In its first resolution to focus on the politics of ending Syria’s five-year-long war, the Security Council today gave the United Nations an enhanced role in shepherding the opposing sides to talks for a political transition, with a timetable for a ceasefire, a new constitution and elections, all under UN auspices. Read Here – United […]
The delicate balance of power in the Middle East has already suffered one dramatic upheaval this year, after Moscow’s decision to launch its military intervention in support of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Now there are mounting concerns that the region could suffer further instability following China’s decision to establish its first overseas military outpost in […]
At a time when Russian relations with the United States and western European countries are growing cold, the relatively warm ties between China and Russia have attracted renewed interest. Scholars and journalists in the West find themselves debating the nature of the Chinese-Russian partnership and wondering whether it will evolve into an alliance. Read Here […]
Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and a loudly ticking clock aren’t explicitly mentioned in an internal White House memo mapping out President Barack Obama’s plan for 2016. But they’re defining it. Read Here – Politico
The agreement reached in Paris contains promises that, if enacted between now and the target date of 2030, will cost the global economy at least $1 trillion dollars a year – and possibly twice as much if politicians make inefficient policy choices. This makes the agreement the costliest in history. Read Here – Project Syndicate
India’s Vice President Hamid Ansari joined Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Presidents Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan in the ground-breaking ceremony of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) gas pipeline in Mary, Turkmenistan. Ansari hailed the pipeline as a major step towards regional integration. It is to be completed by 2018. Will the […]
It’s been five years since Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire outside the municipal building in Sidi Bouzid, a small town in the heart of Tunisia. While his act had profound international repercussions at the time, some residents say little has changed in their town. Read Here – Al Monitor
When Secretary of State John Kerry convenes Syria peace talks in New York on Friday, the fate of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad will be a main topic of debate. But despite widespread agreement that Assad has committed shocking war crimes—and a new report chronicling the atrocities—U.S. officials say the question of bringing Assad to justice […]
Ultimately, however, it won’t be Yellen’s P.R. skills that determine how she is remembered. It will be her economic judgment, and her confidence in the enduring strength and vigor of a revived U.S. economy. Read Here – The New Yorker
President Vladimir Putin said Russia has passed the worst of its economic crisis after it was hit by the slump in oil prices that forced the government to lower forecasts and revise its strategy. He was speaking at his annual news conference in Moscow. Read Here – Bloomberg
