The worsening violence in Ukraine is raising fears that a debt default contagion will spread to other fragile economies. Given the herd psychology and trigger-happy nature of financial markets, a meltdown in Ukraine could lead investors to flee other worrisome emerging markets. Thailand, Brazil, and Turkey, for example, are especially at risk.

Pakistan has broken with its nonalignment position toward the Syrian civil war, officially siding with Saudi Arabia, according to reports from regional newspapers. Ultimately this reflects poorly on the Obama administration’s leadership in the Middle East. Riyadh is prepared to seek out other friends who can better help its efforts to unseat Butcher Assad, and Pakistan has shown itself willing.

U.S. and NATO missile defense plans are about more than just guarding against rogue missile threats from Iran. They will shape the U.S.-Russia relationship and, more importantly, long-term relations between America and Europe.

First come the protesters on the Maidan, then come the “panty riots.” A proposed ban on lacy lingerie can reveal much about Putin’s Eurasian Dream.

Japan’s monthly trade deficit rose to a record high in January — mostly as a result of a weaker yen and increased energy imports. This suggests a permanent weakness for Japan, which has very few domestic energy sources. Can Abe reinvigorate the economy under these conditions?

The law’s ongoing problems and persistent unpopularity has pushed Democrats into a new tactic on the Affordable Care Act: admit it has real flaws.

A Nebraska judge has ruled that the Governor erred in fast-tracking state approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project. This gives President Obama a heaven-sent opportunity avoid upsetting his green base before the midterms.

Is the United States leaning toward increasing its support for the Syrian rebels? Saudi Arabia, the largest funder of the Syrian opposition, has replaced its long-time intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan, previously described by American officials as “erratic” and “hot headed”, with a prince better suited to mitigating U.S. concerns over Syrian weapons transfers.President Obama has […]

California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom is now the highest-ranking Democrat to rebel against Governor Brown’s high-speed rail boondoggle, and claims to be speaking for legions of mutinous blues. Is another front in the blue civil war fast approaching?

Not even the Olympics slow down Putin from tightening his repressive grip on the Russian press. The broadcaster Ekho Moskvy (Echo Moscow), considered one of Russia’s last remaining bastions of journalistic independence, has had its longtime director Yuri Fedutinov replaced by an editor from the state-run media Voice of Russia.