The Cheap Assault on the Immigration Visa Lottery
Alex Nowrasteh Congress is in the thick of another intense debate on immigration reform, which comes to a head on Feb. 8, the deadline by which lawmakers must pass a spending bill or the government shuts down again. At center stage is what what happens to Dreamers, illegal immigrants brought here as children, but Republicans have also thrown into...
Kennan Cable No. 30: Democracy in Ukraine: Are We There Yet?
Introduction More than a quarter century ago, the Ukrainian people made a historic choice in favor of independence, democracy, and the free market. Their vision of a fully sovereign, democratic, and prosperous state has been only partially fulfilled. While Ukraine is a clearly established polity with internationally recognized sovereignty, it is...
US Allies Should Back President Trump
Donald Trump, photo by Gage Skidmore via Flickr CCBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 726, January 28, 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Donald J. Trump is facing unprecedented criticism one year into his term as president of the world’s greatest power. The allies of the US can assist him by making clear how much he has advanced American foreign...
Watch List: Jan. 30, 2018
The items listed below represent potential emerging issues that our analysts are tracking. These can be long term or short term, but will be updated daily. If an item on our Watch List becomes critical, we will email you a full analysis explaining its significance. Each Saturday, we will follow up our daily Watch List for each week with our...
Russia deploys armed police and dogs in new offensive against Crimea Solidarity
In the latest attack on the Crimea Solidarity civic initiative, a huge contingent of Russian OMON riot police have disrupted the monthly meeting held to discuss ways of helping political prisoners and their families. There was no real attempt to come up with a credible reason for what was clearly an attempt at intimidation – one that...
Germany and the US, Springing to Inaction
By Jacob L. Shapiro Germany – the beating heart of Europe, one of the four largest economies in the world, a country helmed by an entrenched, established and respected politician – can’t seem to muster a government. It’s been 129 days since it had one. Now, to be fair, this isn’t uncommon among Europe’s parliamentary...
Anti-corruption groups question motives for prosecution of YouControl open access firm
A number of Ukrainian anti-corruption NGOs, including Transparency International in Ukraine, have expressed concern over the criminal proceedings against YouControl and its founder Serhiy Milman which they view as pressure on an open access firm providing invaluable assistance to anti-corruption campaigners and journalists. …read more...
Head of EBRD Discusses Reform With Ukraine President
Reforms, independent anti-corruption institutions, tax changes: these are just a few things that the new government in Ukraine is undertaking to improve the climate for potential investors. Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko is confident his country will significantly improve its World Bank Doing Business ranking very soon. “We are ranked...
Far-right vigilantes imposing ‘Ukrainian order’ are strange partners for Ukraine’s National Police
So-called ‘National Militia Units’ are promising to ‘establish Ukrainian order” on the streets of Kyiv, seemingly in cooperation with Ukraine’s National Police. Assurances from the Interior Ministry cannot allay concerns about police collaboration with an organization which has on many occasions demonstrated intolerance towards...
Crimean journalist & politician jailed on ‘extortion’ charges for criticism of United Russia party
The ‘trial’ in Russian-occupied Crimea of journalist Alexei Nazimov and politician Pavel Stepanchenko is descending into farce, after never really making much sense. This has not prevented the two men being held in detention since October 2016, and the lack of any substance to the charges may well have no impact upon the eventual verdict....
