International: July 27, 2001
Maquiladora owners in Mexico are issuing special visas for short trips to the U.S. as a perk for longtime workers, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal; the practice, which began in 1999 when the Immigration and Naturalization Service began allowing U.S. consulates in six Mexican border cities to issue visas, helps retain employees but is criticized as a means to keep employees complacent...Five national training centers have opened in China to help businesses understand the effects of China’s entry into the World Trade Association (WTO), according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, which also found 54 Web sites pertaining to the WTO on Chinese Internet portal www.sina.com...Italy-based clothing line Trussardi has inked a deal with British hat maker Philip Treacy for an exclusive line of Treacy-designed hats under the Trussardi label; the line is expected to launch in September and will be available at Trussardi stores.
