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NATO Summit Outcome: Preventing a conflict or creating one?0
- International Relations and Global Affairs, Op-ed
- 12/07/2016
The 2016 NATO Summit held in Warsaw has now ended. As expected, one of the main topics on the agenda was NATOs strategic response to Russia, which included debates about tactical troop positioning and other deterrence measures. What the summit – at least publicly – did not address, is the reason for the standoff between NATO and Russia and how NATO plans to prevent it from escalating.
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All eyes on Rio: Blessing or curse for local tourism?1
- International Relations and Global Affairs, Op-ed
- 12/07/2016
The Olympic Games have manifested themselves as global extravaganzas that attract eyes from all over the world to its host city. Such worldwide attention has the power of attracting tourists long after the Games are over – look at what the 2010 FIFA World Cup did for South Africa. However, extensive media coverage might just as well expose flaws rather than strengths. Will the 2016 Olympic Games convince spectators that Rio de Janeiro, and Brazil at large, are the ultimate holiday destination? It is time for citizens, businesses and government to unite in an effort to showcase Rio’s unique beauty and spirit.
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BREXIT Vol. 2: Britain’s withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights 0
- Human Rights and Migration, Op-ed
- 11/07/2016
In the midst of debates on whether the United Kingdom (UK) should leave the European Union, the UK’s Home Affairs Secretary Theresa May came out with a controversial statement turning things upside down by redirecting the British opposition against another European institution – the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
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The new Olympic golf course: Risks vs. benefits?4
- Environment and Energy, Op-ed
- 09/07/2016
The new golf course for Rio Olympics has been the cause of huge controversy between the city`s government and the activists, leading to the movement “Occupy Golf”. The government claims that the new golf course inside the nature reserve has increased the biodiversity, but the protesters are right to be worried about the risks of such an intervention.
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Keeping Europe secure requires new thinking 0
- EU Governance and Politics, Op-ed
- 08/07/2016
On the 21st of April the EU Council adopted the Passenger Name Records Directive, a security mechanism which enables law enforcement and national security agencies to access the personal data of everyone flying into and outside of the EU. This includes addresses, names, credit card information and details on accompanying passengers, even minors.
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Ready, Set, Go: Fighting Olympic Corruption 0
- International Relations and Global Affairs, Op-ed
- 08/07/2016
The preparation of the Olympic Games ends on a false note. In recent weeks, numerous scandals flooded news outlets all over the world. Be it the recent doping revelations, inconsistent awarding procedures or domestic cases of corruption that started with Petrobras and led to the impeachment of President Dilma Roussef. However, there is a straightforward solution for the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to mitigate the scandals related to the construction of the Olympic infrastructure: transparency in public procurement procedures.
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