In The News

Brazil: Free Software's Biggest and Best Friend

Todd Benson March 29, 2005
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has surprised many of his conservative critics by adopting some of the free-market policies that he once opposed. But foreign business leaders – especially those at Microsoft – have been less pleased with da Silva's support for free software. Under the President's orders, all government agencies must gradually shift from Microsoft's...

North Ugandan Conflict, Forgotten But Still Deadly

Katherine Southwick March 9, 2005
From Sudan to Congo to Côte d'Ivoire to Rwanda, the African continent seems plagued with humanitarian crises. Some of these situations have received international attention – though often times, too late. Others have been virtually ignored. Such is the case with Northern Uganda, home to one of Africa's longest and most brutal civil wars. As Katherine Southwick reports, the anti-...

Crafting Intelligence: Iraq, North Korea, and the Road to War

Selig Harrison March 8, 2005
As the North Korea nuclear problem continues to unfold, the need for credible intelligence becomes even more urgent. And to avoid another Iraq-type situation – an overextended US military, thousands of deaths, transatlantic ill will – the American public should be wary of the Bush administration's use of intelligence, writes Selig Harrison. According to Harrison, the administration...

A Pageant with a Purpose

Simon Robinson February 28, 2005
Last week, Botswana played host to a unique type of beauty pageant. Twelve competitors from around the nation danced, smiled, and glamorized in the 5th annual Miss HIV Stigma Free Pageant, designed to showcase the fact that even with the AIDS virus, life goes on. Botswana, regarded as one of the most progressive African nations in its handling of the AIDS crisis, views the culture of shame and...

India's City of Contrasts May Really Need Two Names

Anand Giridharadas February 28, 2005
Ten years ago, in seeking to escape its colonial legacy, India's wealthiest state re-named its flagship city, and Bombay became Mumbai. To this day, however, there is still confusion over what to call the city; the Times of India writes "Mumbai" on front-page news, but calls its entertainment insert the Bombay Times. Increasingly – and much to the confusion of outsiders – the...

Iranian Cleric Blogs for Free Expression

Reuters February 16, 2005
Mohammad Ali Abtahi, like so many politically conscious world citizens today, writes an internet web log, or "blog." Abtahi's story seems ordinary – except that he is an Iranian presidential adviser and a Muslim cleric. This revolutionary action, undertaken by a very senior member of the Iranian government, is aimed at promoting an open discourse for expression, political or...

Iraqi Elections: Not Yet Historic

Rami G. Khouri February 2, 2005
Sunday's elections in Iraq were an unprecedented step towards self-rule for a nation that had long suffered under autocracy. While the vote was certainly historical, it by no means assures the birth of a genuine democracy. Whether this moment becomes historic – producing lasting, meaningful change – or descends into chaos depends on the events of the coming months and years, says Rami G....