For as long as human beings have adorned their bodies, fashion has given us the means to express our unique identities. But whereas the earliest clothes were designed merely to protect and warm us, today�s emphasis on fashion is driven by dollars, status and corporate competition. In this issue, produced in partnership with TradeAid, we look behind the glamour of the catwalks and examine the very fabric of the fashion trade � the power, control and manipulation wielded by the fashion giants, the slave-like conditions under which many of our garments are produced, and the personal choices and solutions each of us can engage in to create a fairer, more equitable industry for all.

In today's world, there is barely a place on the planet that is not touched in some way by the long arm of Big Business. While many consider Big Business the oil that greases the machine of everyday lives and economies, there are others who believe that the immense power of global corporations is a threat to democracy, the environment and to the human rights and well-being of the great majority of people today. In this issue of Global Bits, we explore the history and reach of these global corporations, and look behind the PR and "spin" to explore the place Big Business holds in all our lives.

In today's world, money touches nearly every aspect of our lives... the pursuit of it, lack of it, control of it, and abuse of it. It really is a rich man's world. This special "bumper" issue of Global Bits will look at the winners and losers in the money game and ask why money holds so much power, how that power is maintained, and who is in control. We'll also look at some of the possible rule changes we could make to the way the money game is played.

There is nothing new about taking drugs. What is new, however, is the staggeringly vast multi-million dollar black market that has arisen to supply illegal drugs all around the world. And it's not just the trafficking of drugs that is sweeping the globe, but the trafficking of people, animals and rare plants as well. Everything is up for grabs...no drug too dangerous; no life too sacred. But stemming the flow is fraught with difficulties, these markets are highly profitable for those involved, and many are prepared to protect them with their lives (or, more often, the lives of others). Governments, corporations, warlords, drug barons... everyone has an agenda about illegal trafficking and often the very measures put in place to prevent such acts create the most damaging and inflammatory consequences of all. For millions worldwide, the pain and suffering from trafficking leaves lives and habitats in ruin, and a cycle of poverty, violence and sickness that makes all of us poorer in this global age.