In the nearly two years since the Chinese government imposed a draconian “national security” law on Hong Kong, the authorities have rounded up dozens of journalists, pro-democracy politicians, and other activists. The point of the law is to instill fear among those who would challenge Beijing and, by that count, it has succeeded. Since its […]
Author: Dan Spinelli
The Next President of the Philippines? The Son of a Dictator.
The Philippines is poised to elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. its next president, elevating the son of a dictator to leader of the country. On Monday, with more than 86 percent of precincts reporting, Marcos Jr., known by the nickname “Bongbong,” and the son of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who terrorized the country for two decades, had […]
Congress “Certainly Could” Ban Abortion Nationwide, McConnell Says
Since Politico published a draft Supreme Court opinion indicating that Roe v. Wade will likely be struck down, Republicans have been reluctant to take the usual victory tour, instead focusing their attention on just how the opinion leaked. But late last week, Sen. Mitch McConnell hinted at “possible” federal anti-abortion laws if Roe is overturned. “If the leaked opinion became the […]
Biden’s $33 Billion Aid Request for Ukraine Is Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Seen
In the little more than two months since Russia invaded Ukraine, the United States has committed $14 billion in money and weapons to the Ukrainians. That’s an extraordinary sum, more than three times the amount of US aid Ukraine has received since 2014, the year Russia annexed Crimea. But last week President Joe Biden blew […]
The Son of a US-Backed Dictator Is the Favorite in the Philippines’ Upcoming Election
When Filipinos elect a new president next month, polls suggest they will select a man with a familiar name. Front-runner Ferdinand Marcos Jr., known by the nickname “Bongbong,” is the son and namesake of the brutal dictator who ruled the island nation for two decades before a popular demonstration forced him out. Since Ferdinand Marcos […]
The DOJ’s China Initiative Dragnet Is Over. But the Aftereffects Will Be Felt for Years.
Nearly three years ago, a University of Kansas chemistry professor named Feng “Franklin” Tao was arrested and accused of concealing his work for a Chinese university. His arrest “disrupted the transfer of American intellectual property to China,” then-Assistant US Attorney Tony Mattivi would tell the New Yorker. It also inaugurated a new stage in the China […]
When It Comes to Israel’s Response to the War in Ukraine—It’s Complicated
Few issues have united the Western world more quickly than Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last month. In response to his brutal war, the United States and its allies have shuttled weapons and aid to Ukraine and slapped severe sanctions on Russia. These moves have received broad support internationally, but there have been a […]
China’s State Media Propagandists are Pushing Putin Talking Points
Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has opted for what one scholar calls a “pro-Russia neutrality.” That looks in practice as weird as it sounds. Instead of silence, the Chinese government has emitted a chorus of contradictory messages. Appeals for peace in Ukraine mix with odd affirmations of Russia’s “legitimate” […]
In Major Escalation, Biden to Ban Imports of Russian Oil
President Joe Biden is set to announce a ban on US imports of Russian oil, several news outlets reported Tuesday morning. The move comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its thirteenth day and Western nations continue to look for ways to pressure Russian leader Vladimir Putin economically. Since Putin first ordered the invasion, the United […]
One More Thing to Worry About: Putin May Be Paving the Way to Use Chemical Weapons in Ukraine
It is difficult to imagine ways for the Russian invasion of Ukraine to get worse, but Vladimir Putin is giving us new reasons to try. After putting Russian nuclear forces on “special alert” last week, Putin’s government has repeatedly accused the United States of storing biological weapons in Ukraine, part of a disinformation campaign that could […]