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
Why Trump’s Budget Proposal for the State Department Makes Sense
President Donald Trump has made some promising proposals to trim government spending in his recently released budget blueprint. Trump’s significant 2018 budget cut of 28 percent for the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other U.S. government foreign affairs agencies makes a lot of sense. The cut seems dramatic, but comes…James M. Roberts -
- News
Hopes Fade for a Political Solution to the War in Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine—A Russian bank in the historic heart of Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, has become the epicenter of an escalating crisis that has Ukrainians doubting whether a political solution is still possible to end a three-year-old war against a combined force of pro-Russian separatists and Russian regulars. On March 13, protestors built a wall of cinder…Nolan Peterson -
- News
With Budget Plan, Trump Signals ‘Tough Love’ Approach to UN
The Trump administration is promising to reconsider America’s relationship with the United Nations, with the White House aiming to limit U.S. financial contributions to the global body, and to enact reforms. In his first action suggesting a new approach to the international organization, President Donald Trump released a budget proposal Wednesday night that would reduce…Josh Siegel -
- News
European Populism Not ‘Going Away’ Despite Dutch Election Result
A far-right nationalist party in the Netherlands led by charismatic and controversial leader Geert Wilders failed to score a decisive victory in what was billed as the first electoral test for European populism since last year’s “Brexit” referendum and Donald Trump’s election as president of the United States. Indeed, Wilders did not meet expectations in…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
Canada and Britain Are Nixing Old, Burdensome Laws. Here’s Why America Should Follow Suit.
Some laws just need to go, and both Canada and Great Britain are showing why. This week, Canadian Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould announced plans to remove “zombie laws”—unconstitutional, outdated, or otherwise unnecessary sections of law—from Canada’s Criminal Code. Great Britain is pursuing similar ongoing review of its criminal code. Thus, two of America’s closest allies,…John-Michael Seibler -
- Opinion
As Rex Tillerson Heads to Asia, Here’s Where the Region Stands
As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sets out on his first official visit to Asia, expectations are high. As he visits key U.S. allies Japan and South Korea, he will be expected to reassure them of America’s steadfast commitment to their security. And in visiting the People’s Republic of China, Tillerson will have to send…Dean Cheng -
- News
Searching for the American Dream on the Edge of the War in Ukraine
SLOVIANSK, Ukraine—At the public library in this eastern Ukrainian city about 50 kilometers, or 30 miles, from the war’s front lines, a group of teenagers gather on a Monday afternoon to learn about life in America. This is Presidents Day back in the United States, and, as a way to practice their English, the students…Nolan Peterson -
- Opinion
‘Man-Made’ Famine Leaves Millions Facing Starvation in Africa
Years of internal conflicts and poor governance are not the only problems facing the African countries of South Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia. The United Nations recently declared famine in parts of South Sudan and Nigeria. Judging by current conditions, it won’t be long before Somalia follows suit. The number of people affected is staggering. In…Madyson Hutchinson Posey -
- Opinion
Who to Blame for the Latest WikiLeaks Dump: Manning and Snowden
The most recent “dump” of documents from WikiLeaks can be directly attributed to Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden. No, I don’t think either of these two previous “titleholders” of the Biggest Spy in Modern History Award was directly involved with this disastrous event. Manning is still in prison, but not for much longer, and Snowden…Steven Bucci -
- Opinion
The US Needs a New Foreign Aid Model
In recent days, Heritage Foundation scholars have reported on the significant cuts said to be included in President Donald Trump’s proposed fiscal year 2018 budget for the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other foreign policy-related federal agencies funded by the foreign operations appropriation. Those scholars rightly argued that alarmism about Trump’s…James M. Roberts -
- Opinion
Trump Is Right to Support Venezuela’s Opposition
Lilian Tintori understands the Venezuelan regime for what it is: corrupt, criminal, and evil. Her husband, Leopoldo López, was stripped of his political rights when President Hugo Chávez saw the potential and dangerous competition that he posed. Eventually this led to Leopoldo’s investigation and his current imprisonment, which has been ongoing for three years now….Jackson Ventrella -
- News
Government Watchdog Questions Sessions’ Need for Recusal From Russian Probe
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday he would recuse himself from any Justice Department investigation that relates to the 2016 presidential campaign. “He should only recuse himself from the investigation of illegal leaks,” @TomFitton says. “My staff recommended recusal. They said since I had involvement in this campaign, I should not be involved in any…Fred Lucas -
- News
‘We Have to Forgive Them’: Front Lines in Ukraine Divide Families and Friends
TARAMCHUK, Ukraine—The war is always there, even if the shooting stops for a while. It is a quiet, overcast winter morning in the front-line village of Taramchuk in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers from the National Guard’s Aidar Battalion mill about outside the abandoned homes within which they have garrisoned, tending to their morning chores. The…Nolan Peterson -
- Opinion
How Soros Money Is Corrupting Politics in This Small European Nation
In the economy of world politics, George Soros has billions at stake, and they extend even to remote places like the Republic of Macedonia. In fact, the tiny Balkan state is becoming emblematic of a battle royale taking place in Europe between conservative parties that support traditional values and national sovereignty, and those—often funded by…Mike Gonzalez -
- Opinion
This News Network Could Shake Up the Media Scene in Putin’s Russia
Russian propaganda and influence operations have escalated over the past decade, and have especially intensified after the invasion of Ukraine. Plain and simple, the Kremlin has declared war on the concept of objective news reporting—on the airwaves as well as on the internet. Years in the making and with a modest budget of $10 million,…Helle Dale -
- News
Trump Pledges Boost in Military and Infrastructure Spending, Cut in Foreign Aid
President Donald Trump’s first budget will boost military spending by $54 billion and pay for it by scaling back nondiscretionary spending—including cuts to foreign aid—the president and his budget director said. “This defense spending increase will be offset and paid for by finding greater savings and efficiencies across the federal government,” Trump said Monday morning…Fred Lucas -
- News
Former UN Ambassador John Bolton Shares ‘America First’ Vision
“Our worldview rests on the exceptionalism of America.” That was the message John Bolton, former ambassador to the United Nations, shared with the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, on Friday. Bolton highlighted three key areas that would be of particular importance during the next four years, and shared his thoughts on how the Trump…James Rogers -
- News
Amid War, Ukraine’s Population Continues to Dwindle
KYIV, Ukraine—Ukraine’s population decreased by about 170,000 people in 2016, the government reported last month, underscoring a demographic trend that began after the country declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and which threatens to derail the country’s political and economic development. “This is a serious problem for the country,” Alex Ryabchyn, a…Nolan Peterson -
- News
Why Russian Military Aggression Has Backfired on Moscow
KYIV, Ukraine—The Kremlin's strategy of military aggression in Ukraine and Eastern Europe has backfired, spurring former Soviet and Warsaw Pact countries to become a de facto anti-Moscow military bloc, while NATO rearms and reinforces its eastern flank. Altogether, Eastern Europe has become the most rapidly militarizing region on earth, which is not to Moscow’s advantage….Nolan Peterson -
- News
3 Years After the Revolution, Peace Remains Elusive in Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine—It’s cold, and I’m alone. I walk along Khreshchatyk, this city’s main boulevard. The street lights cast shadows on the ground, concealing patches of slippery ice and trampled snow. I walk thoughtfully and carefully, unable to clearly see the obstacles in my path. As is so often the case in a foreign country, even…Nolan Peterson