Mainstream News

Want to invest in Cuba? Learn how to wait

"The buildings, the roads, the power grid, the water system—all need updating after decades of neglect under a socialist regime. After CNBC spent a week in Cuba meeting with the leaders overseeing economic reforms, it's unclear whether authorities are ready to make the changes necessary to become attractive to investors on a large scale. One place where such investment is visible is in the oil and gas industry. Driving toward Varadero, a team from CNBC spotted at least one oil drill bearing Chinese flags. As for any kind of large-scale privatizations, investors will have to keep waiting." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWant to invest in Cuba? Learn how to wait

Venezuela struggles to attract tourists

"After neglecting the tourism sector for years, in favor of the lucrative oil industry — Venezuela has the world’s largest proven reserves — the government in Caracas is now working hard to attract visitors. However, the country suffers from outdated infrastructure — hotels, highways and domestic flights are all lacking — and wary foreigners who choose different destinations after seeing Venezuela’s high crime rates. Colombia welcomed 2.1 million visitors last year, 4.5 million people flocked to the Dominican Republic and its famous resorts and Brazil had 5.6 million visitors. In 2011, Cuba opened its doors to 2.6 million tourists." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVenezuela struggles to attract tourists

India state moves to ban black magic after anti-superstition activist gunned down

"An Indian state government Wednesday approved legislation banning superstition and black magic, an official said, a day after a prominent champion of the bill was shot dead. 'An ordinance will be promulgated in the next two days,' the official said, declining to be named. Details were not yet available but an earlier draft proposed bans on beating a person to exorcise ghosts and on raising money by claiming to work miracles. Dabholkar, who founded the Committee for the Eradication of Blind Faith two decades ago, encountered opposition over the bill from Hindu nationalists who feared it could be used to curb religious freedoms." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndia state moves to ban black magic after anti-superstition activist gunned down

Thanks shallot! Indian police foil onion heist

"Indian police have foiled a bid by robbers to make off with a truck laden with onions, in an unusual crime apparently motivated by rocketing prices of the staple food. The humble root vegetable, an essential ingredient in Indian cooking, has a surprisingly weighty track record of political influence. In 1980, Indira Gandhi exploited rising onion prices to storm back to power, appearing at campaign rallies waving huge strings of them with the message that a government that can not control onion costs has no right to govern. And in 1998, a six-fold surge in the cost of onions was held partly responsible for the electoral defeat of the ruling Delhi state government." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThanks shallot! Indian police foil onion heist

Indian rupee falls further amid Fed stimulus concerns

"The Indian rupee has fallen to a new all-time low against the US dollar, amid concerns the Federal Reserve will soon scale back its stimulus measures. Foreign investors have been pulling money out of India, as the economy has slowed and the cost of borrowing in dollars has risen. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is rumoured to have intervened to stem the slide in the currency. The Indian rupee has declined by nearly 16% against the US dollar since May and is Asia's worst performing currency so far this year. Its further decline on Tuesday was mirrored by falls in markets across other developing markets, particularly in Asia." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndian rupee falls further amid Fed stimulus concerns

To Make Sense of the Coins Act, Follow the Money

"The American people might be surprised to learn that for the past 20 years a handful of lobbyists and lawmakers—mostly from states with mining and metal-processing interests—have been pushing a proposal to take away dollar bills, and force the public to use metal coins instead. The advocacy group promoting the Coins Act has the same address as PMX Industries, a South Korean firm located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that supplies the U.S. Mint with the metal used to make dollar coins. The company in 2011 donated a combined $500,000 to the Harkin Institute of Public Policy at Iowa State University named after the senator." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTo Make Sense of the Coins Act, Follow the Money

Schoolgirl virginity tests prompt outrage in Indonesia

"The tests would affect students seeking to enter senior high school. The proposal triggered immediate anger, with Education Minister Mohammad Nuh leading the condemnation: 'If you want to protect your children from negative influence, there are others ways. This is not wise.' 'A virginity test is a form of sexual violence against women,' added Masruchah, the deputy head of the national commission on violence against woman, who like many Indonesians goes by one name." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSchoolgirl virginity tests prompt outrage in Indonesia

White House: ‘Difficult to imagine’ authorities demanding destruction of hard drives

"Alan Rusbridger, the Guardian editor, said that two GCHQ security experts oversaw the destruction of hard drives on 20 July in what he described as a 'peculiarly pointless piece of symbolism'. Rusbridger had told the authorities that the action would not prevent the Guardian reporting on the leaked US documents because Glenn Greenwald, the reporter who first broke the story, had a copy in Brazil, and a further copy was held in the US. White House spokesman, Josh Earnest, said: 'That’s very difficult to imagine a scenario in which that would be appropriate.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House: ‘Difficult to imagine’ authorities demanding destruction of hard drives

The price Gina Gray paid for whistleblowing through ‘proper internal channels’

"Gray is the Defense Department whistleblower whose case I have been following for five years. She was the Army civilian worker who, before and after her employment, exposed much of the wrongdoing at Arlington National Cemetery— misplaced graves, mishandled remains and financial mismanagement — and she attempted to do it through the proper internal channels. Pentagon sources have confirmed to me her crucial role in bringing the scandal to light. For her troubles, Gray was fired. Gray, who worked in Iraq as an Army contractor and Army public affairs specialist, is now unemployed and living in North Carolina." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe price Gina Gray paid for whistleblowing through ‘proper internal channels’