In The News

Intel Insider Looks to Asia

Richard Waters September 21, 2003
Though it generates revenues equal to its next four competitors combined, Intel, the global leader in chip manufacturing, sees more and more competition coming from Asia. Intel CEO Craig Barrett argues that the next ten years will feature major upheavals in the capital intensive industry. To remain competitive, Intel must attract top talent, especially foreign nationals who have come to the US to...

Many Small Firms Want to Join Exodus

Kim Sung-mi September 19, 2003
Fed up with their country's strict regulations and contentious labor market, many of South Korea's manufacturing firms are moving their operations overseas. China, with its cheap labor and rapidly expanding market, is the most popular destination for Korean firms on the move. Many manufacturers not looking to relocate say they are considering switching to the service sector, prompting...

Why China Should Not Revalue Its Currency

Linda Lim September 12, 2003
Many Americans are searching for someone to blame for their currently struggling economy. Higher unemployment, a drop in the value of the dollar, and low consumer confidence have made the booming 1990s a distant dream. Some US industries have reacted to the economic slowdown by accusing a top exporter, China, of purposefully undervaluing the yuan. Demands to decouple the yuan from the dollar...

Protests Greet Yet Another WTO Meeting

Pranab Bardhan September 8, 2003
As the World Trade Organization prepares to meet in Cancun, Mexico, backers and detractors of globalization are clashing again, with each side claiming to represent the interests of the world's poor. Those opposed to globalization in its current form point to an increase in inequality and poverty in countries that have opened up to international capital and corporations, while supporters...

Economic Worries in China as Companies Pile Up Debt

Keith Bradsher September 4, 2003
The Chinese economy's 8% annual growth rate has made it one of the most impressive development stories of the past decade, but its dynamism may be getting out of control. Economic analysts from J.P. Morgan to Goldman Sachs, from US government officials to even China's Central Bank leadership are concerned about overcapacity and bad bank loans. Chinese banks are notoriously unconcerned...

India and Israel Ready to Consummate Secret Affair

Edward Luce September 4, 2003
At first glance, India and Israel seem like improbable allies. India has long championed Palestinian rights, and the country’s large Muslim population makes cooperation with Israel politically dangerous. But 11 years after New Delhi established full relations with Tel Aviv, the two countries share increasingly strong ties based on a common desire to defeat violence rooted in Islamic...

Reality TV Rivets Africa, to the Churches' Dismay

Marc Lacey September 4, 2003
“Big Brother”, the reality television show that gained success in the Western world, has found a new audience in Africa. The African version has become the most popular show on the continent, with 30 million Africans tuning in to watch 12 young professionals from a diverse group of countries live together as housemates, sharing disagreements and romantic entanglements. While some religious and...