Austerity plans threaten “social cohesion” in US, UK, Germany, France, and Spain

Posted by Matt in March 16th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Financial Crisis, Austerity, Bud, Execution, Germany France, Public Finances, Risk, Social Cohesion, Sovereign Debt, Spain, Stimulus, Tightrope, Uk Germany

The world’s five biggest AAA-rated states are all at risk of soaring debt costs and will have to implement austerity plans that threaten “social cohnesion”, according to a report on sovereign debt by Moody’s.
The US rating agency said the US, the UK, Germany, France, and Spain are walking a tightrope as they try to bring [...]

The Demise of the European Welfare Nation

Posted by Matt in February 17th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Europe, Adult Life, Adults, Birth Rates, Chunk, Demise, Early Retirement, Gdp, Greece, Industrialized Nations, Italy Population, Italy S Population, Life Expectancy, Norm, Pensions, Populations, Retirement Age, Spain, Troubled Countries, Welfare Nation, Workforce

Europe’s other most troubled countries share many of Greece’s characteristics. Italy and Spain have birth rates that have slipped as low as Greece’s and shrinking labor working age populations. Yet early retirement is the norm. In Italy the average retirement age is 59, among the lowest in industrialized nations, and Spain is ranked only slightly [...]

Europe’s Next Financial Crisis – Wealth of Nations Blog – Newsweek.com

Posted by Matt in December 17th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Europe, Financial, Amp, Collapse, Control Government, Crisis Events, Developed Country, Dubai, Economy, Europe, Financial Crisis, Gdp, Government Deficits, Greece, Negative Outlook, Newsweek, Omen, Public Debt, Ripple, Signs, Spain, Wealth Of Nations

If the collapse of Dubai’s credit-fueled bubble in November was a late ripple of the last financial crisis, events in Europe last week seemed like an omen of the next: out-of-control government deficits. Markets headed lower after rating agencies downgraded the public debt of Greece and warned about the outlook for several others. Greece could [...]

China and Costa Rica move toward free trade agreement

Posted by Matt in November 7th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Americas, China, Busine, China, Conservation Practices, Costa Rica, Cubic Meters, Eco Friendly, Forest Conservation, Forest Protection, Free Trade Agreement, Move Free, Plywood, Reforestation, Spain, Transition, Two Thirds

Jorge Vilarrasa’s grandfather left Spain 50 years ago to start a wood production company. His business became a regional lea
er recognized for its forest conservation practices and eco-friendly plywood.
“During our best times we were producing 2,000 cubic meters per month and we employed 400 people,” boasted Vilarrasa, the company’s president. Those days are over.
“Now [...]

Russia Tightens Europe’s Energy Noose

Posted by Matt in November 30th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Energy, Europe, Russia, Catalan, Cni, Construction Company, Energy Companies, Energy Supplies, Independent Oil Company, Intelligence, La Caixa, Long Time, Lukoil, moscow, Noose, Percent Stake, Repsol Ypf, Russia, Russian Energy, Sacyr Vallehermoso, Southern Europe, Spain, Spy Agency

A leaked intelligence document issued by Spain’s CNI spy agency in October warns that Russia is aggressively pursuing a plan to “monopolize access to energy supplies to Europe.” The report validates what many analysts have been saying for a long time, namely that Moscow is using Russian energy companies to gain geo-strategic control over northern, [...]

Analysis: Venezuela seeks military power

Posted by Matt in October 8th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Military, Venezuela, Armed Forces, Belarus, China, Firepower, Hugo Chavez, Iran, Latin-America, Military Power, Oil Revenues, President Hugo Chavez, Russian Weapons, Spain, Venezuela

Venezuela will have Latin America’s largest armed forces in terms of firepower by 2013, if the country’s oil revenues remain high in coming years.
President Hugo Chavez has purchased and placed firm orders for close to $6 billion in Russian weapons since 2005, but he is also shopping for weapons in China, Belarus, Spain, France and [...]

Real Estate Crisis Threatens Spanish Economy

Posted by Matt in July 18th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Economy, Europe, Decade, Doldrums, Europe, Germany, Homebuilders, Housing Market Slump, Madrid, Market Boom, Market Crisis, Photo Gallery, Property Values, Real Estate, Recession, Spain, Spain Economy, Spain S Economy, Spaniards, Spanish Economy, Tempest

Spain’s economy is in trouble. Rising property values earlier this decade lured many Spaniards into the market. Now that the bubble has burst, the crisis is quickly spreading through the country’s economy. By Reiner Wandler in Madrid more…

Photo Gallery: Housing Market Crisis
Sliding into Recession: Economic Tempest Overtakes Europe
Housing Market Slump: Britain’s Homebuilders Get Bloodied
Real Estate [...]

The Battle for the World’s Skyline

Posted by Matt in June 6th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Asia, Architectural Renaissance, Asia, Bernhard, Boomtown, Building, Dirty Little Secret, Dubai, Frenzy, Hornig, Lifestyle, London, Middle East, Money, Persian Gulf, Photo Gallery, Prado, Queue, Red Carpet, Russia, Skyline, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Urban Landscapes

A building frenzy is raging in Asia, Russia and on the Persian Gulf. And cities like London and New York don’t have the money to compete. Will Western urban landscapes soon look outdated? By Ulrike Knöfel, Frank Hornig and Bernhard Zand more…

Photo Gallery: The East’s New Skylines
The Rise of Dubai: A Queue in the Sand
Unveiling [...]

The Hugo Chavez Story from Mud Hut to Perpetual Revolution

Posted by Matt in May 31st, 2008 | no comment

Published in Venezuela, Avi Lewis, Back Yard, Bolivarian Revolution, Bush Basher, Carter Center, Castro, Education, Enemy Number One, Health, Hugo Chavez, Immense Oil, Independence Struggle, Iranian Leader, Jennifer Mccoy, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mud Hut, Oil Wealth, Onthemap, President Hugo Chavez, Profound Shift, Shantytown, Simon Bolivar, Spain, Venezuela, Venezuelan President Hugo, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

Chavez, 53, the country’s first dark-skinned leader, has used Venezuela’s immense oil wealth, says Jones, to improve life for millions of impoverished shantytown residents through health and education programmes such as no other leader ever attempted. For Washington, though, the “Bolivarian revolution” (named after Simon Bolivar, the leader of the independence struggle against Spain) is [...]