In The News

Dollar Decision a Sign of Distress

Jane Bussey October 28, 2004
Days after his humiliating tumble off a stage, Fidel Castro announced a decision to dedollarize Cuba – yet another sign of the growing strains on the economy. After November 8th, Cubans may still hold dollars and swap them for convertible pesos – but will have to pay a 10 percent commission to the government. Cuba, already short on cash, does not earn enough foreign exchange from investment,...

Why Most Arabs Ignore the US Presidential Election

Rami G. Khouri October 20, 2004
As the American public bears down for its presidential election, the frenzy of debate in the US is met with a general lack of interest in the Middle East. On the issues of concern, primarily the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the situation in Iraq, Middle Easterners see little difference between the two main candidates. The gap between American policies and Arab interests is widening, says The...

US Presidential Campaigns and the World – Part II

Alan Bisbort October 20, 2004
Environmentalists all over the world may be aghast at the US lack of concern about global warming, but the American electorate has been left blissfully undisturbed. This year's presidential candidates have been almost entirely silent when it comes to the environment, a politically divisive issue that – contrary to public belief in the United States – remains globally relevant. According to...

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...

US Presidential Campaigns and the World – Part I

Kyle Usrey October 18, 2004
The two candidates in the US elections have showed the gulf of difference that exists on many policies. But they seem to share one thing in common: foreign trade is seen as the culprit behind many of the citizens’ economic woes. Kyle Usrey writes that protectionist rhetoric is shortsighted and dangerous to the US economy. Critiques of outsourcing are misplaced in their diagnosis. In fact,...

¿Amenaza el déficit estadounidense la estabilidad financiera mundial?

Hilton Root October 15, 2004

Do US Deficits Threaten Global Financial Stability?

Hilton Root October 13, 2004
Many of the world's leading economists have issued dire warnings that US deficit spending is dangerous not only to its domestic economy - but may actually knock the entire global economy off kilter. Economist Hilton Root suggests that such concerns may be overinflated, if not misdirected. The relative stability of US social and political institutions - in spite of the cavernous deficit -...