Topics
Economics
We poll experts on whether they think Congress should grant U.S. President Barack Obama trade promotion authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Washington’s harsh rhetoric in the sanctions against key Venezuelan political figures was counterproductive and will damage the United States’ regional credibility.
U.S. sanctions against Venezuela were met with controversy not because of whom they targeted, but rather due to language that could help bolster President Nicolás Maduro's wavering control over the nation.
Environment
India’s environmental crisis is not just endangering human lives, but is also holding back the country’s economy. For Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, this story isn’t new.
China and the United States were once the greatest barriers to a comprehensive global climate agreement. No longer: India is now the last stumbling block standing in the way. It's still possible, however, to get New Delhi on board. Washingtion just needs to offer the right incentives.
Earth Overshoot Day is the date on which humanity’s demand for natural resources exceeds the earth’s ability to renew them in a year. Last year, we hit that mark on August 20. This year, it comes one day earlier. For the remainder of 2014, in other words, we will be living beyond our planet’s means.
Security
The central lesson from North Korea is that even the best nuclear deal with Iran is merely a prelude to the real diplomatic drama. To ensure that Tehran does not go the way of Pyongyang, the nuclear accord must be followed by the creation of a framework for fundamentally new Iranian relations with the United States, the region, and the international community.
The historic negotiations between P5+1 countries and Iran over Tehran's nuclear aspirations are a diplomatic breakthrough. Whether any future agreements will be subject to international law, however, remains to be seen.
The basic contours of the recent agreement with Iran are solid, but the parties have a lot more work ahead of them. Here are some of the remaining disputes and how they might be settled.
Law & Institutions
For the Palestinian Authority, joining the International Criminal Court is part of a larger effort to internationalize its dispute with Israel. The trend promises plenty of turmoil and trouble in the months and years ahead—for the ICC, for Israel, and for Palestine itself.
In a YouTube address last November, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif dropped Tehran’s usual mantra about Iran’s right to enrich and spoke instead of negotiating with dignity. The video went viral in Iran, and the sentiment behind it seems to be paying off in Geneva.
Brazilian prisons were created—and are run by—drug cartels. An inmate who became a leader of a criminal faction tells his story.
Politics & Society
In Beijing, old underground air raid shelters are used as housing by a special class of migrants.
As Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei advances in age, he has been actively weeding out rivals to ensure a successor who will uphold his vision for Iran.
U.S. sanctions against Venezuela were met with controversy not because of whom they targeted, but rather due to language that could help bolster President Nicolás Maduro's wavering control over the nation.
U.S. Policy
We poll experts on whether they think Congress should grant U.S. President Barack Obama trade promotion authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
The historic negotiations between P5+1 countries and Iran over Tehran's nuclear aspirations are a diplomatic breakthrough. Whether any future agreements will be subject to international law, however, remains to be seen.
The basic contours of the recent agreement with Iran are solid, but the parties have a lot more work ahead of them. Here are some of the remaining disputes and how they might be settled.
