In The News

The World in the iPod

Andrew Leonard June 8, 2005
The iPod, one of Apple's most successful products is not "made" by Apple at all. Apple designed the product, but the components are assembled in China by two Taiwanese firms. This Salon.com article takes a broad view of PortalPlayer, the company that developed the essential iPod microchip, examining the pattern of globalization and outsourcing in the technology industry. The...

Marching in Europe Will Not End African Poverty

DR Tajudeen June 3, 2005
Sir Bob Geldof, organizer of the 1985 Live Aid concert to benefit famine in Africa will be reviving the event under the moniker "Live 8," in reference to the G-8 summit. Live 8 differs from its predecessor in that it seeks to facilitate action – encouraging demonstrations against poverty in Africa and in favor of free trade, debt write-off and more aid – not simply raise awareness....

Hidden Tiger

N. Chandra Mohan May 24, 2005
Aishwarya Rai is one of Bollywood's most celebrated stars, and her current quest: To land a mainstream crossover film. "Although the buzz is that she is India's best bet to cross over and become an international star like China's Zhang Ziyi," writes Outlook India commentator N. Chandra Mohan, "she is still not quite there." Though India's film industry...

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...

On Advertising: Lenovo Tries to Win the West

Eric Pfanner May 18, 2005
Only a handful of Chinese brand names have achieved global consumer recognition. More often, many view China as a low-cost producer of Western consumer goods. The fact that Western companies essentially place their logos on goods manufactured in China, preventing Chinese companies from developing name recognition, exacerbates this perception. Lenovo, a major Chinese computer company that...

And Now, the News in Latin America's View

Juan Forero May 16, 2005
Supporters of the proposed Latin America Telesur tout it as an "antihegemonic network" – a direct reference to perceived US-based media dominance. Largely supported by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, the network is slated to cover regional news from a uniquely Latin American perspective. Many critics, however, believe Chávez's intentions to be less about independent journalism...

Arab Satellite Television and Democracy in the Arab World

S. Abdallah Schleifer May 13, 2005
The history of televised news in the Middle East is a checkered yet fascinating one, writes S. Abdallah Schleifer of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Early news broadcasts relied upon a simple regurgitation of state activity – presidents giving prepared speeches, inaugurating some new public work, or returning from a trip abroad – providing little analysis or variety. Stock footage paired...