In The News

Stalking Genetically Modified Corn

Wolfgang Reuter April 22, 2005
Last Friday, the European Union banned the import of US corn feed, heightening the drama in an already strained relationship. Persistent lobbying by American officials could not overcome the pervasive skepticism in Europe over the safety of genetically modified (GM) foods, especially those that carry the Bt10 gene. The import ban is expected to cost US$350 million in lost sales, not to mention...

American Nationals Given Jail Terms for Selling Pirated DVDs

April 20, 2005
China has been under increasing pressure from the United States for its lack of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, as the country has become a global hub for pirated DVDs and CDs. In a recent court ruling in China, two Americans and their two Chinese accomplices were found guilty of selling pirated DVDs to more than 20 countries; the four each incurred prison terms and substantial...

Why Hasn't a Weak Dollar Slowed Imports?

Louis Uchitelle April 8, 2005
The dollar is dropping against other powerful currencies, but the appetite of US consumers for imported goods continues to grow. The ever-surging demand for imports is partly driven by fashion and trends, as in the case of jewelry made in Austria and China, which is being sold in the US in ever-greater quantities. Environmental awareness has also played a role, as US consumers select imported...

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...

As China Sews, Few US Mills Left

Patrik Johnsson April 6, 2005
Towns like Erwin, North Carolina, are examples of the devastating impact of the mobility of textile manufacturing. Once a capital of denim fabrication, today Erwin is desolate and has few jobs to offer its citizens. Erwin's difficulties are linked to the greater decline of US textile mills – the number of people employed in them has dropped to 670,000 from 1.6 million in 1994 - and the rise...

‘Food Should Be Left Off the Free Trade Table’ - José Bové

April 6, 2005
At the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, Bové attended a workshop with prominent Yale scholars and others in the university community to discuss the status of the global peasant movement and the core issues in his work. A full transcript follows. – YaleGlobal

Fraying of a Latin Textile Industry

Ginger Thompson March 28, 2005
The garment and textile industry has, for decades, been a source of employment and economic vitality for many South and Latin American nations. In El Salvador, the industry has been crucial to improving the standard of living for its people. But across the region, garment workers are being blindsided by changes in global trade. January 2005 saw an end to textile quotas worldwide, and companies...