Category: Blogs

Former Presidential Candidate Khaled Ali Referred to Trial Amid Wave of Arrests in Egypt

By Dalia Rabie

Lawyer and former presidential candidate, Khaled Ali, was sentenced to trial Wednesday in light of a complaint filed against him for public indecency. Ali was summoned for investigation and detained overnight on Tuesday amid a wave of arrests targeting members of political parties and groups over the past week.

Why the 2017 Iranian Election Matters

By Mariam Elatouabi

 The 2017 Iranian presidential election could be mainly summarized by the many images of Iranians lining up outside the polling stations and the overall enthusiasm and fervor sparked by the short yet dynamic campaign and re-election of the pragmatic Hassan Rouhani. Hassan Rouhani won a second term with fifty-seven percent of the votes, almost seven […]

Does the Road to Energy Dominance Run Through Paris?

By David L. Goldwyn

US President Donald J. Trump’s administration aims to position the United States for “energy dominance” as a leading exporter of oil and gas. So far, this vision of US energy dominance has assumed that policies favoring reduced emissions are a hindrance rather than an opportunity.  In fact, the nation’s ability to expand production and compete […]

Creating a More Competitive Energy Market in Europe

By Valerio Zanovello

One of the key characteristics—and potential vulnerabilities—of the European energy market is its dependence on imports. The European Commission has drawn up a list of 195 key energy infrastructure projects, known as Projects of Common Interest (PCI), to create a more competitive energy market and alleviate this dependence. Some of these projects could considerably improve […]

This is Why Africa Matters to the United States

The cuts to foreign aid proposed in US President Donald Trump’s new budget, if passed, would drastically diminish US influence in Africa, threaten US security interests, and make way for countries like China to fill the void, according to a former White House official. “We can’t be ceding this space to China and to other […]

TRADE in ACTION – May 25, 2017

By Global Business & Economics Program

This week in TradeinAction: In the United States, President Trump released his budget for the fiscal year 2018. Meanwhile in Europe: The Group of Seven (G-7) Summit in Taormina, Italy starts tomorrow, and Chancellor Merkel meets with former President Obama in Berlin and then with President Trump in Brussels today

Putin, Not Trump, Has Led NATO Members to Increase Defense Spending

By Kelly Russo

While US President Donald J. Trump admonished the United States’ NATO allies at a meeting in Brussels on May 25 for not spending enough on collective defense, it is the threat posed by Russia that has been a bigger factor in galvanizing the allies’ defense commitments, according to a former deputy secretary general of NATO. […]

The Barak al-Shati Massacre Shows a Weakened UN-Supported Government and a Fractured Country

By Hani Shennib

On May 18, militias belonging to the Misratan Third Force and its affiliates launched an attack on the Libyan National Army (LNA) in Barak al-Shati, an airport base in the Libyan province of Fezzan, and killed 141 Libyan army personnel and civilians, according to LNA sources. Many were unarmed and were shot in the head […]

Trump’s Plan to Slash Foreign Aid is Out of Step with History

By Michael Sheldrick

As US President Donald J. Trump prepares to head off for Memorial Day weekend, he should pause and reflect on the nature of war and reconsider his administration’s plans to gut American soft power. History tells us that support for overseas development initiatives and institutions like the United Nations is critical for promoting peace, security, […]

Ukrainians Discover Europe This Summer. Will Europe Discover Ukraine?

By James Brooke

Ukraine is embarking on its summer of Europe. On June 11, summer starts with a boom. That’s when visa-free tourism begins for Ukrainians, allowing them to visit the twenty-six countries of Europe’s Schengen zone, including the four non-EU members. Only Britain and Ireland are excluded. To carry the tourists, discount airlines Wizz Air and Ryanair […]