In The News

August 9, 2007
On August 7, more than a month before Ms. Benazir Bhutto announced the date of her return to Pakistan, she sat down with YaleGlobal Online editor Nayan Chanda to discuss the state of her country and why she was determined to return home. She did return as she had said she would, and on December 27, 2007, she was killed in a terrorist attack. It was a death as foretold. Her comment on the task at...
Konstantin Parshin July 6, 2007
Lake Sarez in Tajikistan began with an earthquake and a landslide that created a natural dam. Geologists express concern about stability of the dam and explore ways to relieve the water pressure, especially considering that water is in short supply in other parts of Central Asia. One idea is to build a massive pipeline to distribute water to regions in need, and another is constructing a...
Mark Sappenfield June 11, 2007
A nation that once relied on castes to categorize its citizens can now use possessions to reflect self-worth. Enjoying exploding income growth, consumers in India seek out the latest technology to reflect status. This trend emerges across all socioeconomic levels, with a recent study showing that spending across all economic segments is up by about 50 percent, reports The Christian Science...
Husain Haqqani May 22, 2007
A nuclear-armed Pakistan may have the military capability worthy of an emerging global power, but its external power is belied by an increasingly precarious domestic situation. While the spread of anti-American and pro-Islamist sentiments in the past six years has empowered armed extremists and other non-state actors across the country, the educated middle class is increasingly disenchanted with...
Ariana Eunjung Cha April 17, 2007
Social mobility in China means more comfortable and attractive homes, and developers move fast to build homes and offices with a Western aesthetic. In Beijing, small housing developments such as Venice Aquatic City and Thames Town are modeled after villages scattered throughout Europe. Many Chinese associate foreign styles with wealth, and view their investment in such developments as a step up...
David Shambaugh April 11, 2007
Despite extensive cooperation between China and the US, both countries remain suspicious of each other’s intent. The result has been, from the US side, a policy of hedging all the while engaging with China. This arms-length approach may not be good for either country’s interest or the interest of stability in Asia. David Shambaugh and Karl Inderfurth, China and South Asia analysts, respectively,...
Fred Weir April 9, 2007
The US, the European Union, India, China and Russia compete for influence in Central Asia – a place crucial because of its oil and natural gas reserves, with vital pipelines crisscrossing the region. Currently, Central Asian states largely rely on Russian infrastructure to deliver and sell their oil. Analysts in the West question reliability of Russian oil supplies because of the monopolistic...