Qatar

Venus Williams rallied to win the Sony Ericsson Championships for the first time on Sunday, defeating Vera Zvonareva, 6-7 (5), 6-0, 6-2.

Globalization giveth. Globalization taketh away. And now, we have to hope, that globalization will saveth.

Just a few years ago, America’s hold on global power seemed unshakable. But a lot has changed whilewe’ve been in Iraq and the next president is going to be dealing with not only a triumphant China and aretooled Europe but also the quiet rise of a “second world.”

The newly cautious tone appears to have been dictated to Al Jazeera’s management by the rulers of Qatar.

Flush with petrodollars, oil-producing countries have begun a global shopping spree that could increase rapidly.

In a de-centered world, all it takes is a few well-placed parochial interests to bring a global process tumbling down.

Iraq’s national soccer federation believes Qatar should have to forfeit its victory over Iraq in a World Cup qualifying match because one of its players was ineligible to play.