In The News

The Spreading Bird-Flu Menace Reaches Europe

October 21, 2005
After killing millions of fowl and more than 60 people in Asia, the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has arrived uninvited on Europe's doorstep. Outbreaks in Turkey, Romania, Russia, and possibly Greece threaten to sweep through the European Union, forcing EU ministers to think about how to tackle an epidemic that could decimate the poultry industry – or worse, set off a global flu epidemic that...

As Polar Ice Turns to Water, Dreams of Treasure Abound

Clifford Krauss October 11, 2005
What will be left when the Arctic's polar ice cap is gone? The answer, in the eyes of the nations who border the Arctic Ocean, is untapped economic opportunity. New oil deposits, new fisheries, and new trade routes – including the fabled Northwest Passage – all promise tantalizing riches to what are now barren, frozen outposts. But who will get to tap those riches? Russia, Canada, Norway...

India Outsources a Bollywood Film

Matthew Hays September 27, 2005
The globalizing potential of India's massive Bollywood film industry has been long documented and celebrated. Millions around the world pack movie halls from West Africa to the West Indies to watch Indian actors dance atop the moors of Scotland or by the lakes of Tajikistan. National cinemas have in many instances given way to projects conceived, financed, and developed through multi-...

The Railway Across the Roof of the World

Jonathan Watts September 21, 2005
They said it couldn't be done. The miles-high terrain of the Kunlun Range seemed no place for a railroad, yet the Chinese government forged ahead with plans for a route to the furthest reaches of Tibet. The 48-hour journey from Golmud to Lhasa, along the soon-to-be completed rail line, represents an opportunity for growth as well as a potentially dangerous expansion of China's...

Airlines Outsource Upkeep

Sara Kehaulani Goo August 23, 2005
The struggling airline industry, continually seeking ways to cut costs, has seen a rise in outsourcing of maintenance services. According to The Washington Post, more than 50 percent of all service tasks are performed by contractors – many of whom are outside the United States. For many, this trend has brought about safety and security concerns, given the difficulty in assuring contractors...

Mixed Signals

Rehab Saad August 1, 2005
In response to the recent Sharm El-Sheikh bombings, which have the potential to devastate Egypt's lucrative tourist industry, authorities are encouraging people to view the attacks in a global perspective. Egyptian tourism officials suggest that due to the globalization of terrorism, no single place is more dangerous than any other. But is this truly the case? And with the inability to...

France Grapples with Globalization

Sushma Ramchandran July 19, 2005
Facing increased pressure from analysts to rethink its economic policies, France is grappling with threats to its traditional way of life as a result of globalization. Although the French are accustomed to a relatively high standard of living, the government is being urged to reduce its huge subsidies, which support education and provide safety nets for the unemployed. In a country with an...