In The News

The Great Squanderer: China’s Scramble for Energy

Wieland Wagner September 18, 2006
Known as the “great factory of the world,” China is on a global hunt for energy, minerals and other natural resources. China accounts for about 10 percent of the world’s energy consumption, and with the world’s larges population, per-capita consumption is expected to increase steadily. Despite the fast growth of its economy, more than 9 percent annually, China does not use energy efficiently,...

Investing in Ethics: The Norwegian Model

Manfred Ertel September 15, 2006
As the world’s third largest oil exporter and a country that prides itself on promoting social justice, Norway has a pension fund of $250 billion, one of the largest in the world. Teams of ethicists investigate firms, when accusations emerge about exploited workers or environmental degradation, and offer advice. The fund, which earned more than 11 percent in 2005, influences corporations to...

Muslims Lash Out at Pope's Remarks

Tracy Wilkinson September 15, 2006
Muslim clerics and leaders have lashed out at criticism from Pope Benedict XVI about Islam and the concept of “jihad.” Some Muslim pundits suggest that the criticism was steeped in arrogance, considering that the Catholic Church sponsored ample bloodshed over the centuries. The Muslim Brotherhood expects an apology, and Pakistan’s parliament passed a resolution condemning the comments. The pope...

Turkey Toughs Out Terror

September 14, 2006
An offshoot of the separatist Kurdish Workers Party in Turkey has reignited its terrorist campaign, with attacks aimed at foreign tourists, designed to hurt Turkey economically. The government in Ankara has tried to address the group’s grievances by improving Kurdish rights, though investment in the impoverished, mostly Kurdish southeastern region of Turkey is lagging. The Turkish government...

Can a White House Visit Shore Up a Sagging US-South Korea Alliance?

Morton Abramowitz September 14, 2006
North Korea is the biggest common problem for both South Korea and the US, but the two presidents do not agree on strategy. As presidents Roh Moo-hyun and George Bush meet on September 14, their conversation could be awkward. Both men are stubborn about how to end the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear program: the Bush administration favors sanctions or even regime change, while Roh insists on...

UN Inspectors Dispute Iran Report by House Panel

Dafna Linzer September 14, 2006
The US continues to clash with international agencies about global threats. United Nations inspectors label a report about Iran nuclear activities from the US House of Representatives as “misleading” and “unsubstantiated.” The report on the Iranian nuclear program also criticizes the work of UN inspectors. Inspectors with the UN International Atomic Energy (IAEA) Agency had similar disagreements...

In Iran, a Surprising, Confounding World

David Ignatius September 13, 2006
The Iranian revolution took place nearly 30 years ago, and since then, Iran has become one of the major drivers of Middle Eastern affairs. The rhetoric and actions of many of its leaders, however, remain mired in the brinksmanship of the revolutionary period. Yet journalist David Ignatius cautions that, despite the international attention bestowed on Iran’s president, the country has no one...