Stories about Economics & Business from January, 2014
Work on the Panama Canal Continues for Now
The GUPC continues its work on the Panama Canal despite threats to suspend construction. Meanwhile the Canal Authority is holding the company's feet to the fire.
“It Has Become Hard to Breathe”: Tajikistan's Capital Gets a Coal Plant… and Hazardous Dust
As Dushanbe's new coal-fired power plant begins to supply electricity, rising levels of coal dust set off alarm bells in the city.
Malaysian Prime Minister Sparks Water Spinach Meme Over Rising Prices
Reacting to protests against rising food prices, Malaysia's prime minister reminded the public that the price of kangkung or water spinach has gone down. This remark unleashed a kangkung meme
Who Actually Lives in the Houses Built After Haiti's Earthquake?
Expensive yet poorly constructed, squatters reign in homes that were intended for Haiti's earthquake victims.
Bermuda: Gambling with Democracy?
catch a fire explains why he got involved in a petition for a referendum on casino gambling in Bermuda, then publishes a follow-up post asking: What does that say for...
How Much Longer Can Russia's Zuckerberg, Pavel Durov, Survive at Vkontakte?
Today, the notoriously Kremlin-connected newspaper Izvestia published an article claiming that Durov had resigned as head of Vkontakte, taking most of the staff with him to work on another project.
Dr. House Hits Sore Spot with Russians
British actor Hugh Laurie caused quite a stir on the RuNet this weekend, when he reacted vehemently to a Guardian article describing Vladimir Putin's views on homosexuality
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back for China's Stock Market Reforms
After only two weeks of letting market forces set companies' initial public offerings, China's stock market authorities rolled back some of their reforms.
The Sad Fate of Multimillionaire Marriages in Russian Officialdom
Russia’s leading anti-corruption blogger, Alexey Navalny, is making waves again with his latest online work, a series of allegations against Maxim Liksutov, the head of Moscow’s department of transportation.
Job Market Trends in the Mobile Phone Industry of Côte d'Ivoire
Alain François Loukou, a research fellow and teacher at the Alassane Ouattara University in Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire, wrote an extensive report on the evolution of IT in Côte d'Ivoire [fr]. He shares the...
Mauritius Tops Index of Economic Freedom Ranking in Africa
The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal published the latest Index of Economic Freedom and Mauritius ranks highest among African nations [fr]. It also ranks in the top ten worldwide....
Philippine Petition Against Dog Meat Restaurants
An online petition is circulating to pressure the mayor of Baguio City to close down dog meat restaurants in the city. Baguio is a famous tourist destination located north of...
Is Pakistan's Much-Needed Gas Pipeline a Pipe Dream?
In early December, Iran cancelled a 500 million US dollar loan to help Pakistan finance its part of a gas pipeline that authorities hope will combat Pakistan's dire energy crisis.
Facebook Teams Up with Russia's Top Search Engine
Scholars and researchers of the Russian Internet can rejoice this week, for Russia's leading search engine, Yandex.ru, is now the second website in the world, after Bing in the United States,...
Hydroelectric Projects in Panama: “Promised Development But Created Disaster”
Although dam developers and governments insist that local communities benefit from these projects, the reality on the ground in Panama suggests the opposite: communities are plunged further into poverty, environments...
More Money, More Problems? Taiwan Opens Door to More Chinese Business
Even though China is a huge market for Taiwanese businesses, many worry that unrestricted entry of mainland capital threatens Taiwanese culture, freedom of expression and even national security.
Panama Canal Expansion Faces a New Challenge
The company responsible for the expansion of the Panama Canal has threatened to halt work demanding payment in billions for overruns. The Panama Canal Authority refuses to pay.
30 People in Greece Have a New Job, Thanks to a Twitter Hashtag
#aggeliesergasias (jobadverts) was created by user @dimitrischrid in the beginning of October to help social media users share information about job opportunities in Greece and abroad.
Fighting Corruption in Comoros, Cameroon and Madagascar
The people of Comoros, Cameroon and Madagascar haven't got much faith in the honesty and integrity of the public sector, according to Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions Index.
French Restaurant In Pakistan Closed For Not Allowing Pakistanis
Blogger Farzana Versey from Mumbai weighs on the hypocrisy regarding alcohol consumption by Pakistanis while reporting on a recent incident: La Maison, run by Frenchman Philippe Lafforgue, in a part...
The Cuban Economic Model Update Comes Up with Some Unpopular Measures
The measures implemented by the Cuban state have been quite controversial.
