Stories about Economics & Business from June, 2010
Ukraine: Hanna Herman's $60K Wrist Watch
Foreign Notes writes about a $60K wrist watch of the deputy head of Ukraine's Presidential Administration: “$60K is equivalent to 10 to15 years average salary in Ukraine…”
Haiti: MSM Coverage
The Haitian Blogger says that “mainstream media pieces about Haiti are like Swiss cheese, full of holes.”
Haiti: Five Months Later
Haiti, land of Freedom takes a look at the country just about five months after the devastating earthquake.
Chile: Organizations and Citizens Against Mining Project in Magallanes
Manuel Luis Rodriguez writes in the blog Coyuntura Política [es] about a mining project in Isla Riesco (Riesco Island) in the Magallanes region. He says that about 50 NGOs and 12 international entities signed a statement against the project because it endangers the flora and fauna of the island and...
Laos: Vientiane's second radio station
Sabydee Lao blogs about the opening of a radio station in Vientiane, Laos. It’s newsworthy because it is only the second radio station in the nation's capital.
Global: Statistics on Countries Participating in World Cup
SRF from GeoCurrent Events blog writes about the economic geography of the 2010 FIFA World Cup participant countries.
China: Gamers need not worry over new real name rules
This summer will see the introduction of real name regulations for e-commerce entrepreneurs and online gamers. With a series of past failed attempts in China at implementing similar rules, one blogger looks at the logistics of real name requirements and doesn't expect these new regulations to stick.
Maldives: Much Ado About Airport Privatization
Hassan Ziyau questions Maldivian media's role on the recent controversy about airport privatization in Maldives.
China: Debate over RMB evaluation
One week before the G20 summit, the Chinese central bank announced the increase of flexibility of RMB exchange rate. The People's Bank of China asserted that the exchange rate regime reform could help China, but not everyone is convinced in online forums.
Myanmar: Sports magazines enjoying higher sales
The Irrawaddy reports that sports magazines are enjoying higher sales in Myanmar because of the World Cup 2010
Kenya: Social media reality check
The state of social media in Kenya: “The rush to use social networks in Kenya today is appearing more like a bandwagon effect and not a solid business strategy.”
Brazil: Standing Against Mining in Gandarela
Local communities and netcitizens who care for the biodiverse Serra da Gandarela in Minas Gerais, Brazil, are taking a stand against Vale S.A. - a major mining multinational whose record is not one of the best at the eyes of environmental groups.
Worldwide: The oil spills that don't make the news
The tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has the world's attention on the devastation that badly managed oil extraction can bring. However, in some places around the world, people live with toxic spills such as these and through videos people try to bring the world's attention to their plight.
Bangladesh: Poverty In Numbers
An Ordinary citizen highlights the results of a recent survey of BSS (Bangladesh Statistical Bureau) which is focused on basic requirements enjoyed by the people of Bangladesh.
Russia: Bloggers React to President Medvedev's Silicon Valley Tour
For the first 24 hours, Dmitry Medvedev's @KremlinRussia Twitter account provided a unique opportunity to send unmoderated comments to the Russian president. Then all the comments were removed, and the era of the Russian unmoderated online democracy ended. Gregory Asmolov reviews Russian bloggers' reactions to the president's visit to California.
Mozambique: 35 Years of Independence
On the 35th anniversary of Mozambique's independence [en], blog Moçambique Para Todos [Mozambique For All, pt] publishes several opinion articles, reflecting upon the political situation and the economical dependency of the country as well as the conclusions of a survey related with the political decisions which were made in 1975.
South Korea: Worries Over Apocalypse Health Care Reform May Bring
As South Korean government moves a step closer to execute a health care reform, bloggers have erupted online, strongly criticizing the idea of reform as neither effective nor egalitarian.
Russia: Charges Against Alexanyan Dropped
Robert Amsterdam reports that “Russian prosecutors have finally dropped their case against Yukos lawyer Vasily Aleksanyan”: “But I don't really see this as a sign of clemency or change, or a sudden recognition of judicial independence. Russia just admitted that it held an innocent individual for two years for no...
Russia: President Medvedev is “iPhone Compatible”
Julia Ioffe announces at True/Slant that “Russian president is iPhone compatible.” More on Dmitry Medvedev's visit to California by Julia Ioffe – here, here, and here, and by Jamestown Foundation Blog – here.
Russia, Belarus, Moldova: Gas Wars
Updates on the gas dispute between Russia and Belarus – at Leopolis, Jamestown Foundation Blog, and BelarusDigest. A May 28 post on Moldova's relationship with Gazprom – at RFE/RL's Transmission.
Costa Rica: Week-long March Against Mining
Habla Costa Rica [es] reports on a march against mining which will start July 12 and end July 18. The march was organized by a group of citizens under the name “Coordinadora Ni una sola mina” (Coordination Not One Single Mine). The blog post includes a schedule of the march...