In The News

N Korea Could Scrap Nuclear Plan for Pipeline

Andrew Ward March 30, 2003
Both South Korean and American officials have claimed that a resolution to the North Korean nuclear weapons crisis should be achieved using different methods than in Iraq. The latest suggestion by the South Korean government is to route a Russian gas pipeline to its northern neighbor, in exchange for Pyongyang's renunciation of all nuclear programs. If the needs of North Korea’s struggling...

WTO Rules Against U.S. on Steel Tariff

Elizabeth Becker March 27, 2003
The World Trade Organization made an interim decision that the steel tariffs imposed by US President George Bush last year were illegal, and the decision is not likely to be overturned on appeal. Last spring, Mr. Bush imposed tariffs on most types of steel imported from Europe, Asia and South America. The tariffs received support from the US steel industry, but also protests from US industries...

Gambling: Las Vegas Seen as Model

March 26, 2003
The global spread of American culture is often seen as a form of cultural imperialism. But there are many cases where a nation will actively import American culture or use it as a model. Thailand is considering legalizing casino operations and eventually building a Las Vegas-like entertainment complex. And like most instances of cultural borrowing, the end product will likely be a unique Thai...

The Asia Factor in Global Hollywood

Christina Klein March 25, 2003
Often criticized for overwhelming global audiences with 'American culture', evidence from the past twenty years shows that Hollywood is expanding its embrace to include actors from Hong Kong, scripts from South Korea, and production facilities in New Zealand and China. With 50% of its revenue now coming from abroad - and that's expected to increase - the American film industry...

Halliburton Charges Into Iraq

Jeff Fischer March 25, 2003
American soldiers rushing into Iraq on military missions are only a short distance ahead of American oil and construction companies. US Vice President Dick Cheney's former employer, Halliburton, has been granted a contract from the US Army to work on the reconstruction of post-war Iraq. Other US companies are also expected to get lucrative deals once the US military secures Iraq. –...

With Little Loans, Mexican Women Overcome

Tim Weiner March 19, 2003
Still struggling after decades of failed poverty alleviation schemes and IMF-imposed structural adjustment programs, poor women in some developing countries are finding hope and success in micro-loans. In Mexico, where banks have generally ignored the financial services needs of the poor, microcredit organizations offer poor people loans of a few hundred dollars to start new small businesses....

Networks Plan to Offer Front-Row View of War

Charlie McCollum March 18, 2003
The first Gulf War was dubbed 'CNN's war' by some because of the US news network's minute-by-minute televised coverage of developments in Iraq. But in America's second major military engagement with Saddam Hussein's regime – expected to come any day now – CNN will face competition in the US from domestic networks that couldn't rival CNN's war coverage in...