In The News

Sizzling Economy Revitalizes India

Amy Waldman October 20, 2003
For young urban Indians, there seems to be no better way to celebrate Gandhi's birthday than going to the mall. The Indian middle class is spending money like never before – and now they have a lot more to spend. This year's visible economic confidence is partly a result of the political decision in the early 1990s to open up the Indian economy to increased foreign trade and...

Courageous Arab Thinkers

Thomas L. Friedman October 19, 2003
Can the Arab countries – long dependent on their abundant oil resources for their incomes – be convinced that development and growth is actually dependent on democracy and open societies? A group of Arab scholars are aiming to do just that by publishing their second "Arab Development Report", which analyzes the economic stagnation of the Middle East in light of the UN's "...

Cross and Headscarf

Fritz Friedebold October 17, 2003
"Muslim teachers are not suited to working in German schools if they insist on wearing a headscarf during class," says the German Protestant Church. Even though it understands that one day this stance could be extended to ban the cross in German schools and public offices, the Church argues that there should not be a ban but merely a limit on the donning of religious symbols by civil...

Canadian Film Industry Worries

Richard Blackwell October 9, 2003
With Arnold Schwarzenegger acting as California’s new governor, Canada is worried the superstar will flex his political muscles to keep movie productions in his home state. Schwarzenegger has often bragged that he shifted filming of Terminator 3 back to California from Vancouver, and Canadian producers worry he will create incentives and use his star power to encourage other productions to...

'North Korea is a Symptom of a Larger Problem'

October 8, 2003
While terrorism continues to preoccupy Western countries, some security thinkers worry about the disintegration of the non-proliferation regime. North Korea has withdrawn from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and Iran may follow suit. In an interview with YaleGlobal Editor Nayan Chanda, President of the International Crisis Group and former Foreign Minister of Australia Gareth Evans...

Sushi Rice, California's New Gold Rush

Kay Rentschler October 8, 2003
California is joining the ranks of world class rice producers. Though southern growers have long monopolized the U.S.’s domestic rice industry, California has become second only to Thailand in exports of premium rice. Sacramento Valley is one of only three microclimates in the world, including Japan and Australia, where the high-quality, small grain japonica rice flourishes. This rice...

Teenage Generation Is Biggest Ever

Shaoni Bhattacharya October 8, 2003
With 20 per cent of the world's population aged between ten and nineteen, Planet Earth's demography is witnessing the largest youth group ever. According to a new report from the UN Population Fund, about half of the world's population is now under the age of 25. This adolescent surge is posing an "economic opportunity" for countries, especially those in the developing...