International News
Coverage of international events and global policy shifts. The Daily Signal offers news reporting with opinion and commentary on world affairs.
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- Opinion
International Court Pushes Gay Marriage on 20 Latin American Nations
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights called last week for the recognition of same-sex marriage and of proclaimed “gender identity” as a protected category for nondiscrimination under the American Convention on Human Rights. Although the decision is not binding, 20 countries throughout the Americas have accepted the jurisdiction of the court, and will now be…Michelle Riestra -
- Opinion
North Korea, Afghanistan Top List of Dangerous Places to Be Christian
As if North Korea weren’t taking up enough headlines, Open Doors USA just added another one: Kim Jong Un’s country is topping the list of the world’s “Most Dangerous Places to Be a Christian.” Of course, the distinction is nothing new for the regime, which has owned the No. 1 spot for the last 15…Tony Perkins -
- Opinion
Podcast: What the 25th Amendment Is Actually For (Hint: It’s Not for Ditching Presidents Who Tweet a Lot)
Jarrett Stepman joins us on today’s podcast to talk about the history and original purpose of the 25th amendment, and the long history in the United States of fake news — and what the Founders thought about it. Plus: we talk about how a new sugar tax in Seattle has people fuming at Costco and …Katrina Trinko -
- News
Who ‘Dreamers’ Really Are and Why They Cost $26B Over 10 Years
Giving amnesty to “Dreamers”—young adults brought to the U.S. illegally as children—would create a deficit of about $26 billion over 10 years, according to a report last month from the Congressional Budget Office. “If we want to save taxpayers’ money, probably the best strategy is to enforce the law and encourage those here illegally to…Kyle Perisic -
- Opinion
Number of High School Students Who Have Had Sex Drops
For every parent who’s tried to tell their teenage kids that “everyone’s not doing it,” here’s proof! According to the CDC’s new nationwide report, the number of high school students who said they’ve ever had sex dropped from 47 percent in 2005 to 41 percent in 2015. The good news is even better for African American students, who…Tony Perkins -
- News
US Weapons and Chinese Cash Compete for Influence in Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine—In the days and weeks after Kyiv celebrated achieving its foreign policy holy grail—the promise of lethal U.S. anti-tank weaponry—China announced a laundry list of new infrastructure projects across Ukraine, pulling back the curtains on what some say is a looming competition for influence in the embattled, post-Soviet state. “There is indeed an obvious…Nolan Peterson -
- Opinion
Once Again, North Korea Is Reaching Out to the South. We Should Be Receptive, but Wary.
It has become tradition among North Korea watchers to dissect Pyongyang’s annual New Year’s Day speech for clues of potential policy changes. Each year, some experts interpret benign-sounding passages as indicating North Korean reform or greater willingness to engage diplomatically with Washington or Seoul. Others interpret passages that extol North Korea’s military accomplishments as threats…Bruce Klingner -
- News
Trump Approves US Lethal Weapons Sales to Ukraine, Angering Moscow
KYIV, Ukraine—U.S. President Donald Trump has approved the sale of commercial lethal weapons to Ukraine, a pivotal decision that comes amid an escalation of Russia’s ongoing proxy war in the country’s embattled eastern Donbas region. Trump has reportedly approved a $41.5 million deal for Tennessee-based Barrett Firearms Manufacturing to sell Model M107A1 sniper rifles, ammunition,…Nolan Peterson -
- Opinion
The New York Times Left Socialism’s Role Out of Its Report on Venezuela’s Devastation
Kudos to The New York Times—yes, The New York Times—for running an excellent, detailed story on the mass starvation and economic catastrophe taking place in Venezuela. As the Times notes, Venezuela has the largest known oil reserves in the world, yet is going through a starvation crisis exacerbated and hidden by its own government. Common…Jarrett Stepman -
- News
Brexit Will Lead to Free Trade Agreement Between America and the UK
A British member of Parliament for the European Union said that once Brexit takes place, the United States and the United Kingdom can form a new free trade agreement based on markets. Brexit is the name of the vote held by the U.K. on June 23, 2016, to withdraw from the European Union, which will…Casey Ryan -
- Opinion
Who Wouldn’t Have Coverage If the Obamacare Mandate Is Repealed
The prospect that Congress might zero-out Obamacare’s individual mandate penalty in the pending tax bill has sent Obamacare defenders into flights of pessimistic rhetoric, up to and including the charge that “thousands will die” as a result. The argument by which that attention-grabbing conclusion is reached runs something like this: Health insurance coverage reduces mortality….Robert Moffit -
- News
Trump: Russia Probe a ‘Democrat Hoax,’ Hillary Probe ‘Rigged’
Supposed Russian collusion with his 2016 campaign is a “Democrat hoax,” President Donald Trump said Friday, and the FBI’s probe of his vanquished opponent Hillary Clinton’s email scandal was “rigged.” Talking to reporters before boarding Marine One outside the White House, Trump said most Democrats aren’t claiming proof exists that he colluded with Russian officials….Fred Lucas -
- News
Why the War in Ukraine Matters to America
KYIV, Ukraine—And it goes on and on in eastern Ukraine. Every day and every night. There’s never any end to the artillery, the rockets, the snipers. Or the killing. The war in Ukraine has so far killed more than 10,300 Ukrainians, including at least 2,523 civilians, according to the United Nations. “After three and a…Nolan Peterson -
- Opinion
US Arms Sale to Georgia a Long-Overdue Show of Support for Eurasian Ally
The U.S.- Georgian relationship was taken to a new level on Nov. 20, when President Donald Trump approved something that never occurred during President Barack Obama’s eight years in office. That would be an estimated $75 million deal to sell Javelin anti-tank missiles to the Eastern European republic of Georgia. After 25 years of diplomatic…Alexis Mrachek -
- Opinion
In Cold War Flashback, Russia Designates VOA, Radio Free Europe as Foreign Agents
The Russian Duma is engaging in tit-for-tat with the U.S. government by designating American government-funded broadcasters Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as foreign agents. In late November, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a measure rushed through the Duma to push back against the United States. As a result, reporters working…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Russia Has Repeatedly Flouted This Missile Treaty. It’s Time to Scrap It.
Thirty years ago Friday, the United States and the Soviet Union signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The treaty was unprecedented. For the first time in the history of nuclear arms control, it actually eliminated an entire class of nuclear-armed ballistic missiles with ranges between 500 to 5,500 kilometers. But the good news didn’t last….Michaela Dodge -
- News
As China Invests in Ukraine, Russia Stands to Gain
KYIV, Ukraine—A top Chinese official visited Kyiv this week to announce a host of new infrastructure projects and investments in Ukraine, underscoring a burgeoning economic relationship between the two countries that could nudge Kyiv away from the West—a scenario that would ultimately benefit Moscow, some say. “Russian-Chinese relations have no reason to diverge over Ukraine,…Nolan Peterson -
- Opinion
China Cutting Tariffs Just Weeks After Trump’s Asia Trip
Following President Donald Trump’s recent trip to Asia, China has released a long list of dramatic tariff cuts on a range of imported consumer goods. In fact, over 200 different products will see an average reduction of approximately 10 percent. U.S. cheese exporters have been particularly vocal about the importance of China lowering tariffs. Demand…Rachael Wilfong -
- Opinion
How Affirmative Action Hurts Asian-Americans in College Admissions
Michael Wang stared at the letter in dismay. It marked the sixth Ivy League university he had been rejected by, out of the seven he had applied to. In addition to his perfect ACT score and grade-point average, he was ranked third nationally in piano, sang at President Barack Obama’s inauguration, and had received accolades…Helaina Hirsch -
- News
In Ukraine It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, and a Lot Less Like Russia
KYIV, Ukraine—The weekend after Thanksgiving, shopping malls across Ukraine touted special Black Friday sales. Of course, Ukrainians don’t celebrate Thanksgiving (not yet, at least), so there was no post-holiday food hangover to slow down shoppers’ clip as they flooded the malls and shopping centers. Nevertheless, just like in the United States, the Ukrainian holiday season…Nolan Peterson