In The News

Travel Industry Fears New Rules Could Deter Visits to U.S.

Rachel L. Swarns July 2, 2003
Since the terrorist attacks of Sep. 2001 slowed domestic and international tourism, the US travel industry has struggled to regain its footing. Now, the Travel Industry Association of America, a group made up of the country’s largest airlines and hotels, is warning the government that new anti-terrorism laws could deter many US-bound tourists and further harm the American economy. The rules will...

Is 'Wi-Fi' Good for Developing Nations?

July 1, 2003
Prioritizing internet access may prove more wasteful than helpful to developing countries, says technology analyst Bill Thompson. With computer companies touting the immense benefits of wireless technology for the world's poor – citing the importance of internet access for participation in the global economy and the utility of information on weather and crop prices to poor farmers and...

Debate on Freedoms Splits Hong Kong

Peter S. Goodman June 30, 2003
Hong Kong should be celebrating – SARS has been contained, and the island just signed a free trade agreement with mainland China. But Hong Kong's independence and freedom are under threat, worry some critics. Democracy advocates and businesspeople fear that a proposed new law, called 'Article 23', will undermine the openness that has long attracted investors and enabled Hong Kong...

American Missionaries Pitch Baseball in India’s Cricket Citadel

Phil Reeves June 28, 2003
Is America's favorite pastime destined to become Asia's favorite as well? Maybe. Two American envoys are currently touring India in an effort to introduce baseball into India, a country where cricket is a national obsession and baseball is relatively unknown. In recent decades, baseball leagues have found a foot-hold in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, and opened doors for profitable...

The Great Rainforest Tragedy

Michael McCarthy June 28, 2003
Brazil’s 1.6 million acres of rainforest is the most species-rich habitat on earth. But it has long been threatened by development, logging, and farming undertaken by a burgeoning population mired in poverty. Deforestation has jumped by 40% in the last year, shocking environmentalists and government officials, who have promised to take action against the problem. But the cause of deforestation...

Time to Trade

Anke Bryson June 27, 2003
Three years ago, Germany’s major stock exchange operator, Deutsche Börse, extended its trading hours until 8:00pm. The move, an anomaly in a country where all shops close every Sunday, was designed to appeal to a flood of new private investors who had no time to speculate during the regular work day. Now, after a market decline caused those investors to flee, Deutsche Börse will likely bow to the...

Nike Versus Sweatshop Critic: Back to California

S.L. Bachman June 27, 2003
Nike, the world's largest shoe manufacturer, could become the world's leader in improving labor standards across the globe. If US courts decide that it must, that is. The US Supreme court decided on June 26 to allow a California state court to proceed with a trial in which US-based Nike is charged with lying to the public about labor conditions in its factories overseas. A California...