In The News

One Man’s Meat Is Another Man’s Poison

Nayan Chanda April 4, 2013
Advice on recipe substitutions is common in cookbooks, but diners don’t like big surprises. The food scandal in Europe exposed the ease at adding less expensive horse for beef in processed meals and the attraction of low-cost, processed foods for the poor. Europe’s horsemeat scandal won’t “reverse the global supply chain that has evolved over the last decade, bringing in efficiency and expanded...

American Cows Have Indian Origins, Scientists Find

Subodh Varma March 29, 2013
Genetic research is showing that breeds of cows in the Americas, including the Texas Longhorn, are descendants of cows from India, reports Subodh Varma for the Times of India. India has the world’s largest cattle population in the world, followed by Brazil, China and US. The Indian breeds were shipped to East Africa, then to Spain and eventually to the Caribbean, suggests a study from the...

In Mexico, Tweeting on Drug War to Fill the Void of Traditional Media

Justin Ellis March 22, 2013
The drug wars in Mexico have targeted traditional journalists and blocked investigations. But a research study is showing that Twitter users “are spreading the word on shootings, arrests, and clashes between the cartels and police,” reports Justin Ellis for Neiman Journalism Lab. “And, researchers say, they’ve developed a kind of media-esque ecosystem that values traits like sourcing and...

What Americans Ignore About Finland's School Success

Anu Partanen March 19, 2013
Educators around the globe are curious about the consistently high test scores from students in Finland, as measured by OPEC. “Compared with the stereotype of the East Asian model – long hours of exhaustive cramming and rote memorization – Finland's success is especially intriguing because Finnish schools assign less homework and engage children in more creative play,” reports Anu Partenan...

Pope Francis, Known for Simplicity and Conservatism

Anthony Faiola March 14, 2013
Early reports about Pope Francis point to an anti-globalization streak, in that he has spoken out against the “evils of globalization.” But such characterizations center on a narrow definition of globalization, restricting the phenomenon to financial activities. In his first address, Pope Francis asked, “Let us pray for the whole world that there might be a great sense of brotherhood.” The...

The Kafkaesque Reality of Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws

Samira Shackle March 13, 2013
Blasphemy is a serious crime in Pakistan, but the law sets out no guidance, standards on evidence or safeguards against false accusations. As such, the law is subject to great abuse. Witnesses, police and court officials avoid repeating alleged comments, out of fear of attracting new charges. “The blasphemy law has created and facilitated a culture of vigilantism,” writes Samira Shackle in the...

Getting Ready to Print a New Future

Nayan Chanda March 12, 2013
Imaginations of inventors and investors are running wild at the thought of 3D printing technology, printer that can add “layers of microscopic material the way an inkjet printer delivers layers of ink on paper,” suggests Nayan Chanda, YaleGlobal editor, in his column for Businessworld, who adds, “there is no doubt that the technology has the potential to be as disruptive as the steam engine or...