In The News

Chinese Authorities Snuff out Last Online Remnants of the New York Times

David Dawson February 12, 2015
Chinese internet censors have eliminated the New York Times from the Sina Weibo site, essentially removing any trace of the major newspaper-of-record for the United States. “The New York Times’ Sina Weibo account didn’t tackle subjects with the same sensitivity as those in the publication, which is probably why it outlasted the other social media accounts of the Chinese edition of the newspaper...

Cellphones Can Spark Change in North Korea

Christopher Mims January 5, 2015
North Korea has about 2 million cell phones, accessed by the wealthiest in the urban centers. “In a 14-month span between 2012 and 2013, the number of mobile-phone subscribers in North Korea doubled to two million from one million, and it now may exceed 2.5 million, according to Orascom Telecom Media & Technology Holding of Egypt, which provides cell service to North Korea in a joint venture...

French Warships in Doldrums

Andreas Kuersten January 1, 2015
France signed a contract with Russia in 2011 to build and deliver two warships. Since then, Russia wrested control of Crimea and intervened in Eastern Ukraine. France dearly wanted to complete the deal, but faces intense scrutiny for supplying military hardware and technology to Russia while criticizing actions in Ukraine. “France’s lingering plan to deliver military hardware to Russia while...

Europe’s Cheap Borrowing Costs Lure Corporate Fundraising

Sally Bakewell and Cordell Eddings December 30, 2014
Borrowing costs in Europe have fallen against dollar rates, to near half in some cases, and Bloomberg anticipates US firms to issue more bonds in euros. “Apple Inc. (AAPL), Verizon Communications Inc. and Albemarle Corp. led 68 billion euros ($83 billion) of bond issuance by American borrowers this year, the busiest since 2007 and 45 percent higher than 2013, according to data compiled by...

Danish Canal Customers

Niveen Wahish December 3, 2014
The Suez and Panama canals are in competition as shipping traffic grows and container ships get bigger. With a new growing middle class throughout Asia, shipping containers are increasingly headed west to east rather than the other way around. Writing for Al-Ahram Weekly, Niveen Wahish reviews shippers’ concerns as expressed to Egyptian journalists attending a tour arranged by the Danish-Egyptian...

Bud Crowded Out by Craft Beer Craze

Tripp Mickle November 27, 2014
Big-factory beers have fallen out of favor as customers increasingly demand the flavors offered with small and local craft beverages. Some bars no longer sell major brands like Budweiser. Meanwhile, many of the craft beer makers began as do-it-yourself home brewers, tinkering with recipes and relying on local ingredients. Young beer drinkers have flocked to the diverse flavors, paying more for...

Meet the Entrepreneurs at the Forefront of the Space Race

Carren Jao October 22, 2014
The world is entering a new Space Age as entrepreneurs spearhead advances in space technology and travel. This renewed Space Age is attributed to a greater commercial role in the space industry; in the United States, NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, adopted a decentralized market strategy in 2005, and interest in the space industry has exploded since with the expansion of...