In The News

Saudis' Role in Iraq Insurgency Outlined

Ned Parker July 26, 2007
Despite US government complaints that Syria and Iran help Iraqi insurgents, Saudi Arabia is the largest source of foreign fighters in Iraq. Almost half of foreign fighters come from Saudi Arabia, and fighters from the oil-rich country may have carried out more suicide bombings than those of any other nationality. Some analysts report that Saudi Arabia does not properly patrol its border with Iraq...

In Africa, Mortgages Boost an Emerging Middle Class

Michael M. Phillips July 26, 2007
A growing middle class in Africa requires housing, but political and economic instability often contribute to shortages. The wealthy can pay cash for homes, but financing home purchases is difficult in a country where only 16 percent of the population holds salaried jobs. In Zambia, the Lilayi project tackles the problem with a suburban development, funded by public and private investors, that...

Interrupting a History of Tolerance – Part III

Fahad Nazer July 26, 2007
Any religion with global stature, such as Islam, must accept diversity in terms of culture, beliefs and practices. Tolerance for evolving beliefs demonstrates confidence. This YaleGlobal series explores how external forces encouraged intolerance, such as anti-Semitism, in the Middle East throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. However, Saudi Arabia, as the guardian of holy Islamic sites, had its...

Denmark Secretly Evacuates Iraqi Aides From Basra

Fred Attewill July 24, 2007
Countries with troops in Iraq rely on Iraqis for many essential tasks, from driving to translating. Insurgents often target such Iraqis with violence, accusing them of collaborating with coalition forces. Denmark, which will withdraw troops from Iraq soon, secretly evacuated 200 interpreters from Basra to Denmark, offering them asylum. Since the invasion began in March 2003, millions of Iraqis...

Interrupting a History of Tolerance – Part II

Riaz Hassan July 24, 2007
The roots of anti-Semitism in the Middle East are based not in Islamic traditions, but in practical opposition to external intervention, argues Riaz Hassan, professor of sociology in Australia. The first two articles of this three-part series analyze historical events that allowed anti-Semitism to permeate the Middle East. In the early 20th century, Palestinians fiercely resisted Jewish settlers...

Election Results in Turkey a Snub to the Old Guard

Sabrina Tavernise July 23, 2007
Analysts can parse election results in many ways – old guard versus new approach, military versus non-military, secular versus religious values. In the end, voters overlook symbolism and look for efficiency, solutions to problems and a better way of life. The Justice and Development Party of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan did better than expected in the nation’s parliamentary...

Interrupting a History of Tolerance – Part I

Riaz Hassan July 19, 2007
Anti-Semitic rhetoric, literature and films emerge from modern Middle Eastern society, and yet Arab nations do not have a long history of intolerance. A three-part YaleGlobal series explores the history of anti-Semitism, with the final part analyzing the delicate task underway in Saudi Arabia to change attitudes and end intolerance. In the first part of the series, Riaz Hassan explains how there...