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
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… -
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… -
news
What You Need to Know About Congress’ Debate on Iran Sanctions
In his State of the Union address, President Obama had a strong message for a Congress angling to impose new sanctions on Iran: stay out of my way. Obama argued that additional punishments would undermine ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to prevent Tehran from having the capability to make a nuclear weapon. At… -
opinion
2015 Economic Freedom of Japan
Japan’s economic freedom score is tied for the second highest it’s ever been since the Index of Economic Freedom was first published more than 20 years ago. Scoring a 73.3, Japan ranks 20th in the world for economic freedom, an improvement over the previous year’s rank of 25. It continues to rank sixth among countries… -
news
White House Chief of Staff on Netanyahu Visit: Our Relationship With Israel is ‘Deep and Abiding’
White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough evaded a question today on whether he agreed with an unnamed senior American official who told the Haaretz newspaper that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “spat in our face” by accepting an invitation to speak before Congress from House Speaker John Boehner. The official, quoted in the Israeli… -
news
Meet the Texans Who Could Lose Their Jobs Over Falling Oil Prices
We might be enjoying lower gas prices, but oil-rich areas of Texas are not. Economists are worried that the Lone Star state could lose tens of thousands of jobs due to falling prices. “We’re not going to know if this is a bust unless it lasts an extended period of time,” Andrew Lipow, the president… -
news
Q&A: What Does Death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia Mean for the US?
When King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia died on Friday, the loss could be felt in the United States. That’s because Abdullah, 90, who assumed the throne in 2005, had led one of the West’s key strategic allies in the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia is also the world’s largest exporter of oil. The king’s death creates… -
opinion
China’s Economy Continues to Slow—Probably More Than Reported
This week China announced its 2014 real economic growth rate. There are two salient takeaways from the report: First, at least officially, the economy continues to slow modestly. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annual rate of 7.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014 and 7.4 percent over the entire year. This is… -
opinion
Netanyahu’s Address to Congress Is a Powerful Antidote to Obama’s Appeasement of Iran
In a bold move, Speaker of the House John Boehner this week invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress in March. In response, the White House has expressed annoyance, saying it was not consulted over the decision. But it is the prerogative of Congress to invite whomever it likes… -
news
Acting Alone, Boehner Invites Netanyahu to Speak to Congress
House Speaker John Boehner has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before Congress next month. The topic of the Feb. 11 speech will be Iran. Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters today that he did not consult with the White House before inviting Netanyahu, saying “the Congress can make this decision on its own.” White… -
opinion
The U.S.–Japan Global Alliance in a Troubled World
The taking of Japanese hostages by ISIS this week is a reminder of what a dangerous place the world is, even for a nation as committed to peace as Japan has been for the past 70 years. Since taking office in 2012, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has implemented several improvements to Japan’s defense, including a… -
news
‘We Need Inspirations All Over the World Right Now’: Why This Small North African Country Might Be It
Four years since Tunisia became known as the birthplace of the Arab Spring, the tiny North African country is fast becoming something else: a democracy. Mark Green, who has made a life out of fighting poverty and promoting democracy in Africa, traveled to Tunisia in October as its citizens voted in the country’s first full… -
news
See Pictures of the Pageant Contestants Who Served Our Country
When the winner of Ms. Veteran America dons the crown each year, she becomes the spokeswoman for female veterans who don’t have a home to come back to after their duties of serving their country have ended. Post by Ms Veteran America. This growing competition was initiated by Jas Boothe, a female veteran who lost… -
opinion
Pushing Reforms in 2015 for Japan’s Economy
This year will be important for Japan’s economic growth as the country continues to struggle to control its debt problem. In the coming months, observers should watch several key indicators of Japan’s economic performance. Given Japan’s economic troubles, it is important that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe push ahead with his “third arrow” reforms, including continued… -
news
Vermont Lawmaker Who Asked Tough Questions About Single-Payer Health Care Kicked Off Health Committee
MONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont’s newly re-elected House speaker Shap Smith spoke of hope and opportunity in his address to the 73rd biennial Legislature Wednesday. But among the speaker’s first acts was to remove a whistleblower and outspoken critic of single-payer health care from a powerful health committee. State Rep. Mary Morrissey, R-Bennington, was noticeably absent… -
opinion
Remembering the Man Who Made Sure Americans Knew the Real Reagan
When I heard that my friend Martin Anderson had died over the weekend, I gave thanks for his extraordinarily inquisitive mind and the critical role that an institution can play in advancing the cause of a free society. Martin was an economist and political scientist. Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, where he was a senior fellow… -
opinion
How Obama Should Respond to North Korea’s Attack on Sony
The recent cyberattack on Sony was a direct assault on free speech in America. Dictators or terrorist groups must be made to realize that attempts to squelch free speech, or any other fundamental right, via extortion or threat of violence will generate a strong and painful response. Once the FBI determined that North Korea was… -
opinion
U.S. Businesses Feel Increasingly Unwelcomed in China
There was a time when the “China-lobby” meant supporters of The Republic of China (Taiwan). In the last couple decades, it has come to mean representatives of the American business community most eager to do business on the mainland, the People’s Republic of China, and willing to exercise influence in Washington in support of cordial… -
opinion
An Insider’s Account of How Putin Uses the Media to Brainwash Russians
If we really knew what is going on in the Kremlin backrooms, where Russia’s information war is being planned, we in the West would be shocked, writes author Peter Pomerantsev in Politico magazine. Audiences within the reach of Russia’s growing media empire are fed cynical media manipulation, hero worship of Russian President Vladimir Putin, rewriting of… -
news
The 25 Republicans Who Did Not Vote for John Boehner
House Speaker John Boehner was elected to his third term as the No. 1 Republican in the lower chamber, but not without resistance from more than two-dozen fellow GOP lawmakers. Boehner collected 216 votes. Former speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., his closest rival, received 164. Republicans needed 29 defectors to defeat Boehner. Twenty-five lawmakers did not vote for…