Greg Ahlswede

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Latest posts by Greg Ahlswede

Spain: 12M, a Ray of Sun in the Midst of the Crisis

  18 May 2012

On the 12th of May (12M), the Indignado movement demonstrated not only that it is alive and well, but that it continues to have strong social support. The square "Puerta del Sol" (Gate of the Sun) in Madrid is one of the symbolic centers of the movement.

Spain: #NoMoreEuros for Bankia

  10 May 2012

The web in Spain has been seething since it was reported that the government is preparing a plan to inject public money into Bankia, the fourth largest bank in the country and the most exposed to the real estate market. Since the crisis started in 2008, the government has supported Bankia with more than 33 billion euros. The current bail-out plan could be as much as 10 billion.

Africa: White-Collar Crime, a Danger also for African Countries

  9 May 2012

Honoré Kouassi wrote [fr] on the webpage of L'intelligent d'Abidjan: “African countries, particularly those of Sub-Saharan African, are not shielded from the financial crime that has developed over the past ten years in various forms. This crime is a danger, not only for the economic and financial system, but for...

Mali: Ansar Dine Islamists Wish to Salvage School Year in Gao

  9 May 2012

Aissata Ahmadou wrote [fr] on Maliweb.net: “The students remaining at Gao will not lose their school year. The Ansar Dine Islamists, in collaboration with a few important figures and teachers on site, have decided to organize the end-of-year exams and allow various students preparing for their Fundamental Studies Diploma and...

Peru: The Festival of the Peruvian Cajon

  26 April 2012

The Peruvian Cajon is a very commonly used instrument in Afro-Peruvian music and Peruvian music in general. The fifth anniversary of the Cajon Festival took place this year and it was a complete success, particularly for the activity known as "La Cajoneada" that was able to gather more than 1,400 cajon players, which beat its own previous Guiness Record.

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.

Puerto Rico: “National Day of Salsa” in the Conservatory

  26 March 2012

The Puerto Rican Conservatory of Music joins the National Day of Salsa celebration in the island. This year, the singer Cheo Feliciano and the singer and trumpet player Jerry Medina participated along with students from the Department of Caribbean Jazz and Music. Wilma Colón shares photos of the event.

Puerto Rico: The New Greece?

  18 March 2012

The financial analyst Cate Long, in her blog on Reuters.com, highlights the similarities between Greece's and Puerto Rico's economies. Her column became a target of attacks by the governor of Puerto Rico's, Luis Fortuño, administration. Social networks and blogs amplified the debate about the Caribbean island's fragile economy.