I was never one that anticipated the BOJ to step up its unorthodox easing of monetary policy next week. Talking with officials here, I have become even more convinced that there is no strong sense of urgency to act.
In the latest instalment of Uber versus the taxi industry, the Taxi Industry Forum of WA has conceded the sector could have done better. Responding to a Western Australian Government green paper into the “on demand” transport industry, it has reportedly criticised the UberX model, but also admitted its own failure to keep up with technological advances and changing consumer expectations.
In September 2015, the National Wage Council (NWC) of Vietnam proposed an increase of 12.4 percent to the minimum wage in 2016. The key parties — representatives of business in the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the state-sanctioned national union of workers, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) — finally reached a consensus after two stalled meetings. The process, after all, is within the state’s annual schedule and hardly goes with any substantive changes to labour market institutions.
In part two of our analysis of rising homophobia in Africa we look at how the US right-wing evangelists have used their power base to spread propaganda against gays. Their powerful presence has influenced African archbishops, politicians and lawmakers.
The service sector is primarily responsible for a 0.1-percent growth rate in the third quarter, counterbalancing setbacks in manufacturing output, according to the Associated Press. The Monetary Authority of Singapore intends to lower the value of the Singapore dollar to boost exports.
In a two-part article, we look first at the high economic costs of the severe homophobia in modern African states. Lowering the national GDP is a price few developing countries can afford. In part two, we will look at the astonishing influence of the US right-wing evangelical movement in entrenching homophobia in the African church and state.
The U.S. government’s budget deficit shrank to its lowest amount in 8 years, thanks mostly to a record amount of tax revenue. Total tax receipts rose 7.6% while outgoings rose 5.2%, causing the deficit to fall to its lowest amount since the global financial crisis. The current deficit has fallen to $438.9 billion for the 2015 fiscal year, a 9.2% decline from the prior year.
History and politics sometimes repeat themselves. From a global perspective, it almost seems we are entering a new age of imperialism, though this time the key powers are the United States and China. However, despite appearances that recall the age of European imperialism of centuries ago, China’s foreign policy should be seen as defensive.
Sub-Saharan Africa has two abundant resources: its youth and agricultural land. With the youngest population globally and the largest share of the world’s arable land, Africa stands to benefit greatly from getting and keeping the youth involved in agriculture.
Africa’s agricultural sector has the lowest productivity in the world. This contributes to food insecurity and malnutrition on the continent.
It is too easy to think China’s economy is in a downward spiral, given recent headlines in the US press, from “China’s Middle-Class Dreams in Peril” to “Is China Really Collapsing?”
The world has been awash with such pessimism. In addition, fumbled reactions by China’s leaders to disasters, excessive financial speculation, and other problems raise concerns about governance. It may even raise questions of long-term stability.
