Stories about Economics & Business from February, 2009
Japan and South Korea: Cheap Won Draws Japanese Shoppers
Jean Min from Ohmynews! reports about the drop in South Korean currency Won and its side effect of drawing Japanese tourists to Seoul for shopping.
Egyptians on the verge of insanity
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Egyptians are struggling to maintain their sanity, faith, and stability. Marwa Rakha presents the following selection from Egyptian blogs which discuss dreams, suicide, unemployment and the gruesome murder of a woman and her children - at the hands of her husband.
Jordan: 7iber.com Discusses Vital Issues For Jordan
For the last 10 days or so, 7iber.com has been discussing very important issues affecting Jordan, with issues ranging from water scarcity, energy, unemployment and economics to the recent changes in the government. Mohammad Azraq has the story.
Blog Plagiarism hits Egyptian Bloggers
Is there such a thing as blog plagiarism? Egyptian bloggers argue both sides of the fence on Facebook and on their blogs after a newspaper started quoting bloggers - without their permission, reports Marwa Rakha.
UAE: Selective Surveys
Measured PR, at the UAE Community Blog, questions the results of HSBC Bank International's Expat Exploreer Survey, published at Forbes on the World's Friendliest Countries, in which the UAE ranked least friendly.
Thailand: Alternative local currency
Al Jazeera reports how residents of a remote town in northeast Thailand are using an alternative local currency to encourage fellow villagers to become more self-sufficient.
Kazakhstan: Politics and Society in Times of Crisis
Politics remain the major topic of the online discussions in Kazakhstan – much more frequently and intensely than in public life. One of the most recent events, widely discussed by the bloggers, was the establishment of the new state award – the title of the Kazakhstan's Hero of Labor (an...
Taiwan: The cost of investment
There has been a huge amount of Taiwanese investment in China over the past two decades. Michael Turton discusses the human cost of that investment.
Ukraine: Obstacles and Hope for Museums
Linda Norris of The Uncataloged Museum lists legal and other obstacles that Ukrainian museums are facing, but concludes her post on a positive note, writing about some of the museum employees she has met: “They make minimal salaries, work in conditions that are hard to imagine (no heat, for instance,...
Russia: Cherkizovsky Market in Moscow
Moscow Through Brown Eyes writes about an article (RUS) on Moscow's Cherkizovsky Market that appeared in the latest issue of Bolshoi Gorod: “Each of these bewilderingly diverse stories could be the subject of its own article, if not an entire book. Taken together, however, these portraits add up to something...
Poland: Economic Situation
The beatroot writes about the economic situation in Poland.
Poland: The Problem With “CEE”
Polandian writes about the problem with the term “Central & Eastern Europe”: “I’m all for people reporting on Poland and even highlighting its problems, whatever they may be, but let’s please keep it specific to Poland. What I don’t like is people suggesting that Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania et...
Czech Republic: Prague Filming Fees
The Czech Daily Word writes that “Budapest, Vienna and other cities” are likely to replace Prague as “a favorite spot for American filmmakers” – due to newly-introduced filming fees.
Latvia: Government Resignation
Edward Hugh writes about Latvian government's resignation at A Fistful of Euros.
Japan: Agriculture the latest trend among celebrities
The Japanese economy is facing one of the worse slowdowns in its modern history, with a GDP that has declined at a rate of 12,7%. Nonetheless, TV programs and lifestyle magazines are doing their best to inspire hope among their viewers and readers that not everything is lost. Recently, a new trend has been spreading among Japanese celebrities: farm work.
Trinidad & Tobago, U.S.A.: Change? Really?
“He has taken several steps back from the openness he once showed, the willingness to talk to anyone without preconditions. He proposes to send 17,000 more troops into Afghanistan…dampening down one war only to refuel another”: Notes from Port of Spain is “still cynical about Barack Obama.”
Barbados: Hotel Construction Stopped
Barbados Free Press and Gallimaufry report that construction has stopped on the Four Seasons Hotel project, which does not auger well for the island's economy.
Bermuda: Budget Day
Vexed Bermoothes has been following the Bermuda's budget presentation and says: “It doesn’t seem so far to be a change from ‘business as usual'”.
China: Expectations of Xinjiang people
An article now popular in Chinese cyberspace depicts the sufferings and expectations of the people in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The post suggests that “all the friends across the country” owe an apology and a big “Thank you” to the Xinjiang people [zh].
Caribbean, USA: Where in the World is Allen Stanford?
It's one thing for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to lay fraud charges against Texas billionaire-cum-Caribbean cricket magnate Allen Stanford - but first, authorities have to find him. As panicky investors flock to Stanford-owned banks from Antigua to South America to try and withdraw their funds, speculation is rife as to where Mr. Stanford might be.
Zimbabwe: Teachers vow not to return to work
According to Zimbabwean blogger, Conrad Mwanawashe, Zimbabwean teachers will not return to work because the salary promised by the government is not enough. Teachers have not been reporting for duty since last year.