In The News

MTV Arabia Beams “Bling” to Gulf

Simeon Kerr November 30, 2007
“Respect and reflect, that has been our mantra from day one,” repeats Bill Roedy, vice-chairman of MTV Networks, as he prepares for the launch of the network’s 60th channel. In partnership with the Dubai-based Arab Media Group, the programming will serve the Gulf region and reach an estimated 190 million young Arabs. Youth in the Middle East are caught between the extreme opulence of cities like...

“Russia Has Discredited Itself in the Eyes of the World”

Naomi Buck November 29, 2007
The Kremlin has assumed a two-pronged approach toward December 2 parliamentary elections: arresting opposition figures and banning international observers. This has culminated in violence and mass detentions in several cities, with police crushing demonstrations by opposition parties. The Kremlin-backed United Russia party is expected to select Putin as president, through May 2008 when term...

The Battle of Beijing

Moisés Naím November 26, 2007
China is intent on using the 2008 Olympics as a stage to display the strength of its culture, organized political system and rising economic power. Activists on a range of issues, particularly human rights, are equally earnest, planning to use the Olympics as a platform for exposing flaws of China’s one-party authoritarian regime. State-of-the-art technology common among tourists – including cell...

Let's Face the New “Core Facts”

Roger Cohen November 15, 2007
The United States attempts to exercise global leadership in a world that has changed dramatically in recent years. With the spread of new technologies to developing nations has come an explosion of information from sources other than Voice of America. With such a wide range of options and rapidly growing anti-Americanism, disaffected people in the Middle East and elsewhere see little reason to...

Dialogue of Democracy: Indian Muslims Visit Israel

Tufail Ahmad November 7, 2007
Many Muslim nations, including Indonesia, Bangladesh and Malaysia, decline diplomatic relations with Israel, and the president of Iran has gone so far as to call for eradication of Israel. Yet refusing to meet with an opponent is not statesmanship. Last August, a visit of Indian Muslims to Israel was the first of its kind, meant to nurture a connection based on democracy. Muslims in India have...

China Takes Tough Line on Olympic Protests

Jonathan Watts November 2, 2007
World attention will focus on Beijing with the 2008 Olympics, and China anticipates activists to use the event to draw attention to a variety of causes. The country intends to uphold anti-protest laws and stop advocates from taking the spotlight away from athletic events and the host nation. Backed by a UN resolution supporting action to “observe and promote peace” at the Olympics, China could...

Far-Right Swiss Party Divides Nation on Immigrant Issue

Elaine Sciolino October 17, 2007
With Swiss elections on the horizon, the campaign of the country’s strongest party, the Swiss People’s Party, or SVP, has turned alarmingly xenophobic. The SVP campaign has featured posters, films and speeches attesting to its staunch stance against the immigrant population. SVP offers a vision of foreigners as the “hell” that invades “heavenly” Switzerland, and the party supports the deportation...