Mole Valley Farmers first to financially support responsible sourcing of soy and palm
appeared first on Modern Farmer.Continue Reading
2021-02-15
Arab Spring: ten years on, the Middle East is still impoverished, divided and angry
As the popular refrain of “ash-shab yurid isqat an-nizam” rang out across the Middle East in the early months of 2011, the nature of political life and relations between rulers and ruled began to fragment. The chant – which roughly translates as “the people want the fall of the regime”Continue Reading
2021-02-10
Giant firms have a hidden borrowing advantage that has helped keep them on top for decades – new research
Ladders for us, snakes for you. Ratthaphong Ekariyasap When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, it seemed like the day of reckoning for over-stretched corporate borrowers was finally at hand. For years, pundits and policymakers had been warning about a dangerous build-up of the debt of “non-financial firms”, meaning all thoseContinue Reading
2021-01-12
Finally there might be some good news about UK journalism
Can news survive the digital revolution? Syda Productions via Shutterstock It has been a long time coming, but the UK’s ailing news industry may finally be on the verge of structural change that could help slow, or maybe even reverse, the more than decade-long economic decline of public interest journalism.Continue Reading
2020-12-02
Public housing needs radical reform: here’s how
Ben Allan/Unsplash, FAL Britain’s housing system is well and truly broken. House-builders sit on land already granted planning permission and drip-feed the market to keep supply low and prices high. Despite the coronavirus crisis, house prices continue to soar, excluding most from ever reaching onto the property ladder. Tax subsidiesContinue Reading
2020-12-02
“Guanxi” for Business in China: be prepared to play by their rules
At the moment, there are two contrasting opinions regarding starting a business in China. To put it simply, the first view on this is the public opinion, and the other view belongs to individuals who have been working with Chinese partners for a long time. “Public opinion” is inclined toContinue Reading
2020-11-27
Why local governments will feel aggrieved by this spending review
Reading November’s spending review, local leaders will be left with many questions. They “live to fight another year” perhaps, but uncertainty surrounding local government finances continues. Local authorities will see their core spending power boosted by 4.5% in cash terms over the next year. This avoids disaster, but will meanContinue Reading
2020-11-25
Heavy hand of China is prompting fears for Hong Kong’s future as a major business hub
The decision of Hong Kong’s opposition legislators to resign en masse after the government disqualified four of their colleagues on allegations of threatening national security has caused dismay around the world. But another important resignation in Hong Kong, a couple of months ago, received less media coverage. In September, AustralianContinue Reading
2020-11-23
Estonia is a ‘digital republic’ – what that means and why it may be everyone’s future
Basakk/Shutterstock.com People around the globe have been watching the build up to the US election with disbelief. Particularly confusing to many is the furore over postal ballots, which the US president, Donald Trump is insisting will lead to large-scale voter fraud – despite a complete lack of evidence to backContinue Reading
2020-10-07
Universities have invested in online learning – and it can provide students with value for money
fizkes/Shutterstock As the coronavirus pandemic continues, so does universities’ reliance on online teaching, prompting complaints from students that they are not getting full value from tuition fees. Students who have returned to campus fear that their university experience as a whole is being diminished. Manchester Metropolitan University has moved first-yearContinue Reading
2020-10-02