In The News

Multipolar Disorder

Timothy Garton Ash July 24, 2006
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US took on the role of world’s supreme power. In retrospect, the moment was brief. As the world’s leading power, the US invaded Iraq – and the notion of a world guided by the might and morals of a single nation unraveled. Attempts to manage conflicts such as the current explosion between Israel and Lebanon face a labyrinth of cause-and-effect...

The Village That Refused to Die

Jonathan Watts July 19, 2006
Hydro-engineers making their way to the Chezhou village in rural China didn’t expect a warm welcome, but never imagined they would be held hostage by villagers angry about the construction of a dam that will force them to abandon their homeland. The government has proposed a dam for one of China’s most ecologically diverse and beautiful areas – the Tiger Leaping Gorge. While villagers have staged...

Heartland Farmers Visit West Africa

Laura Rusu July 18, 2006
A group of US farmers traveled to the West African country of Mali to witness the struggles of farmers that contend with drought, poverty and unfair competition from the world’s wealthiest countries. US farmers and relief agency Oxfam America took the trip to coincide with the latest session of Doha talks – and plan to continue speaking out against unfair policies in developed nations that reward...

Unlike General Motors and Delphi, Most of America's Manufacturers Are Thriving

July 14, 2006
Well-publicized woes of companies like General Motors could give the impression that all US manufacturing is struggling. Predictions that manufacturing would suffer setbacks after the IT boom played itself out several years ago failed to materialize. US manufacturers have been innovative in charting many areas for increasing productivity, not simply coasting on the momentum of the boom. Profits...

The Death of Doha Signals the Demise of Globalization

Martin Jacques July 13, 2006
The deadlock at the Doha round signals the end of an era. The past 25 years of globalization coincided with the promotion of multilateral trade, but now both the developing and developed nations turn their interests elsewhere. As the US and other developed countries slide toward protectionism, developing countries refuse to accept the type of unfavorable agreements that once characterized...

Imbalances Can’t Go on Forever

Ernesto Zedillo July 10, 2006
The current strength of the world economy is not enough to protect against the global financial crisis that could result if imbalances such as the US account deficit go unresolved. Economists supply a range of explanations as to what facilitates US debt. Expectations of higher income and productivity make saving seem less urgent, and the US remains an attractive place for other countries to...

Oil-Rich Russia Makes Ruble Convertible

Nick Paton Walsh July 5, 2006
Capitalizing on its growing status as a global energy supplier, Russia is making the ruble fully convertible in an attempt to renew its currency’s international status. The move will decrease the government’s control over the value of the ruble, opening the door for foreign investment in the currency. Riding dual waves of oil money and optimism, Russia is paying off its Soviet-era debts to the...