In The News

In Nouveau Riche India, Even the Poor Show Off

Mark Sappenfield June 11, 2007
A nation that once relied on castes to categorize its citizens can now use possessions to reflect self-worth. Enjoying exploding income growth, consumers in India seek out the latest technology to reflect status. This trend emerges across all socioeconomic levels, with a recent study showing that spending across all economic segments is up by about 50 percent, reports The Christian Science...

Outsourcing Your Life

Ellen Gamerman June 11, 2007
No longer just a trend for big businesses, outsourcing can also eliminate some pesky personal tasks: categorizing family photos, editing home videos, tutoring, preparing invitations, and design of anything from dresses to garden landscapes to websites. Businesses and individuals alike hunt for projects that can be accomplished over the internet and appropriate freelancers. But choosing the proper...

Chinese Auto Parts Enter the Global Market

Keith Bradsher June 8, 2007
Auto parts are one of China’s fastest growing industrial exports, and more than half go to the US, the world’s largest market for automobiles. The rise in these exports are part of a larger trend, as China moves away from exporting basic items such as textiles and shoes toward more valued industrial goods. Such production means higher wages for Chinese workers, but also puts the nation in...

Betting on Biofuels

William K. Caesar June 7, 2007
Potential in the biofuel industry depends on three factors: feedstock costs and availability, government regulations, and conversion technology. With feedstock responsible for at least 50 percent of biofuel production costs, the price has a huge impact on the profits a company can make. However, growing demand for feedstock poses consequences: Rising demand for ethanol increases US corn prices;...

G-8 Vows Greenhouse Gas Curbs; US Escapes Targets

James G. Neuger June 7, 2007
The G-8 summit vows a renewed global push to combat climate change – but declines to set any firm limits for now. The European Union, Japan and Canada promise to halve carbon emissions by 2050, while the US and Russia still balk at setting targets. The Bush administration wants any goals to cover developing nations like China and India. Otherwise “nothing is going to happen in terms of...

Traditional Korean Marriage Meets Match on the Internet

Choe Sang-Hun June 6, 2007
Those embarking on traditional marriages in South Korea have rarely relied solely on the whims of parents in selecting spouses – and modern families can now turn to the research capabilities of the internet to locate the perfect mate. With South Korea enjoying higher incomes, combined with more work opportunities, young people are choosy about marriage partners. South Korean customs discourage...

US Authorities Net “Top Spammer”

June 6, 2007
US authorities arrested a 27-year-old Seattle man, describing him as one of the world’s top 10 spammers, and charged him with 35 counts including mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering. Robert Soloway’s arrest marks the first time that officials have used identity-theft laws to prosecute a person for taking over another person’s internet domain name. “Prosecutors allege Mr....