In The News

An Ugly Side of Free Trade: Sweatshops in Jordan

Steven Greenhouse May 4, 2006
The story of abusive sweatshops is familiar, but still haunting. Reports suggest that as quickly as retailers and critics improve conditions in one location, new factories and abuses emerge in other nations. Jordan is the center of attention for impoverished people desperate for work and new criticism. A report from the National Labor Committee, based in the US, points out that workers are...

Time to Consider Pumping Money Into Infrastructure

Kenneth Rogoff May 3, 2006
Professor and economist Kenneth Rogoff argues that bouts of anxiety frequently accompany annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings. Fear of any potential financial crisis is contagious and exerts paralysis even on world leaders. Many countries should stop piling up on safe investment such as US Treasury bills, Rogoff contends, and recognize that the global economy is actually enjoying a...

Globalization Is a Story Still to Be Written

Sheldon W. Stahl May 3, 2006
Despite all the commentary on globalization, the ultimate question of whether the phenomenon enables progress or detracts from quality of life remains to be answered. Undeniably, globalization delivers tangible benefits, many visible in the US. A greater array of high-quality goods at lower prices is one benefit, while foreign direct investment can provide new employment opportunities. Such...

Immigrants Take to US Streets in Show of Strength

Randal C. Archibold May 3, 2006
US Congress is divided about how to control illegal immigration. In 2005, the US House of Representatives approved legislation to increase border security, making illegal immigration a felony along with providing assistance to such immigrants. The US Senate bill would give some illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. The US has about 11 million illegal immigrants. As long as Congress remains...

Moment of Truth

Robert Scheer May 1, 2006
US polls cite illegal immigration a major concern, and politicians are divided over solutions. Yet the personal economic decisions by most US citizens tend to show more concern about low prices than protecting jobs or wages on the whole. Author Robert Scheer labels the so-called immigration “crisis” as fiction. Throughout history, whenever perceptions emerge about national security threats, low...

Globalization Old and New

Ullrich Fichtner April 20, 2006
Globalization comes in many forms, some more pleasing than others. As Vietnam eagerly pushes for incorporation into the WTO, it could discover that globalization becomes colonization, “Part Two.” Hanoi emerged from European influence with its dignity intact, according to author Ullrich Fichtner, but new and rapid development could transform the city’s charm, with small shops featuring gourmet...

China’s Investors Are to Get Freer Hand Abroad

James T. Areddy April 20, 2006
On the eve of Chinese President Hu’s visit to the US, China made a gesture toward a more open, market-based currency that pleases the US, but falls short of revaluing of the yuan. China will allow companies and individuals to make financial investments overseas, which could influence the country’s currency exchange-rate system as well as the value of yuan. China has kept the yuan’s value...