In The News

Yukos Names Kukes as New CEO

Arkady Ostrovsky November 4, 2003
An American citizen, Simon Kukes, was named the new chief CEO of the Russian oil company, Yukos, after his predecessor was arrested on charges of tax evasion, embezzlement, and theft. When the Yukos scandal first broke, foreign investors became wary that Russia would begin rolling back privatization measures made during the 1990s. To ease such concerns, the Kremlin has reiterated its commitment...

Church Sexuality Guide Calls for Compassion

November 4, 2003
Last week's consecration of an openly gay bishop in the US Episcopal Church threatened to break apart the global Anglican Church. Bishops from Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and South America expressed strong dissent with the US church's decision. In light of the conflict, the Church of England issued a guide asking for compassion towards homosexual, bisexual, and transsexual people....

Virus Ship Row as Spain Closes Gibraltar Border

Simon Jeffery November 3, 2003
Passengers on the British cruise ship the Aurora were hit by a virus that causes diarrhea and vomiting. The ship, coming from Greece, docked in Gibraltar at the onset of the virus. Spain, fearing a spread of the infection, then closed its borders. The British government describes Spain's decision as "unnecessary and disproportionate." Gibraltar, long a point of contention between...

US Eating Habits Spreading

Lizette Albarez October 31, 2003
After making sure that every American has the opportunity to consume high calorie doughnuts, Krispy Kreme has expanded its market to include Europe. And it are not alone. With fast food chains opening and sugary food commercials all over television screens, Europe is adapting to the American diet – and scales show the result. An estimated 21 percent of men and 23.5 percent of women are now...

Migration Affects National Cultures

Jürgen Kaube October 31, 2003
Germany has only just begun to understand the implications of the increasing presence of migrant workers, says this article in a Germany weekly. Whether Muslim women should be allowed to wear head scarves in class is only a small part of the bigger questions of national identity, assimilation, and economic need. "By repeatedly expressing our unease about the mixed implications of...

Whither NATO? European Defense Force May Counterbalance US Power

Shada Islam October 29, 2003
The European Union's planned appointment of a foreign minister signals the bloc's desire to speak with a unified voice on global issues and to compete with the US as an international power. Now, writes Shada Islam, the US is protesting an EU proposal for strong, independent defense capabilities, calling it a serious threat to transatlantic relations. As member nations begin to debate...

Putin Appeals for Calm as Russian Bourses Dive

October 27, 2003
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the head of Russia's largest oil and gas company, Yukos, was arrested over the weekend for corruption and tax evasion. In response, Russia's stock market, the MICEX, dove 12% on Monday, reflecting the jitters felt by Russia's business leaders. The development of Russia into a privatized, capitalist economy after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 has long...