In The News

What Place for Women?

Mona Makram Ebeid January 14, 2005
Women's participation in politics has increased greatly in the past few decades, as governments, interest groups, and United Nations agencies pushed for various national measures. Even some Arab countries, which generally bear the world's lowest percentages of female representation, have achieved impressive numerical leaps. Behind these improvements are measures such as quotas for women...

When Tragedy Trumps Borders

Ramesh Thakur January 10, 2005
The United Nations, throughout its 60 years, has never seen a tragedy on par with the South Asian tsunami. This astonishing display of nature's furor rendered political borders insignificant, and the overwhelmingly sympathetic international response has revealed the strength of global interconnectedness. At the January 6 Jakarta summit, the UN officially assumed the helm of relief effort...

An Imperial Denial

Deepak Lal January 6, 2005
Despite prevalent public discourse, "empire" is not a four-letter word - and it is time for the United States to begin to walk the imperial walk, writes Deepak Lal. In fact, suggests Lal, throughout history, the world has been most stable under the control of empires. The United States, like empires of yore, demonstrates its dominance through unparalleled military and economic...

Is the World Falling Out of Love with US Brands?

Dan Roberts January 5, 2005
A recent marketing survey revealed that 64 of the most significant global brands belong to US companies. But according to this Financial Times piece, American brands may be losing their international dominance. With the unpopular military campaign in Iraq and allegations of human rights abuses, US foreign policy has inspired ire among many of the world's citizens. Now, some experts...

Why the UN Needs International Rescue

David Aaronovitch January 4, 2005
The magnitude and scope of the recent Indian Ocean catastrophe - and likewise, the subsequent relief efforts - are unmatched in world history. And according to The Guardian's David Aaronovitch, the coordination of international aid efforts will be a true test for the United Nations. In the past year, the organization has suffered accusations of irrelevance and corruption, but the aftermath...

Putin's Tragic Gaffes of 2004

Constatine Pleshakov January 4, 2005
In an environment rife with political suspicions, with European and Central Asian nations eying Russia's every move, Russian President Vladimir Putin made several fundamental mistakes, according to this Japan Times commentary. The first fundamental error was the mishandling of the Beslan school hostage tragedy, which resulted in a large number of unnecessary casualties. Putin's...

China's African Safari

Paul Mooney January 3, 2005
Since the 1960s, China has been rather consistent in offering assistance to African countries in agriculture, heavy industries, and infrastructure development. In recent years, Sino-African trade has enjoyed particularly rapid growth. As Paul Mooney reports, many African leaders, regarding China as a reliable friend who has suffered the similar imperialist aggression by Western powers, welcome...