China’s “nine dragons”—the array of government departments, police forces, and surveillance agencies that are responsible for maritime policies—operate autonomously from each other, which often results in a disjointed approach to sensitive ocean issues. But not for much longer: Beijing is leashing the dragons and bringing them under the control of one overarching bureaucracy. The FT reports: […]

There will be no announcement of a grand peace plan when Presiden Obama visits Israel later this month, reports the Associated Press: In his meeting Thursday, Mr. Obama said pursuing sweeping peace talks now would be premature, given that Israel is still working to form a new government. […]In addition to his meetings with Netanyahu, […]

US diplomatic failures may be emboldening Iran’s nuclear program. A new piece in Al-Monitor argues that the West blinked in recent multi-party talks in Kazakhstan: Iran received a promise that no new sanctions would be imposed on it in the near future, and it wasn’t asked to give anything in exchange . . .It was no […]

Disinvited from a prestigious annual event at the University of Pennsylvania, blocked from getting a US visa by lingering questions over his role in massacres, the man who may be the next prime minister of one of the world’s emerging superpowers addressed American supporters by video this weekend.The several hundred viewers who gathered to watch […]

Now that the date for the papal conclave has been set for this Tuesday, the media has been tirelessly publishing story after story about Vatican scandals and political intrigue. We fully expect the media to continue harping on this cassock-and-dager stuff in order to create material for their daily coverage of the Church during the conclave, but it’s important to keep […]

As Japan’s war of words with China continues to escalate, it’s beginning to move closer to another former rival—the Philippines. Last month, Tokyo announced plans to donate 10 brand-new patrol boats to the Philippine Coast Guard. Later in the month, the two countries met to discuss further expanding their maritime cooperation in the contested waters of […]

Italian comedian Beppe Grillo became the world’s least likely political leader this year when his Five Star Movement rode a wave of public discontent with the country’s political class to a strong showing in Italy’s general election. After winning 25 percent of the vote, Grillo will now become a key player in Italian politics as […]

Healthcare without insurance could be the future of medicine, if the innovative work of one Georgia doctor is any indication. Dr. Rob Lamberts is experimenting with a subscription-based primary care practice where patients pay a flat monthly out-of-pocket rate directly to the doctor rather than relying on insurance. So far, it seems to be going very […]

Should New York City be applauded for its high spending on public education? At an average of $20,000-plus per student, many would say yes.But results matter, and New York’s results are truly, shockingly bad. A recent CBS report claims that nearly 80 percent of NYC high school graduates don’t have the basic reading, writing, or math skills […]

Scientists have discovered that bee venom could save Africa. A new study by researchers at Washington University states that toxins in bee venom can be engineered to destroy HIV in the body while leaving healthy cells unharmed. This finding is a significant step towards creating a vaginal gel that would prevent the transmission of HIV. A press […]