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Earlier this month, Donald Trump’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, was asked if the US president believed that Syrian President Assad had committed war crimes. “I think that there is a court that decides those things,” Spicer replied. Indeed there is: the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The…

Earlier this month, Nigeria’s House of Representatives voted to open investigations into a tainted license awarded to oil giants Shell and Eni in 2011. The investigation comes after six years of allegations of bribery involved in the sale of an oil block. The Anglo-Dutch firm and its Italian partner…

While traditionally focused on the economic and cultural domains, today the European Union and India are taking unprecedented steps to deepen the security dimension of their partnership. This attests to the evolution of their relationship, driven by a changing global environment, including possible…

While traditionally focussed on economics and culture, today the EU and India are taking bold steps to also deepen the strategic dimensions of their partnership. This week’s visit to New Delhi of the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, will likely…

Mit dem Giftgasangriff vom Dienstag hat die Gewalt in Syrien einen weiteren Höhepunkt erreicht. Mindestens 72 Menschen starben bei dem Angriff, darunter 20 Kinder. Seit Ausbruch des Bürgerkrieges im März 2011 dokumentieren Menschenrechtsorganisationen die Verbrechen des Assad-Regimes und anderer…

Today’s news from Syria, where an apparent chemical weapons attack has taken the lives of dozens of civilians (including children), reminds us once again of the desperate need for justice for those who have suffered atrocities in that country’s civil war. Yet there are grounds for hope. Last month,…

BT: Herr Benner, was hat den globalen Siegeszug der liberalen Demokratie, an den man in den 90er Jahren glaubte, gestoppt? Thorsten Benner: Liberale Demokratie heißt Gewaltenteilung, Rechtsstaat und Minderheitenrechte, Dauerwettstreit der Interessengruppen. All das setzt politische Eliten voraus,…

“This is not your world,” they want us to know, “and history is not moving in your direction. You will have to reckon with us.” Five years ago, this is how Michael Ignatieff described Russia and China’s message to the West, a message issued in the way they dealt with the Syrian Civil War in the UN…

Der kanadische Publizist Michael Ignatieff beschrieb die Botschaft Russlands und Chinas an den Westen vor fünf Jahren so: "Dies ist nicht eure Welt, lassen sie uns wissen, und die Geschichte bewegt sich nicht in eure Richtung. Ihr werdet mit uns rechnen müssen“. Anlass war der Umgang im UN-…

New technologies are creating both opportunity and danger for human rights activists. Social media platforms, anonymization and encryptions tools, and widespread internet access are empowering activists to exchange ideas, document abuses, and disseminate information to wider audiences. On the flip…

In recent weeks, politicians and intelligence officials in France and Germany have stepped up their warnings of Russian interference in the national elections both countries will hold next year. In late November, Bruno Kahl, the head of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, told the Süddeutsche…

With emerging powers like China, India and Brazil playing a growing role in international affairs, the global balance of power is shifting. What does this mean for the future of the international order? Will China dominate the twenty-first century? Will the BRICS grouping prove to be a disruptive…

Donald Trump’s election as president of the United States raises many question marks, among them the prospect of a rise in trade barriers and unilateral economic policies. But a glimpse at recent World Trade Organization (WTO) talks reveals that, with or without Trump, the political will to revive…

„Wir schaffen auch den!“. Mit großen Lettern sprach „Bild“ am Tag nach der Wahl von Donald Trump den Lesern Mut zu. Doch wie? Noch nie war es so schwer wie heute für Verbündete, sich auf einen neuen US-Präsidenten einzustellen. Niemand (Donald Trump wahrscheinlich eingeschlossen) weiß, wie die…

Introduction Rising powers need not fear criticism of human rights abuses from Berlin, for trade trumps human rights in German foreign policy. This conventional wisdom is frequently invoked by human rights activists and journalists alike, but it is neither very informative nor entirely correct.…

As U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Berlin for a farewell visit on Wednesday, German policymakers were scrambling to develop a road map for dealing with the presidency of his successor, Donald Trump. Last week, in a congratulatory note to the president-elect, German Chancellor Angela Merkel…

While the US was debating Russian hacking and leaks ahead of its elections, EU leaders met last month to discuss Moscow’s efforts to influence European liberal democracies through misinformation and propaganda. “We don’t have the tools to look at this centrally,” one senior EU diplomat complained,…

When visiting my native Hong Kong last September, I wanted to know what my friends and other locals had to say about recent political flare-ups that catapulted the city into the international spotlight. Days before I landed in the territory, six young, pro-democracy candidates had won seats in Hong…

Autoritäre Staaten nutzen die selbstverantworteten Schwächen offener Gesellschaften aus. Namentlich unsere allzu willfährigen Dienstleister bieten eine willkommene Angriffsfläche, dazu gehören Dienstleister aus der Finanzwirtschaft, Lobbyfirmen und Anwaltskanzleien. Die Hackerangriffe auf das…

Executive Summary With the US seeking to limit its international role amidst domestic political resistance, India and Europe are facing increased pressure to take on greater international responsibilities. Delhi and Brussels are both pursuing a more ambitious role in international security affairs,…