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
Would Restricting Trade with China be Tough, or Just Stupid?
In his famous “Time for Choosing” speech, Ronald Reagan observed: “This is the issue of this election: whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them…Bryan Riley -
- Opinion
U.S. Shortwave Broadcasting to Asia Is Muted
Once again, the U.S. government’s international broadcasting is at the center of a storm of its own making. The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) announced deep cuts in services for Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe, and Radio Free Asia shortwave transmissions to Asia, effective end of business June 30. These cuts include programs…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Japan’s Robot Revolution
Japan is one of the few countries in the world likely to experience something that popular movies have predicted for years: a robot revolution. That isn’t to say that the human race is at risk of extinction from Skynet taking command of a robot army (The Terminator, 1984), or needs Will Smith to shut down…Riley Walters -
- Opinion
Japan’s Last Shot: Abenomic’s Third Arrow
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan has finally released details of the long-awaited third arrow in his economic reform commonly known as “Abenomics.” As with each of the first two arrows, there is debate as to whether the third arrow, also known as the Japan Revitalization Strategy, will be enough to jumpstart Japan’s economy and…Riley Walters -
- News
Liberal Mega-Donor Wants to ‘Penalize People’ Who Add to ‘Climate Risk’
Speaking in New York City last week, Wall Street billionaire Tom Steyer outlined his vision for penalizing people whose actions may contribute to climate change. “We need to reward people whose behavior reduces climate risk and penalize people who add to it,” Steyer said. “If we can get this right, I think there’s no doubt…Yaël Ossowski -
- Opinion
New PRC Map Is China’s Latest Move in South China Sea Dispute
Aggressive mapping is nothing new for China. With the release of a new 10-dash map last week, however, China has reinforced its already unreasonable claims on areas in the South China Sea. China’s original nine-dash line map shows its claim to 90 percent of the South China Sea, encompassing the hotly contested Spratly and Paracel…D. Gerard Gayou -
- News
Who Would Win the World Cup If Measured by Economic Freedom?
The U.S. soccer team has dribbled, tackled, and shot their way into the knockout round of the World Cup. A true Cinderella story, the U.S. team has a shot at making it to the championship. But if the World Cup weren’t decided by heroic goalie stops or miraculous bicycle-kicks, if the contest were decided instead…Kelsey Lucas -
- Opinion
China Reinforces Its Claims Over the South China Sea
While Americans have been focused on the Middle East, the situation in the South China Sea has heated up. Beijing’s latest moves to push it its claims include the deployment of several new oil rigs into various parts of the South China Sea. As Chinese officials have noted in the past, Beijing views these rigs…Dean Cheng -
- Opinion
North Korea May Be Guilty of Genocide
North Korea may be committing genocide, says a recently released report from international law firm Hogan Lovells. In accusing North Korea of genocide, the Hogan Lovells report goes beyond the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI), which found North Korea guilty of crimes against humanity but did not address genocide. Findings from both of these…Olivia Enos -
- News
State Department: Meriam Ibrahim Ishag Only ‘Temporarily Detained’
It was another long and uncertain day for Meriam Ibrahim Ishag, the 27-year-old Christian mom sentenced to death in Sudan for refusing to renounce her faith. After being released from prison and having her death sentence lifted yesterday, she and her family were arrested by Sudanese officials earlier today at the Khartoum airport. But a…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
Asian Nations, Once Again, Among the Worst Human Trafficking Offenders
An estimated 30 million people are trapped in the mire of human trafficking, with over half of trafficking victims living in Asia. Profits from this global scourge amount to around $150 billion. The State Department’s 2014 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report downgraded Thailand and Malaysia to Tier 3 for their negligence in combatting human trafficking….Olivia Enos -
- News
Megyn Kelly Takes Down State Department Spokeswoman on Obama’s Iraq Rhetoric
Megyn Kelly went on offense last night. On “The Kelly File,” she aggressively questioned a State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, on what the Fox News anchor said was President Obama’s inconsistent stance on Iraq. At minute 7, Kelly backs Harf into a corner as the spokeswoman tries to defend Obama’s contradictory, on-the-record comments.Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
Bitcoin Voting and the Myth of the Un-Hackable Election
Bitcoin, the alternative to currency taking the Internet by storm, now may move to another mission. Some advocates want to translate the technology into online voting. Advocates promise a utopian voting scheme driven by smartphones and apps that can overcome all the inherent vulnerabilities to classic e-voting thanks to Bitcoin’s un-hackable code. But the reality…Jason Snead -
- Opinion
West African Countries Finally Create a Coordinated Intelligence Unit
After years of disconnected and uncoordinated counterterrorism efforts in West Africa and the Sahel, recent attacks by Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansaru, and other al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist groups in Africa have pushed many countries to accept the need for a coordinated intelligence effort. Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, and many other al-Qaeda affiliates act…Lauren Aragon -
- Opinion
Venezuela: Government Uses Forged E-Mails to Quell Democratic Opposition
Venezuela has issued arrest warrants for three opposition leaders for allegedly trying to destabilize the country’s socialist government and assassinate its president. These people are Diego Arria, Venezuela’s former ambassador to the United Nations; Pedro Burelli, former external director of Petroleos de Venezuela, the country’s national oil company; and Ricardo Koesling, attorney and prominent member…Andrea Rodriguez -
- Opinion
This Country’s Growth Should Have Rivaled China’s. What Went Wrong?
Only a decade ago, India seemed destined to rival China. Annual growth had averaged almost 9 percent over a seven-year stretch; domestic investment was booming; domestic companies were building global brands, and its military power was growing. India seemed confident; almost cocky. Unfortunately, all that confidence has largely dissipated. Economic growth has dropped to the…William T. Wilson -
- Opinion
China Foreign Exchange Reserves: $4 Trillion and Counting
During the second quarter of this year, China’s foreign reserve holdings will top the $4 trillion mark. Representing approximately 43 percent of China’s GDP, these enormous holdings are accumulated when China runs trade surpluses with the rest of the world (primarily the U.S.) and then intervenes by buying dollars with their domestic currency, the renminbi…D. Gerard Gayou -
- Opinion
Russia Remains on Offense in Ukraine
The weak response by the U.S. and Europe to Russia’s illegal invasion and annexation of Crimea and continued machinations against the rest of Ukraine have invited continued aggression, which is coming to fruition. Today, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen revealed that Russia is building troops up again along the Ukrainian border: We now see…Daniel Kochis -
- Opinion
Ukraine: Pro-Russian Forces Seizing Private Property
Thousands are fleeing the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, ground zero in the ongoing armed conflict between the Ukrainian army and Russian and pro-Russian separatists. According to the United Nations, there are now 34,000 internally displaced persons in Ukraine, including many Crimean Tatars who already fled Russian-occupied Crimea. These refugees, forced to…Iryna Fedets -
- Opinion
Nuclear Bombs Should Stay in Europe
A recent article in Foreign Affairs argued for the elimination of all U.S. tactical nuclear weapons (TNW) currently stationed Europe. Throughout the article, Barry Blechman and Russell Rumbaugh claim that TNWs are costly, do not adequately reassure friends and allies (whom the authors allege do not want TNWs in Europe), and have no strategic military…Harrison Menke