The Global Citizen

Japan's government has decided to release into the ocean millions of tons of radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, scene of a meltdown in 2011. The government and the power company are reassuring neighboring countries and fishermen of the wastewater's safety, but there are reasons for concern, not least the precedent being set.

Electric vehicles are touted as one answer to the climate crisis, but as Barry Commoner warned years ago, there is no such thing as a free lunch. The mining, processing, and manufacture of EV components, dominated so far by China but being challenged by the US and several other countries, are causing severe harm to the environment and health of African and Latin American workers. Multinational corporations are in an intense competition over lithium, bauxite, and other minerals, but their chief concern is China, not mine workers. Perhaps it's time to reconsider the comparative benefit of holding on to one's gas-driven vehicle.

The July coup that ousted a democratically elected leader in Niger is the seventh in West Africa since 2020. This time it has aroused the anger of the African Union and the regional economic bloc ECOWAS; the latter issued an ultimatum to the Niger junta that was ignored. Meantime, the coup leaders have reportedly asked for help from the Wagner mercenary group stationed in Mali if an intervention occurs. At this date the situation is a standoff, but one thing is clear: Any form of outside intervention will be a disaster for a population that needs humanitarian and development assistance.

A plan was recently proposed by a number of foreign policy experts to bring about a cease-fire in Ukraine in the wake of a presumed "bloody stalemate." The experts meeting apparently took place with the knowledge of the US and Russian governments. Ukraine, however, was not represented. For that reason and a number of others, such as the recommendation for further upgrading military aid to Ukraine, this Track 2 effort to encourage negotiations is flawed.

The judicial overhaul law that the far-right, ultrareligious cabinet members in the Netanyahu government has now pushed through the Knesset has ignited outrage among Israeli citizens and unusually sharp criticism in the Biden administration. Israel's democracy has turned illiberal, and in the process is shattering the notion of shared values between Israel and the US. Some normally strong supporters of Israel in the US are calling for a reevaluation of US aid. With the Israeli extremists prepared to go still further in pursuit of a Jewish state, a crisis in relations with the US seems certain.

Yellen's trip moved the needle on US-China dialogue only slightly forward. She apparently did not bring any new economic or financial proposals to the table, leaving the US with unmet grievances about treatment of its corporations and leaving China with unmet grievances about US and allied denial of advanced semiconductor technology. John Kerry is next up for meetings in Beijing on climate change. We'll see if he and his Chinese counterpart can come up with specific cooperative projects.

This inaugural episode offers reporting and commentary on international news of the previous week or so. Topics for this episode include Japan's new security thinking, anti-racism protests in France, Swedish membership in NATO, Janet Yellen's visit to Beijing, global forest loss, Hong Kong's shrinking democracy, and a few others.

The justice department's China Initiative, under both the Trump and Biden administrations, has had lasting negative effects on scientists of Chinese descent who work in US universities and laboratories. This episode provides the details of both psychological and career distress. Lost sight of is the exceptional value these Chinese scientists have for the US economy and technological leadership--a value stressed by the academic communities that provide their home base. Right-wing charges that Chinese scientists pose a national security risk are sadly mistaken; but if they continue, the trend among them to return to China will continue.

The indictment of Donald J. Trump is a matter of national security, not just American politics. To read the many charges against Trump is to be reminded that there are real secrets of state. Trump blithely ignored the guardrails, though for what ultimate purpose remains a matter of speculation. What Trump's concealment of the documents and obstruction of the federal investigation show is that he remains what he has been since 2016: a threat to national security.

For all the talk about shared values when India's Prime Minister Modi visited Washington, he and President Biden had one common aim: cement India's strategic partnership with the US. India wanted to gain access to US military technology, and the US was intent on extending containment of China in Asia. Democracy has nothing to do with the two countries' increasing closeness.