A Firestone executive and an author square off over the company's role in this troubled nation.

Firestone chief defends Liberian operations

The company doesn't tolerate child labor and pays a fair wage.

By Dan Adomitis

Democrats' refusal to ratify a trade pact with Colombia until there's progress in curbing violence against unionists is spurring trials and slowly ending impunity.

By Sibylla Brodzinsky

BOGOTA -- It took more than six years for the killers of union activist Luis Manuel Anaya to be brought to trial. Were it not for the U.S. and Colombian governments' quest to adopt a free-trade agreement, they might never have.

A Super Bowl sponsor isn't playing fair with rubber workers in Liberia.

The Super Bowl is perhaps the last cultural event that unites a majority of Americans. Whether the game is a thriller or a snooze, Super Bowl Sunday is a day to gather with friends, rate the commercials, assess the halftime show and wear pants with elastic waistlines.

On Feb. 3, though, pay close attention to the halftime show. Tom Petty is performing, which means that any wardrobe malfunction could lead to the fall of Western civilization.

Over the holidays, millions of American children received Chinese-made toys powered by cadmium batteries.

Cadmium batteries are safe to use. They are also cheap, saving American parents about $1.50 on the average toy, compared with pricier batteries.