In The News

Safe Landing

Mostafa Al-Labbad October 31, 2003
Iran's decision to allow UN inspectors un-announced entry to its nuclear facilities was a shrewd diplomatic move, says this article in Egypt's Al-Ahram Weekly. By first threatening to disengage from international discussions altogether, then slowly taking steps to permit more monitoring of its program, the author says, Tehran was demonstrating to the Bush administration in Washington...

Putin Appeals for Calm as Russian Bourses Dive

October 27, 2003
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the head of Russia's largest oil and gas company, Yukos, was arrested over the weekend for corruption and tax evasion. In response, Russia's stock market, the MICEX, dove 12% on Monday, reflecting the jitters felt by Russia's business leaders. The development of Russia into a privatized, capitalist economy after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 has long...

Coming Clean or Playing for Time?

October 23, 2003
Iran will allow a tougher UN nuclear inspection regime to confirm that it is not attempting to build nuclear weapons. Issuing a declaration that Iran says outlines all of its nuclear activities, the country aims to fend off economic sanctions promoted by the United States. Skeptics argue, however, that Iran is only buying time with an extraordinarily vague and voluntary agreement. In fact, says...

Coming Clean or Playing for Time?

October 23, 2003
Iran will allow a tougher UN nuclear inspection regime to confirm that it is not attempting to build nuclear weapons. Issuing a declaration that Iran says outlines all of its nuclear activities, the country aims to fend off economic sanctions promoted by the United States. Skeptics argue, however, that Iran is only buying time with an extraordinarily vague and voluntary agreement. In fact, says...

Bolivia's Poor Proclaim Abiding Distrust of Globalization

Larry Rohter October 17, 2003
In a civil conflict that has already left more than 80 Bolivians dead this month, protestors have turned the issue of natural gas export through Chile to the United States into an indictment of globalization. Calling for the resignation of President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, demonstrators are sending a powerful message – a resounding "no to the export of gas and other natural resources; no...

Unnatural Disasters

Andrew Simms October 15, 2003
In less than fifty years, there could be 150 million refugees fleeing environmental disaster, says this article in the UK's Guardian. Already outnumbering political refugees, environmental refugees are still not afforded the attention their plight demands. Oftentimes it is the countries least responsible for global environmental change that are most affected and least capable of dealing...

Measure Would Alter Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy

R. Jeffrey Smith October 4, 2003
In an effort to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, the US has made an effort to reduce global trade in bomb-grade uranium, which is often used for medical isotope production. In recent years, Washington has required isotope-producing firms to move towards use of low-enriched uranium, which has less destructive capabilities. But a provision in an energy bill currently under consideration by the...