In The News

Vers l’etablissement d’un Califat virtuel?

Peter Mandaville October 27, 2005

Toward a Virtual Caliphate

Peter Mandaville October 27, 2005
What does globalization mean for the politics of authority in the Islamic world? Talk of transnational Islamic movements challenging the status quo of Muslim nation-states often brings to mind the destructive extremism of al-Qaida. Peter Mandaville, however, reports that transnational networks of religious scholars – led by figures such as Qatar-based Yusuf al-Qaradawi – have sought in recent...

Migrant Birds "Should Not Be Bird Flu Scapegoats"

Mike Shanahan October 26, 2005
Since the avian flu broke international headlines again this year, most reports have focused on the poultry business and how governments can best tighten health standards within the industry. Many scientists are now concerned about the spread of the potential pandemic in the wild, beyond the control of health officials and government regulators. Worse still is the possibility that migratory birds...

Erasing the Image of the Ugly American

William J. Holstein October 25, 2005
WalMart and McDonald's business may be booming around the planet – but their prevalence doesn't necessarily make them welcome guests. In an interview published in the New York Times, Keith Reinhard, president of Business for Diplomatic Action, warns of the United States' waning popularity amongst the international community. Recent polls reveal that a significant portion of the...

Wolfowitz Calls for End to Farm Subsidies

Mark Tran October 24, 2005
Developed and developing nations must reduce their agricultural subsidies if the World Trade Organization’s current round of trade talks is to succeed, World Bank head Paul Wolfowitz said today. The EU and US must cut subsidies and guarantee market access to developing countries, he said, or “the people who will suffer the most are the world's poor." Yet Mr. Wolfowitz also called on...

Terrorism and Oil

Mohamed Sid-Ahmed October 24, 2005
When the price of oil spiked in the 1970s, the profits were lost to corruption and thus only deepened oil-producing nations’ social problems. We can do much better this time, argues Mohamed Sid-Ahmed: the current boom in oil prices is an opportunity for oil producers to further develop their economies and lift their societies from poverty. There are signs of encouragement on this front: today...

The Spreading Bird-Flu Menace Reaches Europe

October 21, 2005
After killing millions of fowl and more than 60 people in Asia, the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has arrived uninvited on Europe's doorstep. Outbreaks in Turkey, Romania, Russia, and possibly Greece threaten to sweep through the European Union, forcing EU ministers to think about how to tackle an epidemic that could decimate the poultry industry – or worse, set off a global flu epidemic that...