In The News

Beware the Internet's Looming Class Divide

Johann Hari February 1, 2008
Instant knowledge and connections via the internet can allow individuals to make better decisions in almost any sphere. “It is increasingly clear that the internet is going to be a transformative moment in human history as significant as the printing press,” writes columnist Johann Hari for the Independent. While the internet allows for interaction, a researcher warns that the tool – relatively...

China Hits Out at Attempts to Politicize Olympics

Jonathan Watts January 31, 2008
Cities compete fiercely for the opportunity to host the Olympics and display their culture and sporting venues under a global spotlight. As Beijing prepares to host the 2008 Olympics, protesters also plan ways to call attention to a range of problems, including genocide in Darfur, repression in China and independence for Taiwan. "No country in the world will compromise its core interests to...

His Faith, Our Faith

Ramachandra Guha January 30, 2008
Mahatma Ghandi’s model of non-violent political and social activism offered a new paradigm for world politics, a way for ordinary and oppressed people to join together in convincing powerful nations to change callous ways. Historian Ramachandra Guha questions whether Ghandi’s essential message can be separated from his religious beliefs. He writes in the Hindustan Times, “The distinctiveness of...

Hollywood Still Seduces the World

Ioannis Gatsiounis January 28, 2008
Resentment against the US may be at an all-time high, but that hasn’t influenced foreign appreciation for Hollywood films. Trade liberalization, shrewd marketing, foreign partnerships as well as international settings and stars contribute to increasing foreign box-office sales, suggests Ioannis Gatsiounis, a writer based in Malaysia. Special-effects technology boosts foreign sales for all-...

“Ancient Civilization . . . Broken to Pieces”

Alexandra Zavis January 25, 2008
Iraq is dotted with archaeological sites containing the remains of Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Islamic and other civilizations. The sites have long been subject to theft, but with chaos following the 2003 invasion, sites and museums were openly plundered. Sold on global markets are “coins, jewelry and fragile clay tablets etched in wedge-like cuneiform script, recording myths, decrees,...

China's Celebrities “Buy” Extra Children

Tania Branigan January 22, 2008
China, the most populous nation in the world, has a strict policy limiting families to one child. But growing numbers of wealthy Chinese bypass rules by paying the penalties. The penalty in the capital city is estimated at five times the average Beijing salary, a sum inconsequential for the rich and devastating for the poor. Bitterness over inequality has emerged in a country that remains...

Virus On Jet Plane

Nayan Chanda January 22, 2008
The speed and frequency of today’s travel has placed individuals at risk to the spread of many infectious diseases. As Nayan Chanda points out, governments facing these challenges should be more vigilant than ever to avoid future epidemics. Full cooperation with the WHO must also be achieved. In an interconnected world, it is important everyone recognizes that our health and well-being is...