In The News

Nepal’s Kingdom of Discontent

Jo Johnson February 2, 2006
Since King Gyanendra seized absolute power in Nepal last February, civil war has paralyzed the country, with palace forces battling the radical Maoists abated only by the Maoists’ recent unilateral ceasefire. Appearing on the scene as rural-based insurgents, the Maoists alone lack mainstream legitimacy as a viable alternative to the monarchy. But after a landmark meeting with eight opposition...

Poor Nations Complain Not All Charity Reaches Victims

Stephanie Strom February 1, 2006
Aby Ibrahim Niger’s health minister late last year voiced dissatisfaction with international aid groups. Now other poor nations and those affected by disaster are also expressing mistrust about NGO reliability - how money is raised versus how it is spent. Leaders, including those from Indonesia and Sri Lanka, charge that NGOs rely on specific crises to collect funds and then spend the money...

Despite TV Appearances, Al Qaeda Is Not Winning the War

Fawaz A. Gerges January 31, 2006
In his latest videotape, Ayman al-Zawahiri, deputy to Osama bin Laden, postures that Al Qaeda is at full force. While many Muslims find Al Qaeda’s grievances against the US foreign policy compelling, few endorse terrorism or line up for martyrdom. Instead, Osama bin Laden’s warriors are increasingly at odds with the “Umma,” or the international Muslim community they seek to represent, as well as...

In Threat to Internet’s Clout, Some Are Starting Alternatives

Christopher Rhoads January 31, 2006
Since the advent of the commercial internet more than a decade ago, the US has overseen the administration of that global resource. Now, however, alternatives to the internet are emerging in other nations—a development that is in part a reaction to US control. As other nations push for a greater say in how the internet is run, competing networks start up for political, business, and cultural...

Rock of Agents

Nick Paton Walsh January 30, 2006
The recent spying spat between the UK and Russia has injured more than British pride. Russian officials allege that an NGO-liaison at the UK’s embassy in Moscow maintained links with the British intelligence agency MI6, conducting espionage. The timing is troubling: The revelation not only adds substance to ongoing Russian accusations of Western spying involved in NGO activities, but offers...

No Single Recipe for Facing Challenges of Globalization

Takashi Kitazume January 28, 2006
Though it still makes headlines, outsourcing may be going out of style. At a recent Tokyo symposium held in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute for Technology, a bevy of economists assessed the costs of outsourcing for companies. Announcing the findings of a five-year study of more than 500 firms, MIT economist Suzanne Berger suggested that a range of strategies can lead to success...

No Booze or Jokes for Googlers in China

Declan McCullagh January 27, 2006
By launching its search engine in China and following Chinese government censorship laws, Google has sparked controversy. But the controls seem more haphazard than just dictated by political consideration, according to a CNET News.com survey of the new search engine. Sites opposing the Communist government do not show up in Google searches, but can be reached through links and foreign-service...