In The News

Harvesting Poverty

November 11, 2003
A rift is splitting the American farm lobby, separating those farmers that can prosper on their own and those that rely on subsidies, this editorial in The New York Times argues. This rupture has been catalyzed by the proposal to cap the amount individual farmers can receive in government aid, a move supported by many smaller farmers but feared by their larger counterparts. Currently, the...

A Bloodied Kingdom

November 10, 2003
Saudi Arabia has come under attack from both Al Qaeda and the US: one accuses it of being too liberal and subject to Western influences, while the other is demanding faster liberal-democratic reform and wants less promotion of strict Islamic teachings. These demands may come to a head in the aftermath of the November 9th terrorist bombing that killed only Muslims – including children – and...

The Reformers Must Always Go

Kristina Merkner November 7, 2003
At the general assembly of the Club of Madrid, a group of former heads of state and government officials, former Polish President Hanna Suchocka expressed optimism about Poland's accession to the European Union (EU) in 2004. While excited about Poland's new membership in the EU, Ms. Suchocka was aware of the potential problems that might arise once the country's 10-year old market...

President Bush Discusses Freedom in Iraq and Middle East

George W. Bush November 6, 2003
President Bush challenged Middle Eastern countries – allies and enemies alike – to embrace democracy and recognize the fall of Saddam Hussein as "a watershed event in the global democratic revolution." In a speech given in honor of the 20th anniversary of the National Endowment for Democracy, Bush aligned his administration's intentions in Iraq with efforts to establish democracy...

Yukos Names Kukes as New CEO

Arkady Ostrovsky November 4, 2003
An American citizen, Simon Kukes, was named the new chief CEO of the Russian oil company, Yukos, after his predecessor was arrested on charges of tax evasion, embezzlement, and theft. When the Yukos scandal first broke, foreign investors became wary that Russia would begin rolling back privatization measures made during the 1990s. To ease such concerns, the Kremlin has reiterated its commitment...

Virus Ship Row as Spain Closes Gibraltar Border

Simon Jeffery November 3, 2003
Passengers on the British cruise ship the Aurora were hit by a virus that causes diarrhea and vomiting. The ship, coming from Greece, docked in Gibraltar at the onset of the virus. Spain, fearing a spread of the infection, then closed its borders. The British government describes Spain's decision as "unnecessary and disproportionate." Gibraltar, long a point of contention between...

A Chinese Lesson for the US: How to Charm South-east Asia

Evelyn Goh October 31, 2003
When the Presidents of both America and China visited individual countries in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) recently, they seemed to have brought with them two different sets of agendas. According to this article in Singapore's Straits Times, while Hu Jintao, the Chinese president, spent his time "touring a market place", US President George W. Bush was "...