Section: The Conversation (USA)
Making sense of Russiagate: what do Russians think?
If you’re struggling to make sense of “Russiagate” and the Trump-Putin connection as the James Comey affair quickly unravels in Washington, you’re not the only one. Many Russians are also scratching their heads, but perhaps for different reasons. Usually, revelations of Western intervention in Russian domestic politics is what...
The truth about the Amazons – the real Wonder Women
Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman: a true Amazonian, she is trained in a range of skills in both combat and hunting. Atlas Entertainment, Cruel & Unusual Films, DC EntertainmentThe long-awaited film version of Wonder Woman opens this week, starring Gal Gadot as the indomitable superhero. As Princess Diana of Themyscira, Wonder Woman is of Amazonian...
When Trump met NATO: Blunt talk and meaningful silences
World leaders met in Brussels for the NATO Summit 2017. AP Photo/Matt Dunham, PooDonald Trump’s electoral campaign was notable for his abrasive statements and blunt assessments about a variety of issues. Among his more unforgettable claims was his suggestion that NATO was “obsolete.” This comment was largely founded, it seems, on a lack of...
In Brussels, leaders wait defiantly and nervously for Trump
President Donald Trump meets in Brussels today with leaders from the European Union and NATO, two pillars of the postwar transatlantic security order that he openly and routinely disparaged during his presidential election campaign. First meetings between a new US president and his European and NATO counterparts are usually a routine affair,...
NATO looks healthier than expected – but trouble is brewing
So far, 2017 has been a good year for NATO. Donald Trump, who infamously wrote off the alliance as “obsolete” during his election campaign, reversed gear in April, praising it as a “bulwark of international peace and security”. The new French president, Emmanuel Macron, has promised that France will “honour its commitment to alliances”. And the...
China and the US vie for friendship with the Philippines, while Duterte hedges
Rodrigo Duterte has the opportunity to shape his foreign policy choices in relation to the two competing global powers. ReutersThe rapprochement between China and the Philippines has ostensibly avoided the prospect of a confrontation in the South China Sea. On the sidelines of a two-day summit about China’s global development project, held...
All roads to sustainable energy lead to the sun
ShutterstockHumans consume 221 tonnes of coal, 1,066 barrels of oil, and 93,000 metric cubes of natural gas per second. These materials were wonderful for the industrial revolution that started in Britain in the 18th century and made use of “new energy” sources such as coal and petroleum. At the start of the 21st century, however, it’s time...
Challenges persist for multiple legal actions regarding MH17
Reuters/Michael KoorenMultiple parallel actions are ongoing with the aim of achieving truth and justice for the 298 passengers and crew of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. The flight was shot down over Ukraine on July 17, 2014. An investigative team, led by the Dutch aviation authority and endorsed by the Australian government, concluded that the...
Putin, North Korea and what Russia really wants in the region
North Korea’s missile test on May 14 sparked condemnation and concern. But one world leader spoke up for Pyongyang, warning the international community to exercise caution and patience – and stop intimidating the state and its ruler. That man was Russian president Vladimir Putin. One might think that Moscow would be extremely concerned...
If Russian in Trump national security scandal is UN’s new anti-terror chief – just how murky can things get?
The UN building … but what’s really going on inside? ShutterstockAs if there wasn’t enough controversy surrounding Sergey Kislyak. The Russian ambassador to the US at the centre of the Trump national security storm appears likely to become the United Nations head of counter-terrorism, probably at Under Secretary-General level....
