Welcome to World Policy’s weekly newsletter, featuring the latest news from across our major platforms—media, programming, and fellowship.
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Around the World
On Monday, Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi urged young Syrians to fulfill their military obligation, stressing the importance of the army as a unifying force. Orwa Ajjoub and Mais Istanbelli echo these concerns by highlighting the Syrian government’s effort to retain its troops in the face of the opposition’s desire to strike Latakia, the primary seaport in the Northwest.
Meanwhile, after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook Nepal in April killing close to 9,000 people, rebuilding efforts are fully underway. Alex Gray warns the international community, though, that the coming monsoon season could impede construction and relief work.
Further north, the Inuit population in Greenland has been campaigning against the European Union’s 2010 ban on the importation of seal products. Kevin McGwin investigates the Inuit people’s response to a 90 percent decrease in sales of sealskin products to Europe.
And on this week's episode of World Policy On Air, multinational corporations have gone to great lengths to evade taxes, increase the trade of conflict diamonds, and launder money for complicit governments across Africa. Host David Alpern speaks with South Africa-based investigative journalist Khadija Sharife about how far major corporations have gone to undermine regulatory regimes designed to police such activities.
Around the Institute
With the United States’ recent assumption of the two-year chairmanship of the Arctic Council, the World Policy Institute has partnered with award-winning media firm, News Deeply, in launching the Arctic Deeply Roundtables, a series of vital conversations focused on the global implications of the receding Arctic Circle. On June 23, 2015, Philippe Couillard, Premier of Québec, will inaugurate the series by leading a frank discussion on Plan Nord, an ambitious project for the development of infrastructure in his region of governance.
And if you haven’t already picked up a copy of the summer issue of World Policy Journal, go online now. We explore “Climate’s Cliff”—from the debate over nuclear energy in Germany to the environmental cost of the Nicaragua Canal to the dangers of China’s smoke-smothered skies.
Fellow Updates
Alon Ben-Meir, in his latest article for Huffington Post, argues the importance of Iraqi Sunni independence.
James H. Nolt, in his blog for Polarizing Political Economy, highlights the encompassing power of big banks’ access to insider information through a historical view of J.P. Morgan’s support of the Allied powers.
Kavitha Rajagopalan, in a recent essay for the Carnegie Council, analyzes the global wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies, and discusses the staggering human rights disasters that have followed.
Lissa Weinmann, in an article for The Cuban Reset, considers positive changes under Raúl Castro and the shifting dynamics of Cuba-U.S. relations as motivations for easing travel restrictions between Cubans and Americans.
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[Photos courtesy of Syria Deeply, DFID]