FRANCE: Taking the Beach to the People

It could almost be the French Riviera: women basking in the sun on wooden deckchairs; toddlers rolling in the sand or building castles; young people in colourful kayaks and sailboats on the water; elderly men playing a game of pétanque on the beach.

TRADE: China In Violation of WTO Protocols

Since 2001 China has become an increasingly active member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and proponent of open and competitive markets, but yesterday the WTO released a report saying that China has violated WTO protocols by restricting imports of DVDs, software and books and limiting the ability of foreign suppliers to distribute their own products in China.

EUROPE: Financial Crisis Leads to Rapes

Several groups across Eastern Europe have called for a crackdown on mafia-run job agencies amid reports that their members are raping and torturing migrant workers who have lost their jobs in the economic crisis.

ECONOMY: Bonuses Rise With Losses

European banks are back to paying high bonuses to managers despite their heavy losses. But this time most of the money is coming out of taxpayers' pockets.

ECONOMY-ARGENTINA: Capital Flight – Again

In spite of the resilience shown by the Argentine economy during the current global recession, deep-rooted distrust has led to the flight of 44 billion dollars over the last two years, which have been deposited abroad, locked up in vaults or tucked under the mattress.

ENVIRONMENT: Polluters See Green in Carbon Market

Egypt's pollution problem is a potential goldmine of foreign revenue - if the country can tap into the lucrative international carbon trading market.

INDIA: Kashmir Carpet Industry Hit By Recession

Kashmir’s carpet industry has been hit very hard by the global economic slowdown, 47-year-old Bashir Ahmad Bhat explained while working on his loom in a run-down hut in downtown Srinagar.

CARIBBEAN: Returning to the IMF, on Their Own Terms

In 1995, then Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson had a few choice words for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "Goodbye, ta-ta, au revoir," he said.

U.S.: Homeless “Tent City” in Harlem Ends in Arrests

New York City police arrested 10 people who refused to leave a vacant lot in a demonstration for homeless people's rights in East Harlem on Thursday. Early in the day, dozens of homeless people had occupied the lot, which is currently not being used, setting up tents and a makeshift kitchen.

U.S.: Sky’s the Limit for Bank Fees

Banks bailed out with U.S. taxpayer money, like Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp, are raking in money by charging 150 percent interest and more on short-term, payday loans to people with no savings, consumer advocates say.

LATIN AMERICA: Don’t Miss the Train to Beijing, Delhi, Moscow

Latin America and the Caribbean should turn their gaze towards the economies of China, India and Russia to diversify exports and strengthen efforts to bring down unemployment and poverty, according to the Latin American Economic System (SELA), based in the Venezuelan capital.

Q&A: Brazil’s Lesson to the World: Invest in Family Farming

Kanayo F. Nwanze chose Brazil for his first official visit as the recently elected president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and was pleased to personally attest to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s commitment to family farming.

ECONOMY-CUBA: New Budget Cuts in Store

The impact of the global financial crisis on the economy in Cuba was a major focus of a speech Sunday by President Raúl Castro, who confirmed that further "adjustments" will be made to this year's budget.

ECONOMY-US: Trillions to Banks as Taxpayers Left in the Dark

The U.S. Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury have doled out trillions in taxpayer dollars to banks and corporations and now the boom may be falling on what lawmakers say is a shroud of secrecy that surrounds their actions.

ECONOMY-ARGENTINA: Hitting Bottom – to Stagnate, or Rise Again?

After a prolonged boom, the rate of economic growth in Argentina came to a rather abrupt halt last year. Experts say the crisis has bottomed out, but they won't venture an opinion on whether what comes next will be a gradual recovery, or stagnation.

TRADE: WTO Report Chose “Serendipitous” Topic

The central focus of the WTO annual report - the tricky balance between the need to protect national production and the negative economic impacts of such measures during times of crisis - was actually chosen before the current meltdown, but turned out to be just what the doctor, or the world trade body, ordered.

ECONOMY: Poll Supports Govt Intervention in Crisis

A new poll finds that the populations of a majority of nations surveyed feel that their governments are not doing enough to address the global economic crisis. However, respondents are split over whether their governments should use protectionist measures to bring about recovery.

AUSTRALIA: Male Job Losses Rise as Families Count Costs

Despite concerns that female workers would bear the brunt of Australian job losses due to the global economic downturn, employees in the male-dominated manufacturing industry have so far been the hardest hit.

SRI LANKA: Clinching a Crucial IMF Lifeline

After months of being at the receiving end of international criticism for human rights violations, Sri Lanka finally clinched a crucial agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday for a standby credit facility of $2.5 billion, which will help bolster the country’s foreign exchange reserves depleted by the sharp impacts of the global economic downturn and an expensive war.

Q&A: The South Can Also Be Consumers of Fair Trade Products

Fair trade is moving into a different era as developing countries become consumers and not just producers of fair trade products. South Africa is the first country from the South to initiate this shift.

EGYPT: Selling Kidneys to Pay the Bills

Karim borrowed money to expand his bakery. When the money ran out, and facing the prospect of imprisonment if unable to repay his debts, the 36-year- old Egyptian baker sold his kidney.