Q&A With INF Withdrawal, the U.S. Trades Moral High Ground for Scant Strategic Gains Elliot Waldman Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018 The U.S. is preparing to formally withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a key Cold War-era arms reduction pact. But the decision, which comes at a high political price for Washington, has little strategic benefit. In an interview, Miles Pomper discusses the implications of abandoning the INF.
Continuity Reigns as Trong Consolidates Power in Vietnam Elliot Waldman Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018 In Vietnam, Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has taken on the additional role of president following the death of Tran Dai Quang. The move will change the country’s power structure and bring greater symmetry to external relations, but it does not augur a major policy shift.
Q&A Populists and Newcomers Fared Well in Latvia’s Elections, but Will They Govern? The Editors Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 The headlines coming out of Latvia’s Oct. 6 parliamentary elections suggested that, as elsewhere in the world, populism is on the rise in the small Baltic nation. But in Latvia’s fragmented political system, no party is guaranteed a spot in the ruling coalition. Agnia Grigas breaks down the election results.
Africa Watch Angola’s Crackdown on Diamond Mining Further Strains Ties With Congo Robbie Corey-Boulet Friday, Oct. 19, 2018 Some 200,000 Congolese, many of them diamond miners, have been expelled from Angola into Congo this month, which has aggravated bilateral tensions while prompting a statement of alarm from the U.N. refugee agency. Read up on that and other stories from across the continent in our weekly roundup of Africa news.
Q&A Vizcarra’s Anti-Corruption Push Is Good for His Popularity, but Is It Good for Peru? Elliot Waldman Friday, Oct. 19, 2018 Peru’s opposition leader Keiko Fujimori was released from jail on Wednesday, a week after her arrest on suspicion of money-laundering. Meanwhile, President Martin Vizcarra’s reform referendum is set for Dec. 9. WPR spoke with Julio Carrion for his assessment of this tumultuous period in Peruvian history.
Q&A Uncertainty Mounts in Sri Lanka as Rajapaksa’s Resurgence Galvanizes Opposition The Editors Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 Thousands of Sri Lankan demonstrators marched in the capital, Colombo, last month, protesting a lagging economy and the government’s decision to delay local elections. In an interview, Stanley Samarasinghe discusses popular discontent with the government and what might be in store for the country’s future.
China Note A Chinese Spy’s Extradition Is a ‘Rare Achievement’ in U.S. Counterespionage Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018 For the first time, the U.S. government has successfully extradited a Chinese spy to stand trial on American soil. The extradition of Yanjun Xu from Belgium is a victory for the U.S. campaign against espionage by China and other foreign countries, but it further escalates tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Q&A Can Paraguay’s Dysfunctional Education System Be Reformed? The Editors Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018 The Paraguayan government, led by freshly sworn-in President Mario Abdo Benitez, announced the launch of a national dialogue on education reform last month. In an interview, Andrew Nickson explains why this process probably won’t spur the kinds of changes needed to improve Paraguay’s dysfunctional schools.
Q&A Can ‘Abiymania’ in Ethiopia Withstand the Threat of Ethnic Conflict? The Editors Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 Violence erupted outside the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa last month, as ethnic Oromo nationalists targeted minority groups. The clashes are a setback to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s efforts at reform and reconciliation. In an interview, Terrence Lyons discusses the violence and Abiy’s leadership.
Africa Watch Mnangagwa’s Vision of a Booming Zimbabwe Seems to Be Going Bust Robbie Corey-Boulet Friday, Oct. 12, 2018 Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has touted an ambitious economic agenda, but recent reports of crippling currency shortages, sky-high debt and long fuel lines paint a picture of a country in crisis. Read up on that and other stories from across the continent in our weekly roundup of Africa news.
In Liberia’s ‘Missing Millions’ Scandal, Weah’s Credibility Is on the Line Robbie Corey-Boulet Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 The mystery surrounding $100 million that may or may not have gone missing in Liberia is now the biggest crisis of President George Weah’s first year in office. Conflicting statements have reinforced suspicions that politicians have been caught stealing and are trying to lie their way out of trouble.
Q&A Cuts to Waste Imports in East Asia Put Pressure on World’s Producers The Editors Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 Much of the world’s waste used to wind up in China and Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam. But recently, they have cracked down on imports of waste and recyclables. Derek Kellenberg explains how this may force the world’s major producers to finally reckon with the true social costs of waste.
