News + Media

	Analysis + Opinion May 8, 2020 4 things that will happen if Kim Jong-un died Jim WalshThe National Interest Should Chairman Kim exit early, there may be an opportunity to return to the negotiating table, especially given the North's precarious situation--one that is likely to deteriorate even further over the near to medium term, writes Jim Walsh in The National Interest's series asking what happens if Kim Jong-un died.
	In the News May 8, 2020 Trump wages a war on watchdogs as coronavirus elevates their importance Liz GoodwinThe Boston Globe Joel Brenner quoted: “It absolutely sends a chill through the whole community,” said Joel Brenner, former inspector general of the National Security Agency. “It’s a very clear message. The president doesn’t want any inspector general issuing any report critical of the administration and any inspector general who does it has to understand that he or she is likely to be out of a job.”
	Analysis + Opinion May 7, 2020 Does the global pandemic open new South China Sea opportunities for Beijing? Not really. M Taylor FravelThe Washington Post A number of recent analyses have emphasized that China is seizing pandemic-created opportunities to improve its position in the South China Sea as other countries are distracted or otherwise unable to respond. A key implication of such claims is that absent the pandemic, China would have acted differently and perhaps with more restraint.
	News@E40 May 7, 2020 Distinguished fellow and friend, Yukio Okamoto, felled by Covid-19 Yukio Okamoto, a Japanese diplomat and fellow at MIT, died from Covid-19 on April 24 at the age of 74. The former special advisor to two prime ministers of Japan joined the Center for International Studies (CIS) in 2012 as a Robert E Wilhelm fellow and served as a distinguished research fellow at CIS until his death.
	In the News May 4, 2020 MIT Africa's Ari Jacobovits helps produce Covid-19 hackathon Ari Jacobovits, managing director of the MIT Africa program, helped organize a hackathon on Covid-19 with collectives from around the world—drawing from universities, industry, government, and NGOs, among others. CIS research affiliate Claude Grunitsky covered the story in his publication True Africa.
	In the News May 1, 2020 China's modern military strategy in historical perspective NCUSCR Podcast In an interview with NCUSCR President Steve Orlins, Taylor Fravel discusses his motivations for and key discoveries from writing, "Active Defense: China's Military Strategy Since 1949."
	In the News April 30, 2020 Outsiders consider possibility of chaos in North Korea Foster KlugAP News Vipin Narang quoted: “The million-dollar question is: When do you invoke the OPLAN and what indicators do you rely on to do so? Because one country’s ‘securing the country’ operation can look to the other nation like an ‘invasion plan.’ And then all hell can break loose,” said Vipin Narang, a North Korea nuclear specialist at MIT.
	News@E40 April 29, 2020 SHASS Infinite Mile Award recipients in CIS CIS is pleased to announce Alicia Raun and Fatih Basaga are two recipients of the 2020 SHASS Infinite Mile Awards. Award recipients are recognized for making exceptional contributions to their academic units, the School, and the Institute.
	In the News April 29, 2020 Where is Kim Jong Un? WBUR Here and Now North Korea hasn't reported a single case of Covid-19 and the pandemic coincides with the absence of the country's leader, Kim Jon Un. Jim Walsh offers insight into the situation.
	In the News April 28, 2020 'War and disease travel together': Why the pandemic push for a global cease-fire is gaining ground Deirdre ShesgreenUSA Today Barry Posen quoted: "The disease caused by the coronavirus is weakening all of the great and middle powers more or less equally," he said. He said with no country likely to gain a meaningful military advantage from the pandemic, "the odds of a war between major powers will go down, not up."