Is there anyone in the world who has known as many international leaders as the Queen? Theresa May might be her 13th prime minister, but that pales into numerical insignificance when one adds up all the Commonwealth leaders she has met. In the independent realms where she is, or has been, head of state she […]
As the modern Israeli state celebrates 70 years, the prevailing sentiment is one of extraordinary accomplishment. American Jewish leaders were incensed in 1948 when Ben-Gurion came to the U.S. and spoke about the fledgling state as the new center of the Jewish world; today, that status is nowhere in doubt. Read Here – Bloomberg View
The prospect that President Xi Jinping could remain in power indefinitely has caused much consternation outside China. But within China, and among many serious observers, the elimination of the constitutional term limit on presidential incumbents has attracted a more positive, or at least nuanced, response. Read Here – Project Syndicate
A composed and contrite Mark Zuckerberg held up under hours of grilling by more than 40 U.S. senators — but his performance did little to mask Facebook’s growing political problems in Washington. Read Here – Politico Also Read: Key Moments From Mark Zuckerberg’s Senate Testimony
For its entire history, Silicon Valley has deflected skepticism, building itself a filter bubble that largely protected it from tough questions about its grand plans for remaking humanity and capitalism, about its bulldozing of privacy and media. Tomorrow will be the day Zuckerberg raises his hand before Congress, and it will be the day Silicon […]
As a foreigner in China, you get used to hearing the retort “You don’t know China!” spat at you by locals. It’s usually a knee-jerk reaction to some uncomfortable modern issue or in defense of one of the many historical myths children in the mainland are taught as unshakeable facts about the world. But it’s also true. […]
Tibet’s prime minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay calling for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to return to the Potala palace in Lhasa is both surprising and odd. Surprising, because it indicates an ongoing conversation between the Chinese government and the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala that has been in the realm of rumour for several months. Read Here […]
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is currently deep into a coast-to-coast U.S. charm offensive. Leading figures from the worlds of politics, business, entertainment and media are being lined up and are lining up to meet the most influential figure from the world’s leading oil exporter. But who exactly has made the cut? Read Here – Deadline Hollywood
Hawks are closing in on the White House. John Bolton, arguably the most abrasive American diplomat of the twenty-first century, will soon assume the top foreign-policy job at the National Security Council. Read Here – The New Yorker Also Read: What stands between John Bolton and blowing up the world?
It took just two weeks – from the time it was announced to the near unanimous endorsement by the legislature – to make the most drastic revision to the state constitution since it was introduced in 1982, a change that sent shock waves through both Chinese society and the international community. Read Here – South […]
looking beyond borders 