Biz/Tech
As U.S. jobs go overseas, foreign jobs come here – just not enough
Discussing outsourcing in Danville, Illinois
It's no secret that American jobs are going overseas. But the money and the jobs are flowing both ways, showing the U.S. economy is only a gear in the global machine. ...
US politicians don’t just tweet, they also weibo
More than a dozen U.S. politicians are posting on China's Twitter
Governors, mayors and the heads of international agencies are attracting thousands of followers on China's most popular micro-blogging site. This is not politics as usual. ...
Fair Trade Day finds movement struggling with success
Groups jockey to certify an increasingly blurry vision of fair trade
Small farmers who promote free trade are suspicious of efforts to bring agricultural giants into the fold...
From Kentucky to Korea – have a bourbon!
Free Trade Agreement opens lucrative Korean market to good ole country bourbon
World demand for bourbon, a "distinctive product of the U.S." seems unstoppable. In Brazil demand has increased fivefold over the past 10 years and now South Korea is open for business. The distillers of Kentucky are smiling. ...
The digital world reshapes the physical one
Sure, computers are everywhere. But these ideas take the digital world into whole new realms. ...
Picture This: May Day occupies the globe
In the U.S., violent protests marked this year's May Day. Elsewhere, leftists greeted the day with cheers and jeers (for capitalism, anyway)....
From Georgia to India: traveling 9,000 miles for heart surgery
The biggest, most efficient cardiac care hospital in the world is in India. Americans already go there. Will we flock to it when it sets up shop in the Cayman Islands?...
Will your phone be your wallet?
The idea of the cell phone wallet is huge. Banks like it. Carriers like it. Consumers? Not so much. ...
A real-life Barbie raises questions about ourselves
From a wannabe Barbie to plans for a candlelight vigil: whether news happens in Ukraine, California, Seoul or Great Britain, things have a funny way of being connected. ...
Can you limit problem gambling? Norway thinks so
In response to our story about slots in Australia and Massachusetts, one Latitude News reader wonders if there is any country where pre-commitment, goverment imposed limits on betting, works. Latitude News investigates....
U.S., Muslim superheroes meet at first Middle East ComicCon
Make room, American superheroes. Superheroes from the Middle East are also fighting to save the world. ...
Who controls the Internet and why it matters to you
Whether you're in China, America, Australia or the Netherlands, what you can do on the Internet probably isn't what it used to be. Companies, governments and activists wage pitched battles over free exchange of information. ...
Massachusetts adds slot machines as Australians debate “pokie” problem
Slot machines produce tax dollars and jobs. But experts say they are dangerously addictive. As Massachusetts prepares to open its first slot parlor, we look at Australia, where "pokies" are a part of everyday life - and a serious problem. ...
Why the U.S. doesn’t have high-speed rail – yet
If the federal government doesn't fund high-speed rail projects, it's doubtful the technology will ever grow in the U.S. Just look to China...and Germany, Spain, France and Japan. ...
State surveillance under watch
Leaders in the world's democracies are increasingly citing law and order as a justification to snoop on digital communications and give other intrusive powers to the state. What's democracy without privacy?...
Apple’s CEO goes to China
It’s a big deal when the head of the world’s most valuable company visits its most populous nation. Apple CEO Tim Cook's trip to China drew plenty of attention. Will it bring change?...
Indonesian petrol riots and the global debate on gas taxes
As Indonesians riot over the potential loss of a fuel subsidy, Latitude News wonders: How important is a gas tax to Americans? ...
China’s development drives illegal factories, injury epidemic
Incredible industry, illegal factories, and an epidemic of hand injuries. That's life in China's Pearl River Delta, one of the world's most important industrial regions. ...
Bus monitors in Cairo empowered as computer whizzes
It was their own Arab Spring. Several women in Cairo unhappy with their low wages as bus monitors made the bold move of complaining to the school board. They were lucky that Rana el Kaliouby was there to hear them -- and to do something about it....
China’s bloody factories: A problem bigger than Foxconn
There’s a hidden price to the gadgets we buy -- injuries, lost limbs, chronic fatigue. We point our fingers at the companies that make the gadgets we most covet, but shouldn’t we also look in the mirror?
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China bumps up prices at the pump
U.S. drivers aren't the only ones feeling the pinch at the pump. China on Monday raised its own gas prices, for the second time this year. What do rising gas prices worldwide mean for the global economy?...
Cell phones offer targeted marketing in developing countries
The spread of cell phones is changing lives around the developing world. Consumers can now get coupons on their phones, thanks to companies like Jana. Nathan Eagle, CEO of Jana, tells us why targeted advertising means more there than in the West....
Ghana’s economic boom leaves tradition in place (photos)
Gold, oil and other valuable commodities have put Ghana among the world's fastest-growing economies. But much remains the same, as the country needs to invest in infrastructure and other basics....
Tech and Society: French say ‘oui’ to breathalyzers
France will soon require drivers to keep a breathalyzer in their car. Add 'alcootest' to your guidebook. ...
Michigan learning to love, lean on China
China has long been a source of fear for Michigan, as a recent attack ad played up. But the ad backfired. Why? Michigan's exports to China are surging, and Chinese companies setting up shop....
Pirate Party poised to make gains in Europe
Last weekend's protests against ACTA around Europe signal the arrival of the Pirate Party. Can privacy and copy protection spark a full-fledged political powerhouse? ...
Europe braces for ACTA storm
Hundreds of protests against ACTA are planned in Europe. Germany says it will not sign the agreement -- unless the EU gives it cover. ...
Photo Gallery: Greece on Strike
Flag-burning labor unions, the 'troika' and Sausage the Riot Dog. The cast of characters in Athens play out a drama that everyone hopes won't become a tragedy....
Apple, Amazon contractor boss calls workers “animals”
When Terry Gou's workers started jumping off factories to protest working conditions, he installed nets. Now the Foxconn CEO, who makes the electronics we all buy, compared his workers to zoo animals. Does he need management lessons, or charm school?...
The world responds to Wikipedia shutdown
SOPA's an acronym we all love to hate after Wikipedia goes dark for a day. Europe uses it as a warm-up to fight a similar EU law. And SOPA's sponsors say they want nothing to do with the bill. ...
The next boom continent: Africa
Africa gets billed as a lost continent, wracked by AIDS and corruption. But as many of its economies soar, it is seeing a surge of investor interest. Here's why some entrepreneurs are setting up shop there....
Five surprising U.S. exports
The US may be the world's biggest importer of goods, but it's also near the top when it comes to exports. Some of our fastest-growing exports might surprise you. ...
Europeans thirsty for US craft beers
US beers were the butt of jokes in Europe just 20 years ago. Now, they're being called 'inspirational,' 'pioneering' and 'irreverent'. ...
Americans not going postal anymore
Send a letter lately? Neither have a lot of people. The Post Office is still big, but shrinking like a snowman in spring. Does it have a future? ...
The cotton kings and the carpet pharoah
Mohamed Mansour once worked in a pizza parlor in North Carolina. Today his family firm represents General Motors and McDonalds. Mohammed Farid Khamis started with a single loom. Today he makes carpets for Target and Walmart. ...
Trollywood: a Swedish success story
The venerable Saab automobile company is teetering on the brink of closure. But its hometown, Trollhattan, is enjoying its relatively new role of Sweden's motion picture capital ...
What next for Sweden’s Detroit?
This week GM said “no” to a deal that would have sold the Swedish carmaker Saab to two Chinese companies. Loyal Saab fans are in uproar. But how about the people on the ground in Trollhättan, Sweden’s Detroit? ...
Visa void perplexes Pakistanis
Umar Saif, MIT grad and innovator extraordinaire, can't get a visa to enter the U.S. No one knows why
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Kids look outside the U.S. to make gardens grow
The story of a farm in the mountains of Honduras is enthusing a school in south Boston ...
The man who loved American tripe: a Bulgarian story
How one Bulgarian musician made his fortune with American tripe ...
The Brazilians are coming
Space Shuttle engineers are finding jobs with the new kid on the block in business jet building. Brazil's Embraer has landed in Melbourne, Florida ...
Man versus machine
What’s happening to the umpire in the age of the instant video replay? In baseball, man still has the upper hand. But in other sports, technology is proving seductive. Tim Mansel takes a worldwide look ...
