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Focuses on interest cuts in nations around the world. How the United States Federal Reserve has made several interest rate cuts in a short amount of time; Attempts of central banks to prevent recessions; Effect of the United States economy on the global economy.

Reports on efforts of several countries to counteract the effect of a slowing United States economy on their economic conditions.

Discusses the polarizing effect of abortion on United States politics and government and its effect on foreign aid policy. Position of US presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush; Need for legislation which will allow the US to fund family planning programs in foreign countries; Increase of population growth in developing countries.

Discusses the tremendous political pressure that has been put on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by member governments to loan money to Russia. The assistance program that Russia could receive by March 1999; How this would replace the IMF bailout agreed to in July 1998; Estimated amount the crisis in Russia has cost business in the United States as of January 1999.

Discusses capitalism in the twentieth century. How it became the dominant economic system in the world; The taming of monopolies through antitrust legislation; The vitality of capitalism; The growing power of labor unions like the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); Political aspects of capitalism; The impact of technology; International economic integration under capitalism's flag.

Discusses the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and its efforts to deter financial crises. Suggestions for (IMF) reform by the Group of 22, a mixture of major industrial nations and key developing countries; Strengthening the IMF; IMF directors of the Group of Seven industrial countries agreeing to reform; A rescue package for Brazil; Emergency loans.

Discusses the leadership role that the United States Federal Reserve has taken in 1998 to prevent the financial crises from getting any worse. The lowering of short-term interest rates; How leaders from other nations feel about lowering interest rates; Psychological implications of the decision by the Federal Reserve to lower rates; Why policy makers at the Federal Reserve felt that it was important to focus on the world economy.

Reports that global leaders are considering drastic changes to the global monetary system in 1998 because they seek greater stability in the face of the numerous financial crises affecting areas of the world. Proposals to partially merge the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; The call for a global institution to oversee the flow of private capital; Why United States President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair have added their voices to the reform chorus.

Reports that the United States government is turning its full attention to the international financial crisis. Efforts by Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and his deputy, Lawrence Summers, to get President Bill Clinton to become more involved in the problem; Clinton's efforts to deal with his personal scandals; Clinton to shift his attention to the threat that emerging nations' economic troubles pose to the United States.

Focuses on the trend of financially faltering countries putting new controls on free markets. United States encouragement to emerging nations to adopt capitalism; Spread of the global financial crisis; Backlash against capitalism; Installation of government controls on foreign exchanges, flows, and foreign capital; Group of seven nations call for a cooperative international approach to support the countries in financial turmoil.

Discusses the September 1998 meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) nations to discuss how to handle the financial crisis in Russia. Uncertainty about what the G-7 nations will be able to do; The possibility that the United States will lower interest rates to help Russia; Why Gordon Brown, British Chancellor of the Exchequer, called the G-7 to meet; Possible proposals that the G-7 may implement.

Reports on the actions that the United States government must go through to ratify China as a trade partner following the agreement to allow China as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Comments on NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico and NAFTA failures as viewed by economist Charles McMillion.

Discusses the United States trade deficit. Advantage in trade negotiations; 1998's deficit; Inability to accuse the US of being protectionist; The weight behind US threats to impose restraints on imports; Prediction of 1999's deficit; Economic virtue of the trade deficit; Comments of Charles McMillion, chief economist of MBG Information Services in Washington; Measure of US international activities; Development in two trade areas; Forecasting.

Looks at the disparity of world wealth and economists' efforts at structural reform in light of the April 1999 meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Economic and population statistics; Evidence of recovery from global financial crises; Agreements that were reached on Russia, debt relief and economic structural reform.

Reports Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji's efforts to gain membership into the World Trade Organization (WTO). United States President Bill Clinton's negotiations with Zhu as a result of pressure from US business and a shifting mood in Congress, who originally opposed the idea; Clinton's original goal to stay on the good side of the AFL-CIO by avoiding negotiations with Zhu until after the 2000 elections; Zhu's desire to modernize China.

Focuses on United States media coverage of the so-called banana war between the US and the European Union (EU). The real issue of goals for president Bill Clinton in the short time that is left in his administration; Forecasted revival of talks over trade disputes; Why the EU insists on restricting the sales of Dole and Chiquita bananas, despite disapproval of the World Trade Organization.

Focuses on the importance of international finance and economics, highlighting the trade surplus and investment losses of Japan. Amount of money Japan lost through investments with the United States (US) investments; Schedule for the annual joint meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund; Comments from economist, C. Fred Bergsten.

Discusses how world nations, as of early 1998, are making progress on a number of economic issues that are helping to improve living standards. Capitals that are submitting balanced budgets; The decline in inflation in Argentina; Rise in income in sub-Saharan Africa; How economic reform is behind all the progress that is sweeping the world.