Nepal stands on the brink of an economic crisis, after what it alleges is an India-imposed blockade of its borders for the past three months. Pushing back, Nepali leaders are vowing to work toward economic self-reliance and ease their dependence on India, to the advantage of New Delhi’s rival, China. “Nepal-India relations are at their lowest ebb right now,” says Yubaraj Ghimire, a Kathmandu-based commentator. The blockade of this landlocked nation began on Sept. 23, three days after Nepal officially adopted its new constitution. Critics argue the charter does not give fair political representation to two ethnic groups, the Indian-origin [...]
Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the potential impact on members’ economies. Lukewarm industry support in the United States for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has put the ratification of the 12-nation trade deal by Congress into question. In an email interview, Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, discussed the potential benefits and downsides of the TPP for the U.S. WPR: What economic benefits is the U.S. expected to see from its participation in the TPP? Edward Alden: The short-term benefits are likely to be modest. [...]
Last week, World Politics Review launched Trend Lines, its new weekly podcast, which will appear every Friday. The show has two sections: In the Briefing, host Peter Dörrie interviews a WPR editor about the week’s most important events. In the Report, a WPR contributor or on-the-ground source takes an in-depth look at a single issue. In this week’s Briefing, WPR Editor-in-Chief Judah Grunstein and Peter Dörrie discuss China’s naval diplomacy, French elections and Iraqi politics. For the Report, Edward Alden of the Council on Foreign Relations joins us to give his insights into global trade negotiations and how the Trans-Pacific [...]
