April 2017 Homepage

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April 2017 Homepage
Cover Story

Italy Tries to Avoid Being Swept Up
In Europe’s Populist Tidal Wave

a4.cover.italy.ambassador.homePolitical volatility and paralysis are about as Italian as al dente pasta and a good glass of chianti. But like so many of its European counterparts, Italians are confronting a populist tsunami that has upended the conventional landscape. Even by Italian standards, transatlantic politics has become downright scary. Yet Armando Varricchio, Rome’s polished ambassador, says we have nothing to fear from democracy — or the populist tidal wave it may produce. Read More


Forgotten Conflicts

World Turns Blind Eye to Yemen,
Myanmar’s Rohingya, South Sudan

a1.crises.yemen.homeWith world headlines focused on North Korea’s nuclear tests, Russia’s ties to the Trump administration and landmark elections in France, it’s easy to forget about three ethnic conflicts that show no sign of abating in 2017. Read More


Human Rights Under Attack

Veteran Diplomat Undeterred as
Human Rights Takes Backseat

a2.human.right.council.man.homeHuman rights have long been sidelined in favor of geopolitical, economic and security interests. Even President Obama was criticized for ramping up drone strikes and failing to intervene in Syria’s bloody civil war. But under President Trump’s “America first” agenda, the promotion of human rights and democracy appears to be at the bottom of the totem pole. Read More


Trump vs. the Pentagon

Are the White House and Defense,
Intelligence Establishments at Odds?

a3.trump.dissonance.north.korea.homeStrains between President Trump and leading figures in the defense establishment and intelligence community have been laid bare in his first two months in office as the two sides hold sharply diverging views on what constitutes top threats to American safety. Read More


Asia Pivot 2.0?

After U.S. Withdrawal from
Trans-Pacific Partnership, Now What?

a5.tpp.trump.rice.japan.homePresident Donald Trump made good on a campaign promise to withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) by signing an executive action to end U.S. involvement in the trade deal. The sweeping accord included 12 Pacific-Rim nations that together represented around 40 percent of the global economy and a third of world trade. Where will TPP go without U.S. involvement? Read More


Book Review

‘Why Presidents Fail’: It Comes Down
To Too Much Talk and Too Little Action

a6.book.karmack.fail.homeThere is now an all-purpose explanation that is often cited by journalists and political analysts when an American president falters: He has lost control over the “narrative” and is unable to communicate his “message.” Elaine C. Kamarck, author of “Why Presidents Fail And How They Can Succeed Again” takes a very different view. Read More


Medical

Bad Diets Tied to 400,000
U.S. Deaths in 2015

a7.medical.bad.diet.burger.homeUnhealthy diets may have contributed to as many as 400,000 premature deaths from heart disease and strokes in 2015, a new study estimates. And it’s not just the things you should be avoiding that are contributing to these deaths. The excess deaths may also be caused by what’s missing in your diet, the researchers said. Read More


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