News + Media

	In the News June 28, 2020 Report: Boston minority communities hit hardest by evictions Michael CaseyAP News Justin Steil quoted: “The results are very troubling,” said Justin Steil, an associate professor of law and urban planning at MIT who authored the report with MIT researcher David Robinson. “It suggest that above and beyond income, housing cost measures that race continues to play a significant role in evictions,” he said. “We see white supremacy and anti-blackness functioning in the housing markets as well as other areas of social life.”
	In the News June 26, 2020 China’s military provokes its neighbors, but the message is for the United States Steven Lee MyersThe New York Times M Taylor Fravel quoted: “When China views it is being challenged in these other sovereignty disputes in this era, it will respond with a very tough line. China never had the ability to assert itself in the maritime domain until really in the last 10 or 15 years,” Mr Fravel said, noting the steady buildup of China’s naval and air forces. He added, “That has enabled China to press its claims in the East and South China Sea more than before.”
	Analysis + Opinion June 26, 2020 China’s sovereignty obsession M Taylor FravelForeign Affairs Beijing and New Delhi are now attempting to de-escalate tensions, but they have sent reinforcements to the border and eye each other warily. The series of events that led to the clash seems to have begun with China’s move into a portion of the Galwan Valley, raising questions about Chinese motives. Provoking India could push New Delhi to pursue closer ties with Washington at a time when US-Chinese relations are on a downward spiral.
	In the News June 25, 2020 When culture clashes with Covid-19 MIT News Office To what extent are different responses attributable to the “culture” of each country? And how much have widespread social norms affected the responses of different countries during the Covid-19 pandemic?
	In the News June 24, 2020 India reinforces contested region as China holds ground, sources say French Press Agency (AFP) Vipin Narang quoted: “There may be some short-term public backlash against China in India, but publicly, Pakistan swamps China as a perceived threat,” said Vipin Narang, a security specialist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “The effects of this crisis, even if it slow burns, may be short-lived amongst India's public. And cheap TVs are still cheap TVs.”
	Analysis + Opinion June 23, 2020 Covid-19 news and activities Here you can find a running list of Covid-19 news stories, features, and events that involve members of the CIS community.
	In the News June 23, 2020 India-China standoff: Prof M Taylor Fravel speaks on the false claim of Galwan by China Rahul KanwalIndia Today In this special broadcast of Newstrack, Rahul Kanwal exposes the cartographic aggression of China and speaks with Taylor Fravel on the matter.
	In the News June 22, 2020 India has closed military gap with China along border Pramit Pal ChaudhuriHindustan Times M Taylor Fravel quoted: “China has just over 10 percent of its ground forces [in its western theatre], a very large part of the country, and not even all these troops are focused on India.” But because China does not want to deploy a large fraction of its forces in Tibet or Xinjiang, he added, “I think this disparity in the local balance makes China especially sensitive to changes that improves India’s position.”
	In the News June 21, 2020 Xi plays tough, but can China afford to make an enemy of India? Emma Graham-HarrisonThe Guardian M Taylor Fravel quoted: “I feel it’s generally a response to the pressure Xi feels he is under,” said Fravel. “Because of Covid and the criticism China faced internationally, the economic crisis at home, and the concomitant deterioration of China-US relations, [Beijing] has taken a tough stance on a number of sovereignty issues as a way of signalling that China will not be cowed.”
	In the News June 20, 2020 Modi says China isn’t occupying Indian territory after clash Archana ChaudharyBloomberg Vipin Narang quoted: “The biggest implication is that wherever the Chinese have in fact changed the ground status quo—whether in Galwan Valley or Pangong Tso or elsewhere—is tacitly being accepted by the government as de facto Chinese claims,” said Vipin Narang. “One can litigate whether this is in fact ‘Indian territory,’ but it is tacitly accepting whatever faits accomplis China has undertaken.”