Tuesday, March 11

Types of News: Brief

News briefs are shorter stories about current events. It’s the who-what-when-and-where. “Just the facts, ma’am.” Please see our writers guidelines.

WTO Rejects All Legal Claims By China in U.S. Tariffs on Solar Imports
3Sep By Patti MohrNo Comments
Global Trade, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

WTO Rejects All Legal Claims By China in U.S. Tariffs on Solar Imports

U.S. Safeguard Tariffs Set To Expire in February 2022 September 3, 2021--The world's legal body for settling trade disputes rejected a complaint yesterday by China over U.S. tariffs on solar products made in China. The World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement body denied all of China's claims against the U.S. safeguard tariff on China-made solar materials called Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Products. A safeguard measure is a temporary trade restriction countries apply to an import that occurs in such high quantities that it causes serious injury to the domestic industry. They are allowed under WTO rules for emergency and temporary use. Dispute Started in 2018 In 2017, the U.S. International Trade Commission responded to a complaint by Suniva, Inc. and SolarWorld Am...
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Biden Defends Exit From Afghanistan, Cites Trump’s 2020 Agreement With The Taliban
31Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Types of News: Brief, Types of News: Videos, United States

Biden Defends Exit From Afghanistan, Cites Trump’s 2020 Agreement With The Taliban

Nation-Building Through The Military Does Not Work August 31, 2021--In a significant and riveting speech, President Joe Biden defended his decision to complete the withdraw of U.S. troops from war-torn Afghanistan. The speech is noteworthy not only for its forcefulness. It is also relevant for its acknowledgment of a failure and an end to a U.S. policy of promoting democracy through the use of military forces. Biden faced opposition in the United States and around the world for his decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJRpSm4DdPk
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The Hidden Heroes of the Afghan Refugee Crisis
25Aug By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Human rights, Migration, Immigration, Borders, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

The Hidden Heroes of the Afghan Refugee Crisis

August 25, 2021--As observers around the world watch in horror the collapse of human rights in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, humanitarians are stepping up to the plate to assist vulnerable members of Afghan society. Governments Relocating Refugees In a press briefing this week, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price discussed successful relocations from Afghanistan. He credited a number of contributions by countries in the relocation efforts. Specifically, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Italy, Bahrain, and Germany. These governments have assisted in the transit of at-risk Afghans, US citizens, and other Afghan evacuees. Alongside those efforts, Germany, Spain, and Italy have deployed armed troops to Afghanistan to assist in the evacuation. These forces are...
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In Emergency Meeting, G7 Makes Coordinated Plan on Afghanistan
24Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, International Development, Geopolitics, Human rights, Types of News: Brief, Types of News: Videos

In Emergency Meeting, G7 Makes Coordinated Plan on Afghanistan

European Council Urges U.S. Military to Keep Kabul Airport Open 'As Long As Necessary' to Complete Evacuations August 24, 2021--In an emergency meeting on Afghanistan held virtually today along with heads of NATO and the United Nations, leaders in the G7 industrialized countries promised a series of steps to stay active in dealing with a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and the fallout of the ensuing humanitarian crisis. The G7 includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany and Japan. Facing the largest humanitarian crisis of the year due to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the G7 leaders met to coordinate a diplomatic strategy. Namely, the G7 leaders promised to take the following actions: Coordinate the immediate international humanitar...
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Investors in Asia Embracing New Sustainable Technologies
24Aug By Frank McMullinNo Comments
Climate Action, ESG, Sustainable Finance, Finance, Investing, Global Economics, Types of News: Brief

Investors in Asia Embracing New Sustainable Technologies

Photo of Shanghai by Alexander Schimmeck courtesy Unsplash. CONFERENCE COVERAGE: Talks Show Investors Pivoting To 'Purposeful' Portfolios August 24, 2021--Leaders from financial investment firms, consulting agencies, nonprofits and startups met virtually last week to spur collaborations and sustainable investments in Asia. The South China Morning Post’s held the event, called Asia Sustainability Conference. As investors continue to flock to rapidly-developing markets in Asia, the conference reflected growing demand for investment opportunities in line with environmental, social, and corporate governance criteria. "Going forward, we are all equal. There is so much pressure to look at sustainable investments that, with new investments, we are on par with the rest of the world," s...
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IMF Making $650 Billion Available to Members On Monday
20Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Global Economics, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

IMF Making $650 Billion Available to Members On Monday

Fund Blocks Afghanistan And Venezuela From Benefitting From Special Drawing Right In an emergency decision, the IMF is creating reserves for nearly all members. Countries can exchange it for cash or keep as reserves. August 20, 2021--The International Monetary Fund is set to make available $650 billion in drawing rights on August 23 to nearly all of its 190 members. Creating Cash through Special Drawing Rights It's a historic distribution by the fund, made to mitigate the impact of the global pandemic. The IMF executive board approved the emergency decision in July. IMF members will be able to exchange the Special Drawing Right for hard currency with central banks of countries. They could also keep it as part of their reserves. The allocation is neither a donation nor a ...
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Afghanistan’s Fall Creates The Worst Humanitarian Crisis of the Year
19Aug By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Migration, Immigration, Borders, Types of News: Brief

Afghanistan’s Fall Creates The Worst Humanitarian Crisis of the Year

Scenes of chaos at the Kabul airport. August 19, 2021-- The jaws of Hell opened this week as Kabul, Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, parting the gates for the worst humanitarian crisis of the year. Images from around Afghanistan emulate the disruption and chaos that has come from this growth in Taliban power: Taliban members smiled at the media cameras in their conquered territories. Afghan civilians clung to US Air Force planes departing from Kabul, pleading for a way out of the country. As The New York Times put it, this week's events are "a symbol of America's military might, flying out of the country even as Afghans hung on against all hope." https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1427292291320975360?s=20 'Cannot Abandon The People of Afghanistan' Half of the count...
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Despite Falling Numbers, U.S. Still Locks Up More Prisoners Than Any Other Country
18Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Domestic Politics, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief, United States

Despite Falling Numbers, U.S. Still Locks Up More Prisoners Than Any Other Country

Photo by Hédi Benyounes August 18, 2021--The U.S. prison population fell to the lowest level in 2019 since 1995, according to recently released data from the U.S. Justice Department. In 2019, U.S. correction facilities held 6.3 million people, about 65,200 fewer than the previous year. That represented about 1 in 40 U.S. residents under correctional supervision in America. Though the figure declined by about 3 percent over a decade, it still represents the world's largest per capita imprisonment, according to the data available by the World Prison Brief. China's Numbers Aren't A Total It's significant to note, however, that the imprisonment rate in China does not include people held in pre-trial detention – a figure that might total more than 650,000, or up to one million Uyghu...
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China’s Belt And Road Projects Involved With 679 Human Rights Violations, Researchers Say
12Aug By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Foreign Aid, International Development, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Human rights, Types of News: Brief

China’s Belt And Road Projects Involved With 679 Human Rights Violations, Researchers Say

Report Takes A Critical Look At China's Development Projects Abroad And Calls for Greater Transparency August 12, 2021-A report released yesterday links China's Belt and Road Initiative with 679 allegations of human rights abuse between 2013 and 2020. "China’s aspiration to become a ‘responsible great power’ is set to be undermined by high rates of human rights abuse linked to its overseas business operations," according to the report publisher, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. Worst-Case Scenarios in Places With Weak Governments Counties with the highest number of abuse allegations include Myanmar, Peru, Ecuador, Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia. The authors discovered that the highest rates of alleged abuse were prevalent in countries with weaker governance....
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Biden Schedules ‘Summit for Democracy’ in December 2021
11Aug By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Democracy, Types of News: Brief

Biden Schedules ‘Summit for Democracy’ in December 2021

August 11, 2021--President Joe Biden announced plans today to gather world leaders this coming December to discuss the future of Democracy. The commitment to addressing authoritarianism, promoting human rights, and combatting corruption will be the principal themes of the "Summit for Democracy," according to the White House release. Democracy Promotion Is A Priority for Biden The Biden Administration has long emphasized the benefits of democratic values in its foreign policy approach. According to the White House, the administration has understood the challenge of convincing the global population that democratic principles can rectify current issues and improve human rights. Therefore, the summit invites world leaders to demonstrate the progress of their democratic commitments. ...
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