Stories about Economics & Business from January, 2011
Bahamas: Fixing the Nation
“Something is wrong with us”: Weblog Bahamas‘ Edward Hutcheson says that Bahamians must make hard choices if things are to improve.
Cuba, U.S.A.: Effects of Lifting Travel Limits
“President Barack Obama's decision to loosen limits on travel and remittances from the United States to Cuba is a gift the Castro dictatorship has not earned”: Uncommon Sense links to an article which makes him surmise that “as a result, Cubans will have to wait even longer for freedom.”
Indonesia threatens to close down Blackberry
Through his twitter account, Indonesia's Minister of Communication and Information accused Blackberry Research In Motion of being unresponsive to the demand of the government to filter pornographic content. If the company doesn't comply with the demand by January 21, the government will block Blackberry's browser
China: 2010 housing demolition report
C Custer from ChinaGeek has translated a housing demolition report 2010 (part one and part two) that has been banned from publishing in mainland Chinese mainstream media outlets.
Bangladesh: Crisis In The Share Market
An Ordinary Citizen comments on the volatile share market of Bangladesh from an investor's perspective: “the market follows no logic. The matter seems to become a gamble and some powerful are stage-managing the whole show.”
Chile: Not Alone in Protesting Gas Price Hikes
Bloggings by Boz writes that the protests in southern Chile over gas prices are not unique to Chile.
China: Presidents Hu and Obama set to talk
Chinese President Hu Jintao arrives in Washington, DC today for face time with President Obama. How would you start off a dinner like that? And currency revaluation? One Chinese blogger suggests the renminbi is already worth more than you might think.
‘Korean War’ in Cambodia
Mary Kozlovski, writing for The Phnom Penh Post, writes about the reported boycott spearheaded by South Korean tourist operators against a popular North Korean restaurant in Cambodia. The restaurant is owned by the North Korea government.
Russia: Blogger Tests if $88 per Month is Enough to Survive
Volunteer project minproduct.ru launched by a 17-year-old Muscovite examines the state-defined monthly living wage (around $88 per month). Many Russians retirees have nothing but this amount to live on. Vitaliy, an author of the blog, shares recipes and pictures of his humble daily diet.
Pakistan: Prize Bonds Mega Scam
Shakir Lakhani writes about a prize bond draw manipulation in Pakistan where three consecutive numbers won the first three prizes.
Cuba: Where Do We Go From Here?
“In 2011, the sad thing isn’t that history is repeating itself, nor that they might recognize their mistakes after so much time in power…what is inconceivable is that they keep following the same policies that led them to failure”: Laritza's Laws wonders about Cuba's future.
Bhutan: The Effect Of Salary Increase
Tshering Tobgay shows how the recent salary increase has made a government officer in Bhutan poorer.
North Korea: Drugs Rampant, Even Among Teens
North Korean insiders and defectors have testified that drugs are widespread in North Korea. Most recent reports told that drugs are popular gifts among teens and even ordinary middle-class citizens are frequently abusing them.
Taiwan: Foxconn nominated for the public eye award
A Hong Kong based NGO Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour has nominated Apple subcontractor, FoxConn for the 2011 public eye award. There are at least 18 workers committed suicide in FoxConn's factories in China in 2010.
Cameroon: Inventors, Makers and Creators
Creativity, ingenuity and entrepreneurship are vibrant in Cameroon as we see in the following videos showing blacksmiths at work, bamboo cellphone and laptop cases and home made egg incubators.
Jordan: Reflections on Tunisia
Naseem Tarawnah reflects on leadership changes in Tunisia and its potential impact on Jordan. “Today, Jordan, and perhaps much of the Arab world is learning one important lesson from Tunisia: the call for political change from the domestic constituency is unlikely to happen in the region unless the economy gets...
Jordan: Reactions to Ben Ali's Removal from ‘Angry Jordanians’
Jordanians, who held their Day of Anger on the same day Tunisia's President Zainelabidine Ben Ali escaped from his country after month-long protests, reacted in celebration to the news. They too are protesting against increased prices and frustration with political stagnation.
Russia: Financial Pyramid Founder's New Online “Project”
Profy reports that Sergei Mavrodi, who created one of the world's largest financial pyramids in the 1990s, is at it again: recently, he “[…] has decided to launch a new pyramid […] – but this time it should all take place exclusively online using electronic payment provider WebMoney that is...
Cuba: Forbidden Programs
Generation Y blogs about the upsurge in sales of pirated DVDs and music, commenting: “Absent from the public catalogs are the documentaries — so often watched in Cuban homes — that approach our national history through a different lens from the official.”
Barbados: Concerned About The Elderly
Barbados Underground is concerned about the plight of the country's senior citizens.
Brunei: Online bookstore
NollyBook.com is an online bookstore based in Brunei Darussalam. It sells books in both English and Bahasa Malayu languages.