· April, 2012

Stories about Economics & Business from April, 2012

Argentina: Bloggers React to Announcement of Nationalization of Oil Company YPF

  18 April 2012

The announcement of the nationalization of the oil company YPF, controlled by Spain's Repsol, and the transfer of 51% of its shares to the Argentinean government, sparked many reaction on the Argentinean blogosphere. Jorge Gobbi shares some of these opinions, which in general, are divided between those in favor and those opposed to the government of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Nigeria: Was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's Candidacy Symbolic?

  17 April 2012

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, the only African and woman running for the World Bank presidency, has lost the race to Dr. Jim Yong Kim, a Korean-American physician. Should this have been the time for global governance values to triumph over the long-standing tradition of an American leading the institution?

Serbia: May 6 Parliamentary Vote Roundup

  17 April 2012

Bill Kralovec posts a short roundup on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Serbia, scheduled for May 6, and shares his “political platform,” asking Serbian readers to help him “match which party most resonates with [his] opinions.”

Business Prospects in Myanmar

  15 April 2012

Aim Sinpeng writes about the booming business prospects in Myanmar. Foreign investments have risen especially after the government has pledged to implement some key political and economic reforms

Spain: King Juan Carlos and the Elephant in Botswana

  15 April 2012

Days after Felipe Juan Froilan accidentally shot himself in the foot during shooting practice, his grandfather, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, fell while he was hunting and broke his pelvis. This would have been minor news, had it not been for the fact that he was hunting elephants in Botswana on...

Africa: Access to Water and Sanitation Services Still a Burden

  10 April 2012

Babatope Babalobi, Secretary General WASH-JN [Water, sanitation and Hygiene journalists network (WASH)] discusses two meetings on water and sanitation held in Marseilles last month: “It seems that the organisers of the two events wrongly assumed that all citizens are able to access water and sanitation services through public or privately...

Myanmar: Suspended Dam Project May Reopen Again

  10 April 2012

The Democratic Voice of Burma reports about a leaked government document which suggests the reopening of a suspended dam project in Myanmar. The dam construction was suspended after it was actively opposed by local communities.

Philippines: Netizens Unite to Save Pine Trees

  10 April 2012

Filipino netizens are using the hashtag #savebaguiopinetrees to protest the plan of a mall owned by the country's richest man to cut 182 pine trees in order to construct a parking lot in Baguio City in northern Philippines

Argentina: The Price of the Popular Yerba Mate Goes Up

  6 April 2012

Mate is a deep-rooted tradition in Argentina that begins in adolescence and continues on through adulthood. A price increase in the yerba mate (the leaf used to make the beverage) has directly affected Argentinians' wallets, provoking numerous reactions on social networks.

Armenia: Straight to the village

With a GDP per capita estimated at just $5,400 in 2011, Armenia is one of the poorest countries in the former Soviet Union. The situation is particularly noticeable in the villages of the landlocked country, but one foreign diplomat hopes to change all that.

Brazil: Indigenous Rights and the Suspension of the Teles Pires Dam

  4 April 2012

Brazilian blogger Sonia Martuscelli reproduces [pt] an open letter on the suspension of the license for the construction of the controversial Teles Pires Dam, in an area of the Amazon forest inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Kayabi, Apiaka and Mundukuru ethnicities. The natives require measures to ensure their rights...

Georgia: Forbes magazine accused of self-censorship

The Transparency International Georgia blog examines the case of the Georgian edition of the influential Forbes magazine following the resignation of its editor-in-chief who alleges that the magazine's publishers are practicing self-censorship ahead of parliamentary elections to be held later this year.

Myanmar: New Currency Exchange Rate

  2 April 2012

The Central Bank of Myanmar set the new currency exchange rate of 818 Kyats per 1 US Dollar, as part of the move to implement a new floating currency exchange system. Previously, the official rate was 6.4 Ks. per 1 US Dollar.