In The News

From Boston to Chechnya to Moscow: Chain of Terror Unites US and Russia

April 19, 2013
As the police continue to hunt for a suspect in the Boston marathon bombing, the long-running battle of Muslim Chechens in Russia has reemerged into focus. The US and Russia are in complete agreement on at least one foreign-policy issue, a desire to prevent and combat Islamic extremism, and reports that two suspects in the Boston marathon bombing are brothers of Chechen background will prompt...

China Targets Greenland for Mining

Will Hickey April 18, 2013
Tight profit margins in the mining industry – along with consolidation among large multinationals, huge capital investments, high-tech automation and rigid equipment maintenance contracts – have reduced job creation for nations with natural resources. Greenland, with 57,000 citizens, mostly indigenous, has vast deposits of minerals. A logical move would be for Greenlanders to rely on Danish...

Of the Party, For the Party

Nayan Chanda April 17, 2013
China’s new leadership has emphasized political reform in early speeches, but went one step further, promising “self-imposed revolution.” President Xi Jinping and other leaders have pledged “to fight red tape, conspicuous consumption by officials and … corruption,” reports Nayan Chanda in his column for Businessworld. “Not only will the size of the government be reduced, but ostentatious...

UN Passes Landmark Arms Treaty

Andre de Nesnera April 15, 2013
The United Nations has approved a landmark treaty that sets international standards for trade in conventional weapons, by a vote of 154 to 3, with 23 abstentions. Big traders in arms including the US, Russia, China and India participated in the seven years of negotiations, reports Andre de Nesnera for Voice of America. The treaty establishes international standards and annual reporting on weapons...

Pyongyang Declares New State of War

Nayan Chanda April 15, 2013
Chinese leader Xi Jinping did not name names when he said that no country "should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gain.” Many in the West took the comment as criticism of North Korea. But China’s state media have quoted Chinese academics who retorted that the comment also refers to the United States and Japan, reports Nayan Chanda, YaleGlobal’s...

Brazil and the US – Not on Same Page

Alistair Burnett April 12, 2013
The US is reported to be planning a state visit for Brazil’s president, the first of a Brazilian leader in two decades. The two largest democracies in the Western Hemisphere have much in common, yet are often at odds. The US has the world’s largest military, Brazil’s ranks 10th; the US has the world’s largest economy, Brazil ranks sixth. Some in the US are surprised by the notion that its...

US Moves Toward Teaching Climate Change; Britain Does Opposite

Christoper F. Schuetze April 12, 2013
Guidelines for US science educators in at least 40 states will emphasize climate change and the human contribution in middle school and high school. Political opposition to the notion of human influence over a warming climate is intense in the US. In the United Kingdom, administrators have urged educators to avoid the topic for students under age 14, and top scientists even suggest that students...