In The News

Gordon Smith July 18, 2008
The G8 meetings may soon be in flux as new countries enter the talks or some are excluded. There are many possible options for future G8 meetings. Certain countries can be dropped to make room for others. Another possibility is that membership will be expanded to include the Outreach 5 countries- Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa. Either way, Canada, as a leader in building...
William Holstein July 17, 2008
Businesses juggle the challenges and rewards of globalization every day – but the process of interaction remains largely a mystery. During the Cold War, globalization had ideological connotations, as it was often viewed as just westernization. Now the term is source of anger and confusion as its consequences are more uncertain. The next US president must define globalization for US citizens and...
John M. Broder July 14, 2008
In 1973, toward the end of the Vietnam War, US Congress passed the War Powers Resolution, setting out guidelines for presidents in committing American troops to international conflicts. A yearlong study by a bipartisan group was led by Warren Christopher and James A. Baker III, both former secretaries of state. They conclude that the 1973 law is “ineffective at best and unconstitutional at worst...
Geoffrey A. Fowler July 11, 2008
The practice of law in China has been somewhat problematic, especially when legal goals interfered with politics. Until recently, the police listened to conversations between lawyers and clients, and lawyers could be jailed for pursuing cases with political ramifications. But with the help of television, the internet and handbooks, average citizens in China are learning about their potential...
Kang Yi July 11, 2008
Chinese workers could soon receive a pay raise. To combat rising prices for food, energy and other basic goods, the government mulls proposals to address income inequality. Guidelines for salary reform mostly target private companies, report a team of authors for the Economic Observer Online, "as most of the low pay and low growth rate in salaries occurred in the private sector, especially...
Michael A. Fletcher July 10, 2008
As globalization continues to connect distant places of the globe together, many citizens, even those in wealthy nations, face the consequences of “severe economic swings.” Disturbances in the economy resulting from intense competition come in many forms, including food shortages, rising income inequality or steadily increasing fuel prices. According to separate reports from the United Nations...
Moisés Naím July 10, 2008
Food prices have doubled during the past two years, and Moisés Naím of Foreign Policy observes that politicians, journalists and economists often blame the recent hikes on growing demand by rising middle classes in the developing world. But Naím cautions against blaming people in India and China for wanting what’s routine in the wealthiest nations. Instead, government leaders have only...