BEIJING — An international tribunal in The Hague delivered a sweeping rebuke on Tuesday of China’s behavior in the South China Sea, including the construction of artificial islands, and found that its expansive claim to sovereignty over the waters had no legal basis. [Ane Perlez| July 12, 2016 | The New York Times]  The tribunal also said that…

Statement of Lori Wallach, Director, Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch The Democratic Party has repeatedly rejected requests that it support the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — on the floor of Congress, among the base and, now, in the party platform. Both Democratic presidential candidates have clearly stated their opposition to the TPP as have the vast…

The Republican Party appears to be taking some of the bite out of Donald Trump’s fiercest trade criticism, crafting a platform closer to its traditional trade views but taking a neutral position on President Barack Obama’s signature trade achievement, the TPP. [Megan Cassella| July 12, 2016 | Politico]  “It’s always better to have calm words…