In The News

New Bush Policy Not to Affect Ties with Pakistan

Anwar Iqbal January 24, 2005
In his inauguration speech from last Thursday, President Bush echoed the theme of his first term in linking US foreign policy to the spread of freedom and democracy. Bush spoke forcefully throughout, declaring the end of tyranny to be the ultimate goal of the United States. Despite the tone of the speech, top Bush officials have assured foreign leaders that it marks no change in relations with...

Poverty Breeds Insecurity

January 19, 2005
At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, world leaders placed development at the heart of the global agenda by adopting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which set clear targets for reducing poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and discrimination against women by 2015. To devise a plan for implementation and recommend strategies for developing...

Japan's Nuclear Nightmare

Eric Johnston January 19, 2005
A recent fatal accident in a nuclear power plant in Mihama highlighted many often neglected aspects of nuclear plant safety and power regulation in Japan. Plants are now older and inspections less thorough, as utility companies seek to maximize operations and minimize costs in an age of deregulation. Scandals and accidents throughout Japan's nuclear history have been serious problems that...

What Place for Women?

Mona Makram Ebeid January 14, 2005
Women's participation in politics has increased greatly in the past few decades, as governments, interest groups, and United Nations agencies pushed for various national measures. Even some Arab countries, which generally bear the world's lowest percentages of female representation, have achieved impressive numerical leaps. Behind these improvements are measures such as quotas for women...

Beyond Cheap Labor: Lessons for Developing Economies

Diana Farrell December 21, 2004
The specter of China and it's massive fleet of low-cost laborers haunts developing economies worldwide. However, for middle-income countries, focusing on cheap labor is not the answer for sustained economic growth, according to The McKinsey Quarterly. Using Mexico as a basis for discussion, this report offers alternative strategies for successful competition. More effective routes to...

Uzbekistan's Democratic Smoke Screen

Paula R. Newberg December 20, 2004
Many predict a great victory for populist democracy in the Ukrainian recall elections on December 26th. That same day, writes Paula Newberg, democracy will also suffer a great blow in Uzbekistan's elections. Repression and poverty have stifled the country's economic and political ambitions since the fall of the Soviet Union. And its current president, Islam Karimov, strongly believes...

China Blocks World Meeting on Workers' Rights

Joseph Kahn December 9, 2004
With its low cost environment, especially cheap labor, China has become the world's largest producer of manufactured goods. However, not only NGOs but increasingly foreign governments and business leaders have urged China to do more to protect workers' rights. China only allows government-controlled labor union. Recently Beijing appeared to be listening when Prime Minister Wen Jiabao...