In The News

Beijing and Taiwan Try Their Hand at Détente

Sandra Schulz July 28, 2008
After the Communist Party took control of China in 1949, opponents fled to the island of Taiwan, dreamed of someday resuming control of China, set up a government that transformed from dictatorship to democracy, and established a solid and wealthy economy. Years of strict separation, suspicion and military tension followed, and the Communist government in China has since maintained that that...

Climate Change and Tourism’s Winners and Losers

Eric Heymann May 2, 2008
Tourism is a major source of revenue and employment, particularly for the developing nations of the world. Historic monuments, sandy beaches, snow-covered mountains and tropical vegetation attract millions of tourists from rich countries seeking novelty and adventure while bringing in precious revenue. Well, all that may be changing. A major challenge awaiting the growing industry is climate...

The Stay-At-Home Vacation

Hannah Karp January 28, 2008
With the public increasingly aware about the dangers of global warming, some consumers swear off travel. For most Americans, annual commuting to work produces more carbon emissions than limited air travel. But air travel is rapid and relatively inexpensive, and a passenger’s share of carbon emitted during a couple of long-distance flights quickly exceeds the typical annual commute by car. So...

After Bhutto, Pakistan on Edge

Ahmed Rashid January 1, 2008
Pakistan grieves the sudden, yet foreseen death of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, a courageous woman who threatened the status quo. Urged by the US, Bhutto agreed to a power-sharing deal with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, if both won election. She vowed to end appeasement of extremists and cooperate with the US in pursuing all sources of terrorism, in and out of Pakistan. She...

The Battle of Beijing

Moisés Naím November 26, 2007
China is intent on using the 2008 Olympics as a stage to display the strength of its culture, organized political system and rising economic power. Activists on a range of issues, particularly human rights, are equally earnest, planning to use the Olympics as a platform for exposing flaws of China’s one-party authoritarian regime. State-of-the-art technology common among tourists – including cell...

Vive La Vélorution

Manfred Dworschak November 13, 2007
Confronting astronomical gas costs and clogged city arteries, urban residents find a new way to get around. In exchange for little to no fee, they can temporarily rent a bicycle from stations scattered throughout the city and leave them at the destination. The system is wildly popular: For the rental program's first three months in Paris, Vélib provided more than six million rides. Cities...

In Greenland, Potatoes Thrive as Seal Hunting Wanes

Colin Woodard October 8, 2007
Rising average temperatures may transform life for millions over the coming decades, and dramatic changes in Greenland, near the Arctic Circle, could foreshadow some of the turmoil for the rest of the world. For centuries, the island's residents lived off ice fishing and seal hunting, accessing resources by dog sledding across the frozen sea. Today, however, climate change has thinned the...