· November, 2010

Stories about Economics & Business from November, 2010

Brand China

  30 November 2010

Imagethief blogs the discussion on “brand China” at the Capital-M Trialogue. The discussion panel addressed issues related to the ability of the Chinese companies to establish their brands internationally, and Chinese soft power and international perceptions of China as a whole.

Fiji Water closes the tap and leaves Fiji

  30 November 2010

After squabbling with Fiji's government, the US-based premium water company Fiji Water closed its bottling plant and canceled its contracts. While the company's leaders hope to strike a deal with Fiji's military government, an estimated 4,000 people are affected by the closure. Fiji's bloggers and commenters provide their take on the matter.

Nigeria: Now a “Middle Income” Country

  29 November 2010

Solomonsydelle reports that Nigeria has joined Brazil, South Africa, and 100 other countries in a category the World Bank refers to as “Middle Income.” She expresses her gratification that the nation has left the label “low income” behind, but wonders, “does this classification really mean anything?”

China: ‘Ditch oil’ floods restaurants

  28 November 2010

An economic investigation team detained a Hubei oil refiner Nov. 10 who pumped more than 60 tons of “ditch oil” into the local restaurant industry during the past three years, Hubei’s Jingzhou News reported. Concern over the prevalence of the second-hand oil in restaurant kitchens has increased sharply since an investigative report...

Bhutan: Books Or Bars

  26 November 2010

“Books printed in Bhutan are too expensive for an average income Bhutanese reading public,” informs Penstar and that explains why there are more bars than book shops in that country.

Fiji: Government explains deportation of Fiji Water boss

  26 November 2010

Fiji's government says David Roth, Fiji Water’s local representative, was kicked out of the country because he was interfering with internal affairs. Is this the real reason? What will the deportation mean for other foreign investors? And what about Fiji's bottom line?

Ukraine: Entrepreneurs Renew Mass Protests

  25 November 2010

@Matteush reads tweets marked with the #kat_ua hashtag, concludes (UKR) that “the whole country has risen to protest bandit tax code”: rallies and strikes by entrepreneurs are taking place in (UKR, RUS) Chernivtsi, Rivne, Odessa, Lutsk, Kharkiv, Lviv. In Kyiv, some 30,000 are said to have gathered at Maidan, and...

Trinidad & Tobago: Fictitious Phone Call

  24 November 2010

aka_lol, tongue very much in cheek, posts a fictitious exchange between the former Prime Minister and the former executive chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of T&T, who was in charge of awarding billions of dollars in state contracts.

Cuba: Democratic Change?

  24 November 2010

“I don’t think capitalism is the model of a perfect life. But it is more logical and possible at this stage of human development”: Translating Cuba examines “the hard road to democracy”.

Jamaica: U.S. Influence?

  24 November 2010

Active Voice takes on an interesting “dot connection exercise” with “the sequence of events that preceded and followed the sensational charges recently levied against JLP Deputy Leader James Robertson”.

Ukraine: Social Media Play Crucial Role in Covering Anti-Tax Code Protests

  24 November 2010

On Nov. 22, several thousand Ukrainian entrepreneurs from different regions gathered in Kyiv to protest against the new tax code approved by the Ukrainian Parliament last Thursday. While the country’s traditional media failed to produce timely and balanced coverage of the events, social network users and bloggers kept Ukrainians well-informed about the latest developments.

Pakistan: The Beggar Mafia

  23 November 2010

Saad Hirani at Chowrangi writes about the beggar-Mafia ring in Pakistan “that ‘employs’ children and sometimes adults to work for them”.

Cuba: 6th Congress

  23 November 2010

Sin Evasion and Translating Cuba both blog about the next Cuban Communist Party Congress, scheduled to take place in April next year.

Barbados: Tax Increase

  23 November 2010

“We had a great party while it lasted, but now it’s hangover time and it’s a doozie!”: As the country's taxes increase, Barbados Free Press says that it's time to pay the piper.

Ukraine: “Revolution 2.0″

  22 November 2010

Andriy Kachor (@Ka4or) reports (UKR; #kat_ua) that Khreshchatyk, Kyiv's central street, has been “blocked” by the protesters and that “the number of cops is growing proportionally to the number of the people.” Dan Matteush (@Matteush) calls it (UKR) “Revolution 2.0″, alluding to the protests known as the Orange Revolution six...