Q&A Trump’s Latest Reversal in Cuba Policy Is a ‘Slap in the Face’ to U.S. Allies The Editors Thursday, April 18, 2019 In a reversal of more than two decades of U.S. policy, the Trump administration announced yesterday that it would allow Cuban Americans to sue foreign companies operating on Cuban property seized during the 1959 revolution. In an interview, William M. LeoGrande discusses the move’s implications.
China Note Why China’s ‘Orwellian’ Social Credit Scheme Enjoys Domestic Support Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, April 17, 2019 Aspects of China’s “social credit” system, which U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has derided as “Orwellian,” have prompted valid concerns about the potential for misuse of personal information. Yet the system has pragmatic objectives that many Chinese people support, scholar Genia Kostka says in an email interview.
Q&A Brazil’s Bolsonaro Faces His First Real Governing Test: Pension Reform The Editors Wednesday, April 17, 2019 Lawmakers in Brazil are expected to begin discussions on a draft proposal to reform the country’s pension system next week, a key hurdle for President Jair Bolsonaro. In an interview, Peter Kingstone discusses the thorny political issues surrounding the high-stakes debate over pension reform in Brazil.
Q&A Without Dialogue Between India and Pakistan, Another Kashmir Crisis Is Inevitable The Editors Monday, April 15, 2019 In late February and early March, India and Pakistan engaged in a series of aerial skirmishes sparked by a deadly suicide bombing attack on Indian security personnel in disputed Kashmir. Avinash Paliwal discusses the longer history of the dispute and what it will take to prevent future crises from escalating.
Can South Korea’s Moon Revive Stalled Nuclear Talks With North Korea? Elliot Waldman Monday, April 15, 2019 In the aftermath of the failed summit meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi earlier this year, the task of resuscitating talks has fallen to South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Moon’s willingness to mediate is commendable, but he faces an uphill climb.
Africa Watch After Bashir’s Ouster, Can Sudan’s Protesters Force an End to Military Rule? Robbie Corey-Boulet Friday, April 12, 2019 Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s three-decade rule came to an end this week amid ongoing protests. Yet protest leaders immediately signaled that they weren’t satisfied with military’s plans for a transition. Read up on that and other stories from across the continent in our weekly roundup of Africa news.
Q&A India’s Anti-Satellite Missile Test Underscores the Need for a New Space Treaty Elliot Waldman Thursday, April 11, 2019 Last month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a triumphant announcement: India had successfully shot down one of its own satellites in low-Earth orbit with a missile. But space experts caution that the debris created by the test poses a threat to other satellites and spacecraft orbiting Earth.
China Note Will New Extradition Rules in Hong Kong Pave the Way for Abuses by China? Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, April 10, 2019 Hong Kong has introduced revised extradition legislation, going ahead with plans to ease the handover of fugitives to jurisdictions that it does not have extradition treaties with, including China. Human rights groups have protested the move, saying Beijing could use extradition as a weapon against dissidents.
Q&A With Midterms Approaching, the Opposition Is in ‘Dire Straits’ in the Philippines The Editors Wednesday, April 10, 2019 Next month, the Philippines is set to hold congressional, provincial and local elections that are widely seen as a referendum on President Rodrigo Duterte. Malcolm Cook discusses the outlook for the elections, the beleaguered state of the opposition and the long-term impacts of Duterte’s presidency.
Q&A After Disputed Election Win, Assoumani Consolidates Power in Comoros The Editors Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Comoros’ Supreme Court has certified President Azali Assoumani as the winner of last month’s presidential election, which was followed by a failed military uprising that killed three people. Simon Massey discusses the possibility of further unrest and Comoros’ future under Assoumani’s continued rule.
Q&A The U.S. Tries, and Fails, to Dilute a Global Agreement on Women’s Rights Elliot Waldman Monday, April 8, 2019 During the annual session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women last month, negotiations became heated over words like “gender” and “reproductive rights,” which the U.S. pushed to omit from its outcome document. Though unsuccessful, those efforts send a troubling message, says Rachel Vogelstein.
Q&A Bolsonaro Wants Closer Security Ties With Washington. Does Brazil’s Military? The Editors Friday, April 5, 2019 In a sign of the high value he places on forging closer ties with Washington, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro made the U.S. his first bilateral trip overseas last month. In an interview, Guilherme Casarões explains why many Brazilians don’t see long-term benefits in entangling themselves with the U.S.
