By Barry Ryan | – It’s rare to experience silence in this age of political anger and loudness, of bombastic tweets, insulting truths and incredible lies. It’s so unfashionable for a politician to not immediately respond to an event with lightening praise or withering cynicism, that when we hear nothing, it seems as though something […]
Are the Iran-Trump Tanker, Drone incidents in the Strait of Hormuz a Form of Guerrilla War?
By Rockford Weitz | – Tensions between the United States, Iran and other countries are flaring again in the Strait of Hormuz. There are competing explanations for what’s going on in the narrow seaway through which 21% of the world’s crude oil currently passes. Most of the reports of attacked tankers, smuggled oil and downed […]
Are Syrian Refugees a Danger to the West?
By Arie Kruglanski, David Webber, Erica Molinario and Katarzyna Jaśko | – While today’s news is full of stories about refugees and migrants to the U.S. from Central America, the plight of those particular refugees is only part of an international migration crisis that has been going on since 2015 and has driven 25.9 million […]
The Politics of Fear is intended to make us Dumb and Tribal, if we Let it
By Arash Javanbakht | – People have always used fear for intimidation of the subordinates or enemies, and shepherding the tribe by the leaders. Recently, it appears that Pres. Trump has used fear by suggesting in a tweet that four minority congresswomen go back to the places they came from. There is a longstanding history […]
How immigrants give American companies a powerful boost against Chinese rivals
By Benjamin A.T. Graham | – The ongoing trade war is the most visible front in America’s struggle with China for global influence. Oddly, it may be immigration policy, as much as tariffs and trade deals, that determines which country prevails. That’s because American competitiveness in foreign markets is a key battlefield in the struggle. […]
Denialists Keep Saying Wind and Solar make Electricity Expensive: Proof they’re Wrong from Australia
By Zsuzsanna Csereklyei | – Wholesale prices in the National Electricity Market have climbed significantly in recent years. The increase has coincided with a rapid increase in the proportion of electricity supplied by wind and solar generators. But that needn’t mean the increase in wind and solar generation caused the increase in prices. It might […]
Afghans are Caught between US Civil Law & Taliban Sharia: How can they get Justice?
By Ali Wardak | – Getting justice in Afghanistan is a complicated business. Two main justice systems – state laws based on the civil law tradition and Islamic jurisprudence – combine with non-state institutions, such as traditional village jirgas (circles) or shuras (councils), to resolve local disputes and deal with offences. Tribal members in a […]
We all Depend on the Amazon: Can the UN Stop Brazil’s Far-Right Bolsonaro from Completely Destroying It?
By Ash Murphy | – Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil is at its highest rate in a decade, according to new satellite data. This comes after president Jair Bolsonaro has loosened environmental regulations, cut enforcement budgets, and supported further development in the region. Tarcisio Schnaider / shutterstock Trees absorb carbon dioxide naturally, and […]
If Erdogan’s Control over Turkey is Ending, what’s Next for 17th Largest Economy?
By Gary M. Grossman | – Mayoral elections in Turkish cities do not usually grab the world’s attention. But the defeat of the ruling party’s candidate for Istanbul mayor – once during its March election and then again, even more definitively in a June rematch – is a sign that Turkey’s most powerful political party […]