In The News

Social Change in Qatar, One Degree at a Time

Otto Pohl March 24, 2005
Qatar is not known for being a liberal democratic country – indeed, there is little room for political dissent. Surprisingly though, this small Middle East country is pushing through one of the world's most revolutionary experiments in higher education. With increasing security restrictions limiting access for foreign students to attend top US universities, Qatar has decided to import...

Poverty – Not Ideology – Must be World Bank's Focus

David Dickson March 24, 2005
When Bush administration-favorite Paul Wolfowitz was nominated last week to head the World Bank, much of the international community recoiled in shock. Many critics fear Wolfowitz's lack of economics credentials and his ideologically charged reputation make the neo-conservative unfit to head the World Bank. Yet David Dickson argues that Wolfowitz can prove the world wrong for crying, "...

Is the Turmoil Good or Bad for Israel?

March 23, 2005
Israel's relations with its Middle-Eastern neighbors are constantly shifting and heavily determined by the Palestinian situation. The recent ceasefire and planned Israeli withdrawal from Gaza have led to a similar thaw with other countries in the region. Egypt has seized the chance to assist Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and intends to strengthen economic ties with Israel. And while...

Cheap AIDS Drugs Under Threat

Randeep Ramesh March 23, 2005
Recent legislation passed by the Indian government will hamper the ability of poorer nations and individuals to treat the HIV virus. In order to comply with the World Trade Organization's patent licensing policies, India has criminalized the copying of patented drugs, which include the antiretroviral drugs used to treat AIDS. India's generic pharmaceuticals have treated almost half the...

Japan-South Korea Ties Take Turn for Worse

Kakumi Kobayashi March 23, 2005
Two recent diplomatic snafus by Japan have resulted in a flaring up of tensions with South Korea. The first is a prefectural government proclamation of a Japanese commemorative day on Takeshima, an uninhabited island in the Sea of Japan that both countries claim. The other is the proposed publication of a Japanese history book which paints Japan’s period of colonial rule over South Korea in...

Old Threats, New Opportunities in Tsunami's Wake

Christopher Jasparro March 23, 2005
The Aceh region of Indonesia, among the hardest hit in last year's tsunami disaster, could be a strategic center in Indonesia's battle with terror – and in the larger struggle for security in Southeast Asia, writes Christopher Jasparro. Several groups with differing political aims – Islamic militants, Acehnese separatists, the Indonesian army, and international relief groups – find...

Off to Algeria

Dina Ezzat March 22, 2005
The Arab League will convene in Algeria this week to mark its sixtieth anniversary and develop a common stance on the Syria-Lebanon conflict and other regional problems. Or so the organizers hope. In fact, representatives from the 22 member states disagree on a number of key issues, making consensus unlikely. Although Arab nations are united in supporting Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, each has...