Staff / TruthdigJan 17, 2007
The U.S. and North Korea may meet for a second and possibly even a third round of talks following a surprise meeting. The White House had steadfastly refused to give in to Pyongyang's desire for direct discussions outside of the six-party talks, but the recent rendezvous between the two countries suggests there may be more flexibility in Washington these days. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigJan 9, 2007
When Qin Zhongfei took 10 minutes to scribble down a satirical poem about local bureaucrats, he had no idea it would land him a month in jail -- a sign that free expression still languishes in China, despite hopes that President Hu Jintao's economic reforms would translate to a more open society. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigDec 12, 2006
The United States has the largest prison population in the world, with 2.2 million people in prison and 7 million in prison, on probation or on parole. China, which has about a billion more people than the U.S., has only 1.5 million prisoners. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Join our newsletterStay up to date with the latest from Truthdig. Join the Truthdig Newsletter for our latest publications.
Staff / TruthdigDec 10, 2006
A new report by the World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group criticizes the international lending organization for failing to alleviate global poverty with programs that focus too single-mindedly on growth. The bank estimates that 1.1 billion people subsisted on less than $1 per day in 2001. (h/t: Common Dreams) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigOct 15, 2006
The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to impose sanctions against North Korea in light of its recent nuclear test. Though financial and military aid is restricted, the sanctions do not allow for military action, and skeptics question how effectively the rules will be enforced. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigOct 13, 2006
In the face of vast poverty and exploitation, the Chinese government is about to enact a labor law that would strengthen the role of unions and protections for workers. But American corporations, eager to maintain their fiefdoms in the middle kingdom, have lobbied fiercely against the proposed legislation. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigAug 18, 2006
An Apple Computer audit of labor conditions at an iPod factory in China uncovered employees working longer hours than permitted by its code of conduct. Auditors also said that workers earned ?at least the local minimum wage? -- whatever that may be in Longhua, China. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Robert Scheer / TruthdigJul 19, 2006
In the midst of a Middle Eastern crisis that threatens to destabilize the entire region and perhaps beyond, it was unnerving that what most seemed to interest President Bush at the G8 summit is that China is a long flight from western Russia. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigJun 20, 2006
Every year, 1.5 million Chinese women attempt to take their own lives--and 150,000 succeed. Experts say that 70% to 80% of the suicide attempts have to do with husband-wife issues; in a society of arranged marriages, women frequently have next to no power. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigJun 15, 2006
The Mail on Sunday publishes an exposé on the conditions endured by iPod assemblers in China. Says a female worker: "We have to work too hard and I am always tired. It's like being in the army. They make us stand still for hours. If we move, we are punished by being made to stand still for longer."
Salon link (reg req'd)
Summary of article Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigJun 3, 2006
The five media heavies who shamelessly promoted the government's lies about the Los Alamos scientist chose to settle today rather than reveal their government sources.
Lee was savaged by a media fueled by government rumors that he was spying for China, an accusation he was never officially charged with. Lee was imprisoned in solitary confinement for nine months in 1999-2000 and ultimately received an apology from the judge who heard his case. Truthdig says: The media was not defending freedom of the press but their own right to operate as a megaphone for government agents with an agenda to slander an American citizen. The media went to bat for government agents who broke the law. When will those agents be held accountable?Read Robert Scheer's extensive coverage of the Wen Ho Lee case. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Staff / TruthdigMar 13, 2006
Amid China's explosive market-driven growth over the past decade, it's sometimes hard to remember that it is technically a communist country. A dispute over property rights has brought the issue to the fore.
Truthdig's Orville Schell examined this schism here. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )
Join our newsletterStay up to date with the latest from Truthdig. Join the Truthdig Newsletter for our latest publications.
Now you can personalize your Truthdig experience. To bookmark your favorite articles and follow your favorite authors, please login or create a user profile.
Now you can personalize your Truthdig experience. To bookmark your favorite articles and follow your favorite authors, upgrade to supporter.