Stories about Economics & Business from September, 2011
U.S. Virgin Islands: Where's the Improvement?
News of St. John says it just “doesn't seem right…that budget allocations to the St. John Capital Improvement Fund never seem to be earmarked to help improve St. John's streets, parking lots, curbs, sidewalks…and this year apparently will be no different.”
Peru: ‘Mistura 2011′ Ends Amid Praise and Criticism
In Lima the 'Mistura' festival of gastronomy just came to an end. It attracted a total of 400,000 visitors, and 9 famous chefs lead by Ferrán Adriá signed the 'Declaration of Lima.' It is hoped that Mistura 2012 will reach one million visitors. Most Peruvians support this event, but there are also some criticisms.
Slovenia: Government Loses Confidence Vote
Sleeping With Pengovsky reports that the government of PM Borut Pahor has lost a confidence vote in parliament.
Latvia: Parliamentary Elections Results
Andrew Wilson of OpenDemocracy.net and Juris Kaža of Failed State Latvia? analyze the results of the Sep. 17 parliamentary elections in Latvia.
Hungary: Higher Education and Tuition
Hungarian Spectrum writes about “higher education and the question of ‘tuition'” in Hungary.
Bermuda: No Easy Fix for Term Limits
Respice Finem says that when it comes to term limits, there are no simple solutions and recommends that “now is a good time to revisit and assess if its current form is best suited to Bermuda today.”
Russia: Google Office Invites Iranian Ambassador to ‘Disperse Myths’ About ‘Contemporary Persia’
“Mr Ambassador [Reza Sajadi] had told us about contemporary Persia: about progress in science and technology in his country, developing tourism, situation of women in the Iranian society, had dispersed many myths around Iran and its traditions, and had invited us to visit Iran and enjoy ancient culture of the...
Curacao: Financial Reality
“Yesterday an IMF delegation presented their 2011 Article IV Consultation Discussions: Preliminary Conclusions with the usual rhetoric, cut, reform, kill mantra”: TRIUNFO DI SABLIKA posts a poem intended to show “that these programmed Washington DC economists are not gods.”
Russia: Unjustly Convicted Businessman-Blogger Released From Jail
Alexey Kozlov, businessman and a former millionaire, who was imprisoned in 2007 under trumped-up accusations, has been released from jail, rian.ru reported [ru]. Kozlov received online popularity for his “Butyrka [name of Moscow prison] blog [ru].” The blog was set up by Olga Romanova, Kozlov's wife and a renowned journalist....
Nigeria: Does Terrorism Pay Better Than Farming?
Activista Blogger, David Habba in Nigeria struck up conversation with a student from the University of Agriculture in Makurdi, who no longer feels financially motivated to enter the agricultural sector. “Someone must grow the food and who says it must be me?”
Afghanistan: The country's relations with China
Nasim Fekratْ looks into the historic background and current state of Afghan-Chinese political, trade and economic relationships.
Brazil: A Thousand Days for the World Cup 2014
It is already less than one thousand days for the next World Cup, in 2014 in Brazil, and Rodrigo Cárdia, from the blog Cão Uivador (Howling Dog) asks [pt] himself if there is anything good about it.
Russia, Ukraine: Gas Relations Analysis
Nils van der Vegte of RussiaWatchers examines the current status of the gas relations between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine: More on Denis Oleinikov's ProstoPrint Case
Taras of Ukrainiana posts a few videos and comments on the ongoing attacks on Denis Oleinikov's ProstoPrint company: “It’s the police state’s job to keep humor in short supply. And fail.”
CIVICUS: Reflections on the Power of Civil Society
For three days several civil society representatives met in Montreal for the CIVICUS World Assembly. The subjects were diverse: from civil movements, social equality, and the effects of new technologies, to climate justice. Here are some blog posts that covered the assembly.
D.R of Congo: California Passes Bill on Congo Conflict Minerals
California passes first-ever state bill on Congo conflict minerals: “By a vote of 67 to 11, the California state assembly passed a bill that prohibits state agencies from signing contracts with companies that fail to comply with federal regulations aimed at deterring business with armed groups in eastern Congo.”
Bermuda: Term Limits Backlash
Vexed Bermoothes says of the government's imposition of work permit term limits: “This – combined with the general pissiness of the PLP towards expatriates and international business – led to a massive exodus from the island”; Politics.bm adds: “Their signature policies have hurt Bermudians. Time to fess up.”
Ukraine: Raid on Denis Oleinikov's ProstoPrint.com
Updates on the situation with Denis Oleinikov‘s ProstoPrint.com goods-on-demand company, which was raided by the Ukrainian police last week: Courtney Boyd Myers’ Sep. 8 text on The Next Web; on Demotix, Kost Bezginsky's photos from the Sep. 15 brawl with riot police during the “charity fair” in support of ProstoPrint.com,...
Cuba: House Agents
Iván García blogs about ‘house agents’: “Those who — under the table — dedicate themselves to transmit trades, purchases, or sales of houses in Cuba. A business where there isn’t anyone to tell the tale.”
Why did RIM Blackberry choose Malaysia over Indonesia?
Instead of punishing the company and imposing more taxes, Unspun reminds Indonesia to review its investment policies as RIM Blackberry chose Malaysia over Indonesia in setting up its production base.
Indonesia: Protest of Mining Workers
Multibrand writes about the planned strike of Indonesian workers of PT Freeport, a mining company that produces the world's largest supply of Gold and Copper. The workers are demanding the compliance of the management's pledge to adjust wages.
