In The News

In Europe, Universities Struggle to Compete and Adapt

Nicole Itano August 18, 2006
Publicly funded European universities can no longer compete with top schools in the US, yet angry students oppose proposals for reform. Increasing unemployment makes entry-level jobs for college graduates scarce. Because of limited funds available for university development, some nations implement fees to improve programs. However, most European students expect free tuition and resent the fees....

Europe Says It Will Unify Effort in Fight on Terrorism

Heather Timmons August 17, 2006
After the terrorist plot targeting British flights was foiled, Europe realized that new and more coordinated anti-terrorism measures needed to be implemented. Fighting terrorism involves a delicate balance between individual rights and the need for security. European ministers, while recognizing this challenge, have vowed to speed up plans that would make information sharing between countries...

Europe's Muslims: Economic Worries Top Concerns About Identity

August 11, 2006
Muslims and non-Muslims alike in the UK share worries about growing Islamic extremism, even though European Muslims as a whole tend to favor moderate Islam, according to a spring 2006 poll on immigration and identity, conducted by the Pew Research Foundation. The results follow a year that included bombings in London and Madrid and the riots sparked by Danish cartoons, but were released before...

Pakistani Intelligence Helped Foil Bombing Plot

Zahid Hussain August 10, 2006
Pakistan’s intelligence agencies helped British in stopping a plot to blow up aircraft traveling between the UK and the US. While the UK arrested 21 people in connection with the plot, Pakistan arrested leader of the outlawed Islamic group Lashkar-e-Taiba, or LeT. India has fought LeT in Kashmir and also suspects the militant group for recent train bombings in Mumbai. Police report that...

Economic Patriotism – Blind Alley in a Globalized World?

Patricia Wruuck August 8, 2006
The successful takeover of Europe’s biggest steel company, Arcelor, by Mittal Steel, whose owner was born in India, is a setback for economic nationalists and protectionists. Shareholders, who saw monetary and strategic worth in the Mittal-Arcelor merger, bucked a board of directors that resented any hint of foreign control. Such resistance is not limited to non-European partners. Cross-border...

France's Mysterious Embrace of Blogs

Thomas Crampton August 4, 2006
In 18th century France, women hosted small parties in their salons, for gossip and politics. Eager for debate, modern-day French citizens have turned to blogs. Analysts characterize French blogs as lengthy, negative, with opinions that do not sway. The technology is so popular that a blog has become essential for any French politician. For example, some analysts credit bloggers for French...

How to Deal With NGOs – Part II, Russia

Liliana N. Proskuryakova August 3, 2006
President Vladimir Putin recognizes that nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are useful tools for shaping global and national policy – and also for criticizing other world leaders. The second article in this two-part series examines Putin’s two-pronged approach in handling NGOs, a strategy on display during the recent G-8 summit in St. Petersburg: While keeping many Russian-based NGOs and...