Stories about Economics & Business from December, 2009
South Asia: Looking Back At 2009
The year 2009 is ending and its time to retrospect how the year has been for the South Asian region. In a two-part review we will look back at some of the major events which took place this year in the South Asian countries seen through the eyes of the citizen journalists.
Caribbean: 2009 Regional Roundup
As Global Voices celebrates its fifth anniversary, the occasion has given us all an opportunity to reflect on why we do what we do and how our work makes a difference. As my colleague Jillian York so succinctly put it, “We spread stories. We spread words.” We manage to do...
Dominica: OECS
Chris at Dominica Weekly shares his thoughts on the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States’ Economic Union.
Lithuania: Buying Lithuanian (in Poland)
With a Grain of Druska reports on the Delphi portal users’ “quotation of the year” choice: “I follow the slogan ‘buy Lithuanian products’, but I buy them in Poland. There Lithuanian products are about half the price.”
Puerto Rico: On the Trail
When it comes to corruption, Puerto Rico's Gil the Jenius follows the “more subtle ‘influence trail'” rather than the money trail.
Russia: Kaliningrad's “Contraband Industry”
St Petersblurb writes about Kaliningrad authorities’ failure to deal with the region's flourishing “contraband industry.”
Russia: Yeltsin's Daughter Blogs About Oligarch
Tatyana Yumasheva (LJ user t_yumasheva), daughter of the former Russian President Boris Yeltsin , recollects [Google Translation in EN] on her blog the early years of Roman Abramovich, Russian oligarch and the 51st richest person in the world.
Azerbaijan: Standing in line
Newly returned to Baku, Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines posts its observations on queuing in Azerbaijan. The blogger is not impressed and in a previous post also laments the state of the medical system in the country.
Thailand's English as Second Language industry
A Filipino teacher-blogger in Thailand shares a brief background on the English as Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) industry in the country.
Curacao: Kayaking through Caribbean
Repeating Islands blogs about an activist from Curaçao, who “has paddled more than 1600 kilometres in a kayak to raise awareness for the environment.”
Trinidad & Tobago: 500
Trinidadian bloggers comment on the country's record murder rate – Jumbie's Watch: “The message is clear. We’re screwed.” B.C. Pires: “Not even when Mr Manning and Mr Panday achieve Trinidad's most vulgar historic event – the creation of an executive presidency by back-room trickery – will Trinidadians put their feet...
St. Lucia: A Year for the Books
St. Lucia's Caribbean Book Blog reflects on 2009 as “a year that surely has to go down as one of the most disruptive and transformational periods in the world publishing industry.”
Slovakia: Coal That Does Not Burn
Tibor Blazko writes about Slovaks being fooled into buying coal from Poland that does not burn, but not taking legal action to fight fraud, and translates a few comments that show how differently Slovaks view what has happened.
Ukraine: The Pickle Project
The Uncataloged Museum introduces The Pickle Project, “an ongoing effort to document and share traditional foodways in rural communities in Ukraine as a way of understanding issues of sustainability, change and community.”
Israel: National Policy Needed for Foreign Workers
Amir Mizroch advocates for a national policy to protect foreign workers in Israel. “You could see the migrant worker story as an inevitable cultural and economic phenomenon with huge potential benefits to Israel. Fields get tilled and houses get built. We enjoy their culture and they enjoy ours. Call it...
Kenya: M-Pesa is not a Kenyan innovation
Gmeltdown argues that M-Pesa, the mobile-phone based money transfer service is not a Kenyan innovation as many people think.
Kazakhstan: Oil Refinery to install aromatics complex
Atyraujournal reports on the plans of the Atyrau Oil Refinery in Western Kazakhstan to upgrade it's facilities and to install aromatics complex by 2013.
Kazakhstan: War on Corruption and Political Interests
Alexander_Visotzky reviews the developments in Kazakhstan's uranium industry after arrest of the head of the national nuclear company on charges of embezzlement, and concludes that fight against corruption in Kazakhstan, is more of a political game than it is an attempt to root out corruption.
Afghanistan: Comparing the costs of two wars
Peter Marton suggests his readers to compare the costliness of the Afghan vs. the Iraqi campaign, based on the data from several different sources.
Japan: Entrepreneurship
Fumi Yamazaki from What's happening in Japan right now? blogs about a gathering in Tokyo, Startup Weekend, among developers, business managers, startup enthusiasts, marketing gurus, graphic artists to share their experiences in businesses and projects.
Russia: iPhone 3GS
Profy reports that “two of the three largest Russian carriers have finally reached an agreement with Apple on iPhone 3GS which means that the gadget will be officially sold in Russia – as soon as in the first three months of 2010.”
