Stories about Economics & Business from December, 2014
Indians Plead for #NetNeutrality as Airtel Raises Data Charges
Although plans are now on hold due to regulatory restrictions, advocates worry that the company may yet find a way impose the fee increase.
Can Trinidad & Tobago's Government Win Political Goodwill from Christmas?
As Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar traveled the country for her "Holiday Toy Drive", some netizens were concerned about her spending in light of a precarious economic future.
Despite Appearances, 3 Reasons for Madagascar, Algeria and France to Be Cheerful in 2015
It seems that things have not been ideal in Algeria, France and Madagascar, yet the Happy Planet Index ranked them quite high on their happiness list.
New Taxes in Macedonia Send Freelancers and Part-Time Workers Into the Streets
In a country where unemployment sits at nearly 29 percent, freelancing and working part-time is all that's available to many people.
I Have Never Known A Cuba That Wasn't Blockaded
A personal take on the rapprochement between the United States and her native land by Cuban journalist and activist Sandra Alvarez.
Some of Miami's Cuban Exiles Are Disgruntled at Obama's New Approach to Cuba
Our author, Robert Valencia, is in Miami, home to the largest community of people of Cuban descent residing outside of Cuba.
A High-Rise Condo Tower Is Photobombing the Philippines’ National Hero
The 49-storey Torre de Manila has been dubbed the "Terror de Manila" by critics for allegedly ruining the view of the Rizal monument in Luneta Park.
VIDEO: How Palm Oil is Causing Environmental Destruction in Indonesia
The team of Coconuts TV went to south Sumatra in Indonesia to document the impact of the burning of peatlands and forests to make way for the expanding palm oil plantations. The burning of forests in Sumatra is causing the displacement of endangered species in the island; and it also...
Southeast Asia's Public Transport Woes in Photos
Motorbike riders without helmet, overloaded jeepneys, and train passengers on roof carriages are some of the common public transport spectacles we see in the streets of Southeast Asia.
Small Fries, Big Problems for Japan's McDonald's
A port strike in the U.S. is causing a potato shortage in Japan and affecting McDonald's menus. But the company has more to worry about than just French fry rationing.
Do #EmptyShelves Await Tomorrow's Russia?
The rush to invest in dollars, vacuum cleaners, jackets, and more all suggests confidence low enough to compel people to wait in line for hours on a Tuesday night.
The Ruble May Be Falling, But Russian Memes Are Soaring
Amid growing anxiety about Russia’s currency and economy, RuNet Echo has collected several of the most popular and amusing examples of “ruble memes” on Russian Twitter.
Online Entrepreneurship: Interview With Ana Bizarro from ‘Acción Alegría’
Andrea Collazo, who we already know from her blog Profesora de Informática (Computing teacher), shares an interview with entrepreneur and creator of accionconalegría.com, Ana Bizarro. Bizarro's website aims to provide support to “entrepreneur parents, with children and no time, this is, people who are responsible for their lives”. There is...
A New Filtering System Could Slow Down RuNet. And Then There's the Censorship
Internet filtering at ISP level might become reality in Russia by the end of 2014. This would slow down Internet speeds and introduce more surveillance and censorship in the RuNet.
Drones Flying Over Nuclear Power Stations in France Raise Concerns
Internet users in France are worried that a series of drone sightings above French nuclear power sites suggests an unacknowledged national security vulnerability.
The Fall of the Georgian Currency in Photoshopped Images: From 50 Cent to ‘Saving Private Lari’
Georgia's national currency, the lari, has been weakened by "internal and external factors" according to the country's central bank, leaving it languishing as the butt of online jokes.
Bahrain Comes to a Standstill for the King's Son to Cycle, Run and Swim
A burial service was delayed, airline travel was disrupted, doctors could not go to work and patients were left without care while the king's son swam, ran and cycled.
Do You Read Ecolabels When Shopping?
Rut Abrain Sanchez on her blog Esturirafi defines and identifies legal and volunteer product labels. Among the latter we find ecologic labels, “so manufacturers show us they are abiding by a series of requirements and for the consumer to be able to identify products environmentally more sustainable”. There are Type...
Spending Christmas Eve Alone? Japanese Has a Word for That
"At work a bunch of the junior staff were discussing their kuribotchi plans. 'And just what the heck is kuribotchi?' I asked with a laugh. There was an awkward silence."
Movember's ‘Mo Bros’ — Now in India
In recent years, India has embraced "Movember" in a big way. It's charity, it's chic, and it's both literally and figuratively changing the face of men's health.
Historic Church Building Razed in Trinidad & Tobago Is ‘Still Worth Saving’
"no understanding of culture and history... no joy and awe for the hand made building and the sweat and tears of our ancestors..."
