In The News

Why I Published the Muhammad Cartoons

Flemming Rose June 5, 2006
The furor and violence over the infamous Danish cartoons of the prophet Mohammad died down, yet crucial issues have not been resolved. “Jyllands – Posten” was the newspaper that originally published the cartoons. Editor Flemming Rose explains his motivation as well as the challenges arising from Europe’s unsuccessful attempts at multiculturalism. In the wake of the cartoon crisis, Rose argues...

On a Russian Site, Cheap Songs With a Backbeat of Illegality

Thomas Crampton June 4, 2006
AllofMP3.com owes its global success to low prices and a large collection of music that is normally not available for sale online. However, despite its allure, Allofmp3.com may be illegal. Record companies complain and try to stop the site, but with little luck in a country where digital piracy thrives. AllofMP3.com holds a license issued by a royalty collecting society, but the International...

The Gauls at Home in Erin

John Tagliabue June 2, 2006
Young Europeans now travel about the continent, overcoming language and cultural barriers in search of better work opportunities – a major cultural shift. One increasingly common migration trajectory is from France to Ireland. Ireland’s economy and job prospects, especially in fields like finance and computers, beckon young adults from France, who flee the nation’s high taxes and high...

EU Faces Complications in Plan to Halt Migrants

Dan Bilefsky June 1, 2006
The proximity of Spain’s Canary Islands to the coast of West Africa has historically been a vantage point for European westward endeavors and explorations. Today, however, the islands and other EU border areas experience an influx of migrants from the south. During one week in May, more than 1,500 individuals arrived at the Canary Islands from several West African countries, overwhelming border...

Arcelor, Trying to Fend Off Suitor, Is Buying Russian Steel Company

Heather Timmons June 1, 2006
Arcelor is going to great lengths to avoid hostile takeover by Mittal Steel Company, even wooing a Russian billionaire who controls Servestal. If successful, an Arcelor-Servestal merger would create the world’s largest steel company in the world – moving Mittal to second place. Mittal is based in London and Rotterdam, yet Arcelor executives have turned to Aleksei Mordashov, describing him as a “...

Battle Over Steel Exposes Europe’s Globalization Dilemma

Jonathan Fenby June 1, 2006
Europe is polarized over globalization, unsure about whether traditions of ample social benefits can survive today's capitalism and competition from countries with low wages and labor standards. Yet consolidation through acquisitions is a trend for many industries, including steel, to reduce costs and increase economies of scale. Europe has long scooped up firms from around the globe, but...

Russia's Energy Diversification Moves

Vladimir Radyuhin May 31, 2006
Blocked from investing in Europe’s retail energy market, Russian firms seek other customers in Asia, including Japan and China. The nation has substantial natural gas and oil reserves, and Gazprom, Russia’s natural-gas firm, anticipates acquiring stakes in the EU distribution network. However, the EU has balked, expecting Russia to open its own energy markets and abide by western standards of...