In The News

Lies, Grief and a Ticket Home for Illegal Indian Migrants

Caroline Brothers April 12, 2007
Enduring hardship and abuse, the poor journey toward high paying jobs of Europe. A new route for Asians is through the Middle East to North Africa, then Spain. But the very length of the journey poses great risk: Migrants – many illiterate – risk life savings and remain vulnerable to trickery or attack at any point along the way. Once on their way, the migrants have no choice but to pack onboard...

Peaceful Resolution of the Iran-UK Crisis: Could It Be a Precedent?

Dilip Hiro April 9, 2007
The UK and Iran scored a mutual diplomatic victory, after negotiating the release of 15 British naval personnel from detention in Tehran. Although the precise details of the negotiations between Britain and Iran remain unclear, the peaceful conclusion to the crisis suggests that direct talks between disputing countries is the best way to resolve contentious issues. To avoid escalation, the Blair...

The Trouble with Japanese Nationalism

Francis Fukuyama March 30, 2007
The US has supported the rearmament of Japan since the end of the Cold War, but Washington is becoming trapped in an increasingly difficult position behind the overt nationalism of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi. Throughout his five years in office, Koizumi sparked fierce antagonism in China and South Korea with annual visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where some...

Prime Minister Abe’s New Clothes

Alexis Dudden March 28, 2007
If the history of the world is the world’s court of justice, as 18th century historian Friedrich von Schiller suggested, then attempts to bury or deny unpleasant episodes can only fail. Since 1993, Japanese leaders have agreed to the Kono Statement, admitting that its military had forced women to serve as sexual slaves before and during World War II. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, in his post just...

Does the Prospect of Arranged Marriage and Abuse Warrant Asylum in the US?

Warren Richey March 26, 2007
The world has many policies on marriage: Some nations allow multiple spouses, some permit marriages among teenagers or same-sex partners, and others assign more power to one gender or the other. The Bush administration has asked the US Supreme Court to examine the case of a woman who left China and convinced a federal appeals court that deportation would mean she would face her husband’s wrath....

The Secret World of Modern Slavery

Michael Smith March 14, 2007
Some jobs trap desperate workers into circumstances that are impossible to escape. At that point, the work is no longer a job but slavery. An example are the men who shovel hardwood into kilns to make charcoal for the Brazilian pig-iron industry, used for sinks, cars, refrigerators and other conveniences for wealthier consumers throughout the Americas. The US has laws against importing products...

Attack of the Zombie Computers Is Growing Threat

John Markoff January 12, 2007
Everyday, computer users at home and work receive dozens, even hundreds, of messages that range from the threatening to the nonsensical. Skilled hackers can secretly install programs on personal computers, banding them together to reproduce more unwanted messages. A recent menace is stock tips: Computers pass along free tips on penny stocks; then the ringleader, who has already purchased shares,...