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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- News
The Daily Signal Adds First Foreign Correspondent to Cover Ukraine Conflict
Nolan Peterson, a former special operations pilot and a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, is joining The Daily Signal as the news organization’s first foreign correspondent. Peterson will be based in Ukraine to cover the conflict with Russia. Peterson joins a team committed to investigative and feature reporting and dedicated to covering the most…Robert B. Bluey -
- News
Conservatives Want a Candidate for President Who Can Connect, CPAC Chief Says
>>> Update: The Daily Signal has learned that Fox News host Sean Hannity will ask questions of presidential hopeful Jeb Bush for the former Florida governor’s entire 20-minute appearance at CPAC, set for 1:40 p.m. Friday. By the time conservative activists leave the nation’s capital this weekend after their largest annual get-together, they should be better…Ken McIntyre -
- Opinion
We Must Arm Ukraine. Here’s Why.
Yet another cease-fire agreement on Ukraine has been signed in Minsk. It went into effect Sunday amid low expectations of success. This is the second such agreement to come out of Minsk. The previous deal was signed in September, it collapsed almost immediately. There is precious little confidence that Minsk II will pan out any…Kim Holmes -
- News
Putin: ‘No One Should Have the Illusion’ They Can Defeat Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning to the world about Russia’s military capabilities during an address on Thursday. “No one should have the illusion that they can gain military superiority over Russia, put any kind of pressure on it,” Putin said. “We will always have an adequate answer for any such adventures.” The…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
India Unseats China as the World’s Fastest Growing Economy—for Now
It was not supposed to happen this fast. Earlier this week India’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) released figures showing economic growth of 7.5 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter for 2014. This rate was a little faster than China’s year-end rate and is noteworthy since China has outgrown India in every year but one over…William T. Wilson -
- Opinion
The Ukraine Ceasefire Has Failed. What the US Must Do Now to Check Putin.
The second Minsk agreement, which was supposed to establish a ceasefire in Ukraine and was announced last week, was met with a mixture of cautious hope and healthy skepticism. After all, the belligerents – Ukrainian security forces and pro-Russian separatists – had demonstrated a proclivity for breaking previous ceasefire agreements, leaving little reason to believe…Matthew Rolfes -
- Opinion
This African Country Was Once the World’s Third Poorest. Here’s How It Turned Things Around.
GABORONE, Botswana—Western governments, well-intentioned NGOs and good-old-fashioned profit-seeking capitalists have been trying for decades to help bring development and prosperity to Africa, often unsuccessfully. Botswana embraced democracy, free markets and the rule of law. In other words, economic freedom. But buried in the heart of Southern Africa lies a success story that could be a model…Ed Frank -
- Opinion
The U.S. Needs to Deal with China Differently
Between complacency and confrontation there is a responsible way forward that keeps the Asia-Pacific a big enough place to accommodate the vital interests of both Beijing and Washington. The heavy lifting will have to be done by the United States. That’s okay. The work will make America a stronger nation and a better Asian ally….James Carafano -
- Opinion
How the Welfare State Penalizes Parents Who Marry
Fifty-one years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson launched the War on Poverty. Since then, taxpayers have spent more than $22 trillion fighting Johnson’s war, three times the cost of all military wars in U.S. history. Last year, taxpayers spent more than $920 billion on 80 different anti-poverty programs. Despite this spending, the percentage of Americans…Robert Rector -
- Opinion
How Can America Best Help Ukraine?
Should the U.S. send defensive weapons to the Ukrainian military? That question is currently consuming top policymakers in Washington, even as a renewed ceasefire agreement has been announced. Admittedly, this seems like a pressing issue, as Russian-backed separatists previously broke the September 2014 ceasefire agreement to seize additional territory in eastern Ukraine. Sending defensive weaponry…Matthew Rolfes -
- News
Bobby Jindal Says GOP Must Champion ‘Every Child Who Aspires to Join the Middle Class’
If he runs for president, Bobby Jindal says he’ll be ready to make the case that conservative policies help the most Americans. The way the Louisiana governor sees it, by the time Republican and Democratic voters choose their 2016 presidential nominees, a crowded field of GOP candidates needs to have thoroughly aired issues of consequence to…Ken McIntyre -
- News
Bakers Who Declined Service to Same-Sex Couple Found to Violate Anti-Discrimination Law
The owners of an Oregon bakery who declined to make a cake for a same-sex couple’s wedding celebration were found guilty last week of violating the state’s anti-discrimination law. The bakery owners, Aaron and Melissa Klein of Sweet Cakes By Melissa, contend they were adhering to their Christian beliefs that marriage is between a man…Kelsey Bolar -
- News
South Korean Pastor’s ‘Drop Box’ Saves Hundreds of Unwanted, But ‘Perfect’ Lives
Most people associate the words “drop box,” with the online file-sharing tool that allows users to share data across computers and smartphones from anywhere, instantly. But for Jong-rak Lee, a pastor from Seoul, South Korea, the term has a very different meaning. For Lee, a drop box is a way to save hundreds of unwanted…Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
U.S. Should Join With These 3 Countries to Fight Back Against China
Face it. China is a problem. Nations across the Pacific and Asia are looking for constructive solutions. And that’s the promise of a Quad Dialogue—a forum for developing cooperative, synchronized policies among India, Australia, Japan and the United States. Start with the facts. China’s economic policies are increasingly mercantilist. It is developing military capabilities to…James Carafano -
- Opinion
Sub-Saharan Africa Is Struggling to Achieve Economic and Democratic Freedom
Two new reports show that Africa still has significant room for improvement in the areas of economic and democratic freedom. The Sub-Saharan Africa region improved only slightly in the 2015 edition of The Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal’s annual Index of Economic Freedom: Thirty-nine of the region’s economies remain “mostly unfree” or “repressed.” In the Freedom…Daniel Patrick Shaffer -
- Opinion
Obama Rejects Arctic Oil and Gas Drilling. Is Putin Preparing to Come and Take It?
Will President Obama’s new drilling policy give the Arctic over to Russian domination? The anger, outrage and frustration in Alaska are palpable after the president stripped the state of vast stores of its oil and gas wealth. His reckless offshore oil and gas restrictions reduced Alaska’s Arctic Ocean presence to one exploration site each in…Ron Arnold -
- Opinion
New US International Broadcasting CEO Disses Russian Television … and, Surprise, Putin Doesn’t Like It
Andy Lack, the new CEO of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees U.S. international agencies such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe, has identified Russia’s propaganda offensive as one of his job’s major challenges, along with the rise of ISIS on social media and Boko Haram. “We are facing a number of…Helle Dale -
- News
Why Won’t Obama Use the Words ‘Islamic Extremism’? Watch What This Democrat Says
In a recent interview with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, was asked why President Obama avoids the phrase “Islamic extremism.” Gabbard, an Iraq War veteran, said, “If you are at war, which we are, you have to know who your enemy is in order to defeat them.” She criticized Secretary of…Thaleigha Rampersad -
- Opinion
This Is the Only Economy That Could Rival China’s
President Obama attended India’s Republic Day Celebrations as its chief guest—the first time a U.S. head of state has been given this honor. Bilateral discussions, however, were the main order of business for this trip, cut short by the death of Saudi King Abdullah. Talks likely focused, in their limited form, on a range of important defense…William T. Wilson -
- Opinion
Michelle Obama Goes Scarfless in Saudi Arabia
First Lady Michelle Obama caused quite a stir when she arrived in Saudi Arabia for the funeral of King Abdullah. As she exited Air Force One, Obama wasn’t wearing the traditional head scarf worn by women in the extremely conservative country. Immediately, Twitter was abuzz. Saudi tweeters criticized her decision, using hashtags like #Michelle_Obama_NotVeiled. Many…Ericka Andersen