In The News

Indonesia's Canberra Embassy Shut After Scare

Michelle Nichols June 1, 2005
The Wednesday morning discovery of an envelope containing white powder left many nerves rattled in the Indonesian embassy in Australia. The toxin belongs to the same related to the bacteria that cause anthrax: "It is not an innocent white powder," said Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Authorities believe that the incident was likely a response to the recent conviction of an...

Hacker Hunters

Brian Grow May 20, 2005
Computer technology and the interconnectivity of cyberspace have opened multiple avenues for global networking, while producing the underside of this phenomenon: a new wave of organized cybercrime. Criminals the world over are exploiting the ties of the internet to steal identities, forge documents, launder money, and sell stolen goods. As BusinessWeek reports, US and other governmental...

Burying China's Complicity in the Killing Fields

Jehangir S. Pocha May 5, 2005
Only weeks ago, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao uttered the now famous words, "Japan needs to face up to history squarely." China has adamantly demanded that Japan come clean about its past war indiscretions, an issue that has provoked lively public debate. At the same time, Beijing has remained mum regarding its support for Cambodia's Khmer Rouge in the mid- to late-1970s. Today,...

China Owes Japan for Riots

April 21, 2005
Citing the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, Japanese officials and experts in international law say that Beijing must apologize to Japan and compensate for property damage incurred in recent anti-Japanese demonstrations. The windows of the Japanese embassy and consulates were shattered and the walls smeared with paint by protestors throughout China. Many Japanese businesses have also...

Nike Lists Abuses at Asian Factories

David Teather April 15, 2005
Multinational apparel companies like Nike have long been accused of running their factories abroad as sweatshops, milking the desperation of poor workers in the name of the bottom line. In a report released by the company itself, Nike further substantiates the allegations of abuse. The report details the terrible working conditions in many of Nike's factories across East Asia and other...

Shipments of Children

Carlos H. Conde April 8, 2005
According to recent UNICEF estimates, human trafficking worldwide is now a US$10 billion industry. Most trafficked persons tend to be children. Filipino officials and NGO-workers are witnessing a disturbing rise in child trafficking within and through the Philippines. Smugglers lure young girls from the impoverished provinces to Manila by promising lucrative jobs in the capital. Once brought to...

Bush's Conversion on the Road to Tehran

Philip H. Gordon March 18, 2005
These days, the competition for the title of "World's Most Pressing Nuclear Threat" seems tight. Weeks ago, North Korea stole the show with its admission of nuclear weapons possession; but in the battle for headline primacy, at least, the Iran issue has emerged as this week's winner. The most recent development involves the United States: On March 11, the Bush...