In The News

Africa's Hungry Are Fed Bad Policies

Paul Kwengwere December 30, 2004
Amidst plagues of war and disease, hunger remains one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most devastating afflictions. Developed countries have responded with aid, relief efforts, and policy interventions to help the region's struggling farmers. But, as Paul Kwengwere writes, behind the gratitude for this assistance looms a debate regarding the long-term value of the terms involved. IMF loan...

Asia Holds the Key to the Future of GM Food

John Feffer December 2, 2004
Most media coverage of genetically modified (GM) food has centered on disputes between Europe and the United States. "But it is in Asia that the new techno-food will live or die," writes John Feffer. Asia is home to the largest consumer market, as well as the greatest number of farmers in the world. And it must now choose between accepting America's confidence in the safety and...

Bush Backs US Tariffs on Shrimp

Martin Crutsinger December 2, 2004
In a victory for beleaguered US shrimp producers, the Bush administration yesterday upheld the penalty tariffs imposed on Chinese and Vietnamese shrimp imports. The ruling came in a case brought by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, which says that artificially low prices from foreign importers have almost ruined the US shrimp industry. But foreign shrimp producers say the US needs imports to meet...

More Heat Than Light Shed on GM Corn

Kenneth Emmond November 30, 2004
Genetically modified (GM) corn has ballooned into a major source of debate between the United States and Mexico. However, the public has a surprisingly muddled grasp of the situation. Respected news agencies have drawn completely opposite conclusions from the same NAFTA research report. According to this columnist, confusion is only natural, because the safety of GM products is not the real point...

Warning Issued on GM Maize Imported to Mexico

Mike Shanahan November 16, 2004
A report released by an environment panel under the North American Free Trade Agreement announced that GM maize imported to Mexico should be handled with caution. New genes contained in American maize could "persist indefinitely if they are beneficial or neutral to the local varieties," according to the report. The quantity of this kind of genetic transfer, however, is relatively small...

Hooters Comes to China

Hamish McDonald October 23, 2004
China already has 580 McDonald's and over 1,000 Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets, not to mention the ubiquitous Coca Cola signs. But tomorrow, the country will reach a milestone in its growing embrace of all things American with the opening of China's first Hooters restaurant in Shanghai. Most of the aspirng Hooters employees are students wanting to practice English with expatriate...

Greenpeace Releases GM Corn Study

Michael O. Boyle October 19, 2004
A recent study on genetically modified (GM) corn was originally a project commissioned by the US, Mexican, and Canadian governments. On Monday, however, environmental activist group Greenpeace leaked the results, which included a recommendation for Mexico to enact strict controls over GM corn. Environmentalists say that an unchecked use of GM agriculture could be detrimental to local ecosystems...