be the country’s new president. Mohamed, known by his nickname, “Farmajo,” is popular among the army and is well-liked by the general public for his efforts to tackle corruption during his time as prime minister. In an email interview, Ken Menkhaus, a professor at Davidson College, discusses politics in Somalia. WPR: How much support does President Mohamed have in parliament, as well as among local Somalian powerbrokers and the general population? Ken Menkhaus: We know Farmajo has support in parliament because it was the members of […]

The U.S. war in Laos began in early 1961, when President Dwight Eisenhower, on one of his last days in office, approved a paramilitary CIA mission known as Operation Momentum to arm the ethnic Hmong population against communist forces. Under Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, the proxy war grew to become the largest CIA paramilitary operation in U.S. history. In his new book, “A Great Place to Have a War: America in Laos and the Birth of a Military CIA,” drawing on declassified CIA files and interviews with key players, Joshua Kurlantzick reframes the Laos war […]

Earlier this month, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and visiting Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon signed an agreement that makes it easier for Japanese businesses to invest in Israeli cyber-technology firms. In an email interview, Emanuel Shahaf, CEO of Technology Asia Consulting, discusses Israel’s ties with Japan. WPR: What are the main areas of cooperation between Japan and Israel, and how extensive are bilateral ties? Emanuel Shahaf: Relations between Israel and Japan are developing in the wake of Israel’s pivot to Asia and, in particular, in response to the considerable development of relations between Israel and China. Israel’s relations with […]

Though the government has demonstrated interest in improving women's rights in China, economic and security issues far outweigh gender concerns. Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the world. [marketing]blockbuster[/marketing] China passed its first law against domestic violence in 2015, but a key part of the legislation—issuing restraining orders against abusers—has not been properly implemented, putting women at risk. In an email interview, Andrea den Boer, a senior lecturer at the University of Kent, discusses women’s rights in China. WPR: What is the […]

In this week’s episode, the second of two special editions of Trend Lines, WPR’s editor-in-chief, Judah Grunstein, and senior editor, Frederick Deknatel, examine the various ways of trying to assess Barack Obama’s foreign policy legacy, and how the prism that is used influences the conclusions that are drawn. Listen: Download: MP3Subscribe: iTunes | RSS Relevant Articles on WPR: The Foreign Policy Legacy of Barack Obama Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at @peterdoerrie. Listeners of the Trend Lines […]

Leaders from Serbia and Kosovo held a new round of talks in Brussels last week in a bid to defuse tensions that have been on the rise recently. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said she was “encouraged by the constructive engagement from both sides.” Leaders from Serbia and Kosovo declined to comment. In an email interview, Naim Rashiti, the executive director of the Balkans Policy Research Group, discusses the state of relations between Serbia and Kosovo. WPR: What is behind the recent spike in tensions between Serbia and Kosovo? Naim Rashiti: Last month a train traveled between […]

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on income inequality and poverty reduction in various countries around the world. Indonesian President Joko Widodo recently pledged that his administration would focus on reducing economic disparities in 2017, and he called on his ministers to accelerate the implementation of the government’s poverty-eradication programs. In an email interview, Matthew Wai-Poi, a senior economist at the World Bank, discusses inequality in Indonesia. WPR: What is the rate of income inequality in Indonesia, what are the latest trends in terms of widening or lessening inequality, and what are the main factors […]

Last month, the Indian government approved plans to move forward with talks for a free trade agreement with Peru, which would be India’s first free trade agreement in Latin America. In an email interview, Hari Seshasayee, a Latin America analyst at the Confederation of Indian Industry, discusses India’s ties across Latin America. WPR: Who are India’s main partners in Latin America, and what are the main areas of cooperation? Hari Seshasayee: India and Latin America cooperate in six main areas: energy, mining, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, information technology and agriculture. Three of these sectors-energy, mining and agriculture-are focused primarily on commodities. Venezuela, […]

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series about workers’ rights in various countries around the world. Last year, the International Trade Union Confederation gave Uruguay a top rating of 1 on its scale from 1 to 5, indicating that workers’ rights are infrequently violated. Uruguay is the only country in Latin America to receive the organization’s highest rating possible. In an email interview, Adriana Cassoni, a researcher at the Universidad OTR Uruguay, discusses worker’s rights in Uruguay. WPR: How robust are protections for workers in Uruguay with regard to the right to organize, both in law […]

Last week, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ top official in the Gaza Strip, visited Egypt for the first time since 2013, when Mohammed Morsi, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood-aligned former president, was ousted in a coup. Haniyeh met with security officials in Cairo, including the head of national intelligence, Khaled Fawzy, to discuss the ongoing blockade of Gaza and other economic issues in the Hamas-controlled territory, as well as Hamas’ ties with its Palestinian rival, Fatah. Both Haniyeh and Egyptian state media called his visit “successful.” After leaving Cairo, Haniyeh returned to Gaza after five months abroad in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Back in […]

Last month, Saudi Arabia signed a military cooperation agreement with Mauritania that calls for joint training, logistical exchanges and improved cooperation. In an email interview, Zekeria Ould Ahmed Salem, a professor of political science at the University of Nouakchott, discusses Mauritania’s relations with Saudi Arabia. WPR: How extensive are relations between Mauritania and Saudi Arabia, and what are the main areas of cooperation? Zekeria Ould Ahmed Salem: Diplomatic ties between Mauritania and Saudi Arabia are historically good, but not as solid as Mauritania would like. Saudi Arabia, one of the wealthiest countries in the Arab world, has never seriously supported […]