· April, 2013

Stories about Development from April, 2013

Chronicler of Saint Lucian History Remembered

  26 April 2013

Historian and conservationist Robert Devaux was laid to rest this week, having passed away on the morning of April 16th 2013, after a battle with cancer. St. Lucian netizens have been paying tribute to a man many consider to be an environmental hero and national visionary.

Tokyo Joins NASA's App Challenge

  24 April 2013

Japan participated in NASA's International Space Apps Challenge 2013 with a hackathon in Tokyo on April 21 and 22, 2013. Eighteen project teams developed apps with the aim of improving life on Earth and in space, including an app to create dishes in a shape of celestial bodies [ja] such as...

India Suffers from Bad Governance

  24 April 2013

Big government leads to corruption. Corruption leads to bad governance. Bad governance gives rise to mass poverty. Atanu Dey argues that India is not doomed to be poor due to factors outside its control. It needs good governance.

Iran: 60% of Population Online

  20 April 2013

An organization affiliated with Iran’s government says 60 percent of Iranians are connected to the internet, 40 percent of them are young people in their 20s. Iran’s “Center For Managing National Development Of Internet”, MATMA, says more than 45 millions are connected to the internet,almost 2.5 millions of them through...

Brazil Accused of Spying on Belo Monte Dam Opponents

  18 April 2013

An activist collective opposed to the construction of the controversial Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in northern Brazil uncovered a spy among its members who confessed to infiltrating the the group allegedly at the behest of the dam company and the Brazilian intelligence agency. The agency is also accused of spying on dock workers in northeastern Brazil.

Displaced Residents Accuse Brazilian Power Plant of False Promises

  17 April 2013

Among 4,325 people that have been either removed or indirectly affected by the construction of the Jirau and Santo Antonio dams in the Madeira river region, in the Brazilian Amazon, former river dwellers who now reside in New Mutum Paraná complain about promises that haven't been met concerning their displacement.

Residents Displaced by Brazilian Power Plant Struggle to Earn Living

  16 April 2013

While moving in to New Mutum Parana – a town built by the company Energia Sustentável to house Jirau’s engineers and officers – the river dwellers who were removed from their community in order to allow Madeira River’s power plant flooding found a “phantom city” where making a living seems impossibe.

Who Owns St. Lucia's Beaches…Citizens or Celebrities?

  15 April 2013

St. Lucians can usually visit any beach they choose, but thanks to a recent celebrity wedding, the beach surrounding a local resort was deemed off limits, raising longstanding questions about beach access and the cost benefits of large resorts.

Big Money and Sex Talks Shock in China

  10 April 2013

It’s a story about sex and money, but what catches the attention of many Chinese netizens is the “beyond imagination” gap between the country’s rich and poor. Offbeat China reports on a bizarre dispute on Sina Weibo between Internet celebrity Guo Meimei and members of Sports Car Club (SCC) about “who is...

Bhutan on the Road to Becoming Fully Organic

  7 April 2013

The Himalayan Kindgom of Bhutan, famous for its “Gross National Happiness” Index instead of Gross Domestic Product, has set itself the task of being the first country in the world to completely turn to Organic Agriculture.

28,000 Rivers Disappear from Chinese Map

  5 April 2013

Some 28,000 rivers in China have seemingly disappeared, according to a recent government water census. A prominent environmentalist attributes the disappearing rivers to the over-exploitation of river resources and the large hydroelectric projects.

‘Tribewanted’ Creates, Connects Eco-Villages

  2 April 2013

Renewable energy, permaculture and green building, along with local traditions and eco-tourism: welcome to Tribewanted – an online community launched in 2006 based on the idea of “global citizenship” and harnessing the energy of social media to meaningfully connect and practice positive behavior change. Thanks to crowdfunding strategies, the project plans...