Stories about Economics & Business from April, 2012
Sri Lanka: Tackling Agricultural Surpluses
The Sri Lankan Government is facing a new kind of challenge, tackling surplus production of rice. However a Sri Lankan farmer sheds a light into the plights of the rice farmers in Sri Lanka, who are not obtaining a fair price for their produce.
Iran: Street Sweeper Finds and Returns $500,000
An Iranian street sweeper named Ahmad Rabani found 1 billion Toman (about $570,000 US dollars) and returned it to the owner. As thanks, he received a 200,000 Toman ($120 US dollars) reward.
Portugal: Eviction Prior to Freedom Day Awakens Squatting Movement
As the pent-up frustrations of citizens in Portugal keep growing a year since the international “bailout” of the country's public debt, the annual celebration of Freedom Day on April 25 marking the Carnation Revolution that ended a 41-year dictatorship in 1974, gained renewed momentum.
Brazil: The sale of America's smallest city and thoughts of buying the Amazon
Janio, from Brazil, has written in his blog (“Made in Blog” [pt]) about the auctioning off of the smallest city in America, Buford (Wyoming), which has but one inhabitant. He draws a parallel “with a time when some activists from the developed world threatened to buy the Amazon, in order to...
Thirty three top Brazilian businesses ranked in the Forbes list
In her Brazil Global blog, Hildete Vodopives named thirty three Brazilian businesses found on the Forbes Top Business list, stating: “Energy makes number one among them with Petrobras (oil, gas and ethanol). Another interesting highlight is the leading presence of banks: Itau (and Itausa, its holding), Bradesco and Banco do...
Africa: Does Copy/Clone Strategy Work in Africa?
Mbwna Ally wonders whether copy/clone strategy works in Africa: “Every so often I hear venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley ask a recurring question regarding Tech Startups in Africa- why not just use the “copy to” strategy? Clone an e-bay, clone a Groupon… After all there are 1,000s of...
Africa: The New African Consumer
Bankelele discusses a new report on the African Consumer: “It’s a useful road map for companies looking to understand future trends in Africa and offer lessons such as be online (Africa had more Google ad clicks than Western Europe), brands & quality matter, distribution is king, data is scare, respect...
A look into China's ‘red aristocracy’
The Stream, a social media community with a daily TV show on Al Jazeera, has put together content from different social media sources about Chinese billionaires, known as the ‘red aristocracy’ for their connections with Communist Party leadership.
Philippines: Demolition of Urban Poor Village Sparks Indignation
At least one person was killed and scores were injured after police forces fired on protesting residents of Silverio Compound in Paranaque City, south of Manila, who were defending their homes from being demolished. The violent demolition has sparked a wave of indignation online.
Trinidad & Tobago: Talking Common Sense
The Lloyd Best Institute of the West Indies, based in Trinidad & Tobago, has posted video of the presentations from one of its Common Sense Convois series, “Food First: Building An Economy From the Kitchen to the World”: Roger Pulwarty, climate scientist, and Sam Dowlath, former CEO of the National...
Russia: Putin Proposes Contentious State Power Grab in Siberia
On April 20, 'Kommersant' revealed an ongoing legislative project to create a state company to oversee the economic development of Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East. The schism at the heart of the RuNet's response to this issue reveals certain fundamental apprehensions that shape online Russian civil society.
Bulgaria: Penalty For Getting Pregnant
The blog “Работнически глас” (“Worker's voice”) tells [bg] about a trial scheduled for May 26: a former female employee is suing a company for a discriminatory clause in the work contract, which stated that any female employee who gets pregnant after being hired will have to pay a fine (700 lv,...
South Korea: Youtube Video Accusing Samsung of Labor Workers Death
While Apple factory workers’ suicides are widely known, not enough data on Samsung's labor workers is available online. A Youtube user posted a video entitled “Samsung's Truth” with English subtitles explaining how labor workers suffered under the biggest corporations in South Korea.
China: State Owned Enterprises
Ministry of Tofu translated an infographic comparing the status of state-owned enterprises with the private-owned enterprises in China.
Madagascar: Rare Deposit-Rich Land Sold to French-German Group
French group Rhodia and German company Tantalus announced the signing of a Letter of Intent to exploit a 300 km-long region filled with rare deposits [fr] in the Ampasindava peninsula in the North-West of Madagascar. The group expects to produce 15,000 tons a year within the next 18 months, a total...
Trinidad & Tobago: Gas Revenues
Accountant/Consultant Derren Joseph shares the contents of an email he received which is concerned with the level of Trinidad & Tobago's gas revenue: “This gas is the property of EVERY CITIZEN of Trinidad and Tobago and we deserve to understand why any of our gas is being sold at a...
Georgia: Concerns over Lazika development
Writing on The PIK.TV blog, the channel's English-language editor, Tbilisi-based Nicholas Alan Clayton, comments on plans to construct a new city in Georgia. With little transparency in planning the Lazika development, recently referred to as an ‘instant city in a swamp’ by the New York Times, the blog says that...
Multinational Companies’ China Market
ChinaHush translated a local feature report looking into the significance of China market to different multinational companies.
This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere
In last week's summary of the regional blogosphere, a young comtemporary artist from Barbados made the observation that the region is “more than the beach and coconuts.” Here's a round-up of what Caribbean netizens were talking about this week, with not one mention of beaches or coconuts...
Cuba: Absent at the Summit of the Americas
At The Cuban Triangle, Phil Peters blogs about Cuba's absence at the Summit of the Americas, which was held this week in Cartagena, Colombia. Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia's president, addressed the issue of the US trade embargo on Cuba, calling it an “anachronism.” “We cannot be indifferent to a process...
Macedonia: Lead Smelting Company Sues Environmental Activist
Greenbox blog reports [mk] that Toni Dimitrievski, director of Мetrudhem, the corporation that intends to restart the lead smelting factory in the city of Veles, has filed a lawsuit against environmental activist Igor Smilev for “endangering security,” “unauthorized recording,” “slander” and “insult,” requesting EUR 20,000 in damages. So far, only...
