In The News

US General Warns Over Iranian Cyber-Soldiers

January 24, 2013
Iran’s industries and infrastructure are under repeated cyber-attacks, and that in turn is prompting the country to step up its own computer security and offensive capabilities, warns General William Shelton, in charge of US cyber-operations. Iran’s enemies can anticipate becoming targets of cyber-attacks in years ahead, explains the article in BBC News. The US has about 6000 so-called cyber-...

To Get Movies Into China, Hollywood Gives Censors a Preview

Michael Cieply, Brooks Barnes January 21, 2013
The world’s most populous country and big market for entertainment imposes tough restrictions on films with sex, violence, politic, ghosts or Chinese villains. So China’s censors get a first peek at major Hollywood films, sometimes even sitting in on film shoots. Negotiations and edits can ensue. “The lure of access to China’s fast-growing film market – now the world’s second largest, behind that...

Biggest Growth Story? Outside the US

Russ Koesterich January 21, 2013
The gridlock in US Congress, its reliance on last-minute, short-term fixes for well-documented problems, is reducing confidence, threatening credit ratings and low interest rates for borrowers, worrying investors and decreasing tax revenues. So far, opposing parties in Congress refuse to compromise on substantial reform of the US tax code or costly entitlement programs, especially costly health...

US to Build $120m Rare Earth Research Institute

Katia Moskvitch January 16, 2013
Terbium, europium, neodymium – these are just a few of 17 rare earths that are factors behind the colors, sounds, power and endurance of cutting-edge technology in the medical, aeronautical, entertainment, communications, defense and transportation industries. China produces more than 95 percent of the world’s rare earths, and despite rapid technology turnover, only 1 percent of rare earths are...

Put Doomsday on the Schedule

David Dapice January 7, 2013
Americans, like most citizens all over the world, resent paying taxes, but are fond of government programs that allow health care, education or science to flourish. The US is overextended, living beyond its means, and Congress is divided over how to ease the climbing debt: Liberal Democrats want to tax the rich, while conservative Republicans aim to reduce spending that help citizens. Congress...

Recipe for a Post-Hegemonic USA

Kenneth Weisbrode January 2, 2013
US Congress, bitterly partisan, engages in petty bickering and repeatedly fails to resolve any number of pressing crises, let alone craft uplifting legislation for the country and the world. The poor behavior of the legislative body – blocking opponents at any cost – is symptomatic of the fading superpower status of the US and reinforces the loss of global influence. In terms of currency,...

An American President in the Age of Globalization

Strobe Talbott November 19, 2012
This week YaleGlobal Online marks its 10th anniversary and coincidentally it’s also a period of global transition. In Washington and Beijing, new administrations prepare to take the reins. We begin this week with an analysis of the significance of President Barack Obama’s reelection by Strobe Talbott, the first director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, of which YaleGlobal is the...