In The News

Ocean Explorers Plant Russian Flag on Arctic Sea Floor

Randy Boswell August 3, 2007
Canada, Russia, the US, Norway and Denmark all have some overlapping claims throughout the Arctic, each hoping to secure a big share of the rich oil, gas and mineral reserves believed to rest under the ice. “Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a country can secure rights to seabed territory reaching far beyond the 200-mile limit if it can prove that a portion of the ocean...

Russia Plants Arctic Flag

Randy Boswell August 3, 2007
Canada, Russia, the US, Norway and Denmark all have some overlapping claims throughout the Arctic, each hoping to secure a big share of the rich oil, gas and mineral reserves believed to rest under the ice. “Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a country can secure rights to seabed territory reaching far beyond the 200-mile limit if it can prove that a portion of the ocean...

The US and India: Nuclear Bonding

Nayan Chanda August 2, 2007
The leaders of India and the US reached an agreement on civilian nuclear cooperation, marking a major strategic shift in US policy. The deal still requires approval from the US Congress, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the international Nuclear Suppliers Group. The Bush administration has often resisted constraints of international agreements, and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of...

Japan's Nuclear Accident Should Prompt Review

July 21, 2007
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake damaged a Japanese nuclear power plant, and reports of leaks could slow the rush to develop nuclear-power sources around the world. Many governments plan some nuclear capability as a substitute for declining oil supplies. “Accidents of the kind that occurred in Japan are all too likely to take place in Iran, which has seen seven major earthquakes in as many years and is...

Nuclear Friends in Need

Teresita C. Schaffer July 12, 2007
India and the US continue to struggle over how to implement a landmark nuclear pact. Agreed to by leaders in 2006, the deal would allow the US to sell nuclear fuel and technology to India for its civilian program and end India’s status as a “nuclear outlaw,” explains Teresita Schaffer, director of the South Asia Program with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. But some tricky...

Russia Puts Energy Importers Over a Barrel

Michael Richardson July 10, 2007
Russia, the world’s second largest oil exporter and leading exporter of natural gas, has traditionally targeted most of its sales to Europe. But demand for energy products is rising fast in India and China. Hoping to gain both economically and politically, Russia is poised to sell more energy products to Asia. China is the largest potential market, but Russia also targets Japan, South Korea and...

At IBM, A Smarter Way to Outsource

Steve Lohr July 5, 2007
As information-technology jobs are outsourced, companies like IBM adapt by doing more complicated and personalized jobs for clients. In the process, the IBM team determines exactly what should and shouldn't be outsourced. For example, IBM works with a Texas utility company, CenterPoint Energy, on a “smart grid” project to improve service and save energy. IBM divides the tasks into those...