In The News

Chinese Media Star Gives Starbucks a Jolt

Mitchell Landsberg July 19, 2007
When Starbucks coffee shop opened in the Forbidden City seven years ago, China was striving to join the international economic community. Now, the country’s citizens are divided about adopting international trends versus preserving cultural and historical heritage. Rui Chenggang, a television anchor, wrote a blog entry protesting a Starbucks in the Forbidden City, claiming that it “trampled over...

Interrupting a History of Tolerance – Part I

Riaz Hassan July 19, 2007
Anti-Semitic rhetoric, literature and films emerge from modern Middle Eastern society, and yet Arab nations do not have a long history of intolerance. A three-part YaleGlobal series explores the history of anti-Semitism, with the final part analyzing the delicate task underway in Saudi Arabia to change attitudes and end intolerance. In the first part of the series, Riaz Hassan explains how there...

China's Diplomatic Gain Is Taiwan's Loss

Edward Cody July 13, 2007
Taiwan and China compete for diplomatic alliances. Taiwan often finds itself on the losing end of the competition, especially as China becomes more integrated in the global political and economic systems. Costa Rica’s decision to create diplomatic relations with China shocked politicians in Taiwan. Analysts expect other Central American countries, such as Nicaragua, to follow Costa Rica’s lead....

The End of Vaccines?

Laura H. Kahn July 13, 2007
Since the 18th century, vaccines have been hailed as miracle drugs by some and feared by others. Some individuals do have adverse reactions to vaccines, most recently with parents expressing concern that vaccines may have triggered autism in some children. Health concerns and legal cases, particularly over vaccines that once included thimerosal, a mercury-derived preservative, could slow global...

Pakistan's Political Monsoon

Graham Usher July 11, 2007
Cyclones and floods battering southern Pakistan contribute to increased political unrest in the nation. The 2007 monsoon season represents the worst disaster for Pakistan since the October 2005 earthquake. In 2005, Pakistanis united to bring relief to victims and President Pervez Musharraf rallied the world for international support. In contrast, the 2007 disaster reveals the divisions throughout...

European Wine Wars: EU Vintners Turn Up Noses at Wine Reform

July 10, 2007
Europe is the world’s largest producer of wines. But in the EU, wine consumption is decreasing, even as inexpensive imports enter the market. About 15 percent of wine produced in the EU goes unconsumed, and the EU invests hundreds of millions of euros to turn unwanted wine into cheap cleaning products. The European Farm Commissioner proposes saving the EU money by paying farmers to destroy vines...

For Chinese Filmmakers, Success Can Sting

David Barboza July 9, 2007
The world is curious about Chinese culture, and so China's film industry and the government hope to produce blockbuster movies that can be exported around the world. Low-budget Chinese films have long attracted praise from critics, but only small audiences. Instead, foreign films from Hollywood and Hong Kong saturated the domestic movie market. In 2000, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,...