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
Trump’s Proposed Rollback of Transgender Policy Is Good News for Many Who Are Suffering
Thank you, Mr. President, for moving to make male and female great again. In the last few years, biological girls have seen their rights violated in school bathrooms and in sports. National confusion has ensued ever since the previous administration decided to reinterpret Title IX’s sex anti-discrimination clause to include self-proclaimed “gender identity.” That may… -
news
For Ukraine, US Support Key as Religious Independence From Russia Sparks Fears of Escalated War
KYIV, Ukraine—The death of an American fighter pilot during an air combat exercise Oct. 16 in Ukraine was a tragic stumble as the U.S. ramps up its efforts to help the embattled post-Soviet country defend itself from Russia. California Air National Guard Lt. Col. Seth “Jethro” Nehring, 44, died when the dual-seat, Ukrainian Su-27 Flanker… -
opinion
America Needs More Leverage at the United Nations
The United Nations is not friendly ground for the United States. Last year, less than one-third of the votes taken in the U.N. General Assembly supported the U.S. position. Think that’s because of the Trump administration’s “assault on multilateralism”? Think again. Since 1980, the General Assembly on average has backed the U.S. in only 35 percent of… -
news
Trump Scolds Russia on Nukes, Promises 10% Tax Cut
President Donald Trump admonished Russia on Monday for not adhering to a Reagan-era treaty on reducing nuclear weapons, saying he would “terminate” it, then talked about new tax cuts for “middle income” Americans. Trump also addressed the mysterious death of a Saudi journalist and the “caravan” of migrants headed to the U.S. from Central America…. -
opinion
Why Interpol’s Chinese President Disappeared—and Why It Matters
Nearly a month ago, Meng Hongwei, the Chinese president of Interpol, disappeared during a visit home from France. Meng – or someone acting for him — has since submitted his resignation to Interpol, and Beijing has announced that he’s under investigation for corruption. His wife, who is still in France, now calls Chinese authorities “cruel”… -
news
How a Professor Who Lost His Job for Being Conservative Fought Back and Won
Disclosure: Troy Worden received a $100 donation to a GoFundMe for legal fees from Mark McIntire prior to the publication of this article. A prior version of this article did not disclose this, as the editors were unaware of the connection. A longtime conservative professor on a liberal college campus didn’t expect to face harassment… -
opinion
UN’s Solution to Climate Change: End Capitalism
What will it take to keep the planet habitable? According to some eco-warriors, all that’s necessary is to end capitalism—the one economic system that has lifted billions from poverty and suffering. The latest United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report led Eric Holthaus, a Grist writer, to tweet enthusiastically, “The world’s top scientists just… -
opinion
Chief Who Was Fired for Marriage Views Wins Major First Amendment Victory
In a major victory for free speech, the city of Atlanta has awarded former Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran with $1.2 million after violating his First Amendment rights. Cochran was a highly decorated firefighter who served as the U.S. fire administrator after President Barack Obama hand-picked him for the job. In 2010, he agreed to return… -
news
Pastor Freed by Turkey Kisses American Flag, Prays for Trump
Andrew Brunson’s first stop en route to the U.S. after being freed from house arrest in Turkey was Ramstein Air Base in Germany. There, the pastor from North Carolina was greeted by U.S. Ambassador Richard Grenell and a folded American flag. Fresh off of the airplane and with his wife Norine by his side, Brunson… -
news
Trump Seeks Answers in Saudi Journalist’s ‘Terrible’ Disappearance in Turkey
Saudi Arabia’s government has some explaining to do to the United States about a missing Washington Post columnist, foreign policy experts say, but the Trump administration shouldn’t make a rush to judgment. Jamal Khashoggi, 59, a Saudi journalist and columnist for the Post, was last seen Oct. 2 going into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul,… -
opinion
Countering the Rise of China
Over the past 40 years, since Deng Xiaoping began his policy of “Reform and Opening,” the People’s Republic of China has evolved from a less-developed country to the second-largest gross domestic product in the world. Over the past 25 years, it has also steadily transformed the People’s Liberation Army into a force that is capable… -
news
‘This Innocent Man of Faith Will Soon Be Home!’: Turkey Releases Jailed Pastor
An American pastor who was held for two years in Turkey for alleged terror and treason charges was released Friday. “Pastor Andrew Brunson is coming home! Thanks to the strong leadership of [President Donald] Trump and the steadfast prayers of millions of Americans, this innocent man of faith will soon be home!” tweeted Vice President… -
opinion
China Is Thumbing Its Nose at the World
The Trump administration’s recent course correction in the strategic relationship with China—a considerable hardening unveiled last Thursday by Vice President Mike Pence—is a necessary response to Beijing’s bad behavior across several political and security issues. An example of this behavior occurred just last week, when China gave one more sign that it scoffs at international… -
news
Legal Watchdog, Citing Secret Material in Clinton Emails, Presses State Department in Court
In federal court hearings this week, a watchdog legal group keeps the heat on the State Department for answers about the exposure of classified information during Hillary Clinton’s use of unsecure email to conduct official business when she was secretary of state. A hearing is set Friday in U.S. District Court in the nation’s capital… -
opinion
Property Rights Protections for South Africans Are Moving in the Wrong Direction
Ever since the end of apartheid in the mid-1990s, people have hailed South Africa as a champion in the fight for justice and equality. In The Heritage Foundation’s 2018 Index of Economic Freedom, South Africa received the designation of “moderately free,” with its freedom score rising 0.7 points, due to significant improvements in investment freedom… -
news
UK High Court Rules That Declining to Bake ‘Gay Cake’ Isn’t Discrimination
The highest court in the United Kingdom has ruled that a Christian bakery’s refusal to make a cake supporting same-sex marriage does not constitute discrimination. In a unanimous decision Wednesday, the U.K. Supreme Court said the Northern Ireland-based family bakery, Ashers Baking Co., did not discriminate against a gay customer in 2014 by declining to… -
opinion
China’s Economy Isn’t What It’s Cracked Up to Be
China is a rising economic power that will threaten the United States’ place as the world’s biggest economy. At least, that’s the narrative we’ve become familiar with. But does it really hold up? Economists use gross domestic product to measure the size and growth of national economies. GDP is based on the real value of… -
news
Pro-Palestine Professor Who Rescinded Letter to Let Student Study in Israel Is Punished by University
The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor punished a pro-Palestine professor who rescinded a recommendation letter for a student wanting to study in Israel. John Cheney-Lippold, an associate professor of American culture at Michigan, originally supported writing a recommendation letter for a student to study abroad. The professor, however, rescinded his support after claiming he… -
news
4 Questions About Nikki Haley’s Departure as UN Ambassador
The Trump presidency has been full of surprises, but personnel changes typically are telegraphed or leaked well in advance. Nikki Haley’s announcement of her resignation as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, however, was a genuine surprise. A major player in the administration’s foreign policy and a revered figure among many conservatives, Haley said Tuesday… -
news
‘Lenin Is Kaput’: Ukraine’s War for Its Future Continues as Citizens Look Toward Europe, Not Russia
KYIV, Ukraine—A statue of Vladimir Lenin stood over Kyiv’s Bessarabska Square from 1946 until pro-democracy protesters tore it down on Dec. 8, 2013—more than 22 years after Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union. Today, a metal trident now tops the denuded black granite pedestal. The trident is Ukraine’s national emblem. It’s a powerfully symbolic juxtaposition:…