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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Top 50 Websites for Business

Sites in this category and its subcategories ordered by popularity. We didn’t receive any compensation from any of the listed sites.


Information about all college and professional sports.
From the site: ESPN.com is the leading provider of sports on the Internet. ESPN.com provides its users, the young, affluent, male sports fan, with late breaking news, statistics, schedules, and player updates, in addition to up-to-the minute sports scores from live events. ESPN.com offers informational incentives to its users, including ESPN Insider, Page 2, articles from ESPN The Magazine, Fantasy games and more. Sports enthusiasts choose ESPN.com, making it the #1 sports site.


Personal finance, investing tips and news.
From the site: This month, as Super Thursday approaches, the nation is deeply split along gender lines, with the economy weighing heavy on everyone's mind. No, we're not talking about the 2008 campaign, but a far more divisive issue -- Valentine's Day . Women love Valentine's Day, and why not? It's all about love and relationships and life's wonderful intangibles. It's also the one holiday each year that validates their Chocophilia and precludes interaction with their mother.


Online payment service for individuals and merchants. Allows users to send money and bills to anyone with e-mail.


Alibaba.com operates online business-to-business marketplaces for global trade, with a leading community of businesses from over 200 countries.
From the site: Alibaba.com Limited (HKSE:1688), a member of the Alibaba Group, is the world's leading B2B e-commerce company. It connects millions of buyers and suppliers from around the world every day through three marketplaces: an English-language marketplace ( www.alibaba.com ) for global importers and exporters, a Chinese-language marketplace ( www.alibaba.com.cn ) for domestic trade in China, and a Japanese-language marketplace ( www.alibaba.co.jp ) facilitating trade to and from Japan.


EzineArticles is a matching service between tens of thousands of expert authors and millions of readers & publishers looking for expert solutions to millions of problems.


Nationwide bank. Includes product and service information, online banking and bank location finder.
From the site: Building on the legacy of a firm that began more than 200 years ago, your dedicated U.S. Trust advisor leads a team of specialists who will work with you to develop integrated solutions to help you achieve your goals. We offer you a relationship that couples personal insight with professional expertise, backed by access to some of the industry's most respected talent in wealth structuring, investment management, estate planning, taxation, private business finance and the strategic use of credit.


Offers worldwide news coverage, analysis, show profiles, broadcast schedules, team biographies, and email news alerts.
From the site: E-mail the show: friends@foxnews.com ... For FOX News Channel comments write to yourcomments@foxnews.com This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. © 2008 FOX News Network, LLC.


Company news, tracking, software, employment information, and FAQ.
From the site: Calculate Time and Cost Schedule a Pickup Open a UPS Account ... Founded in 1907 as a messenger company in the United States, UPS has grown into a USD 42.6 billion corporation by clearly focusing on the goal of enabling commerce around the globe. Today UPS, or United Parcel Service Inc., is a global company with one of the most recognised and admired brands in the world.


iStockphoto® is the world s preeminent collection of


Peer to peer internet voice service. Mac, Windows and Linux versions available. Users may call landlines and cellphones for a fee; users may call each other for free.
From the site: Skype Certified recognises devices that not only work brilliantly with Skype but also look and feel great. The Skype Certified logo demonstrates both Skype’s faith in the product and our partnership with the manufacturer. Membership of the Skype Certified program provides you with major marketing, retail and distribution opportunities.


International and national news with a business and financial perspective.
From the site: To remove our cookies, you may access the following URL designed for this purpose: http://online.wsj.com/delete_cookie The Wall Street Journal's high standards extend to the Online Journal. You may view the full text of any of the Online Journal's legal documentation, including our Privacy and Cookie Policies, in the ... Your Online Journal subscription includes the Media & Marketing Edition, which can be accessed directly via the following URL: http://online.wsj.com/media.


The largest banking company in the United States.
From the site: We serve this market with more than 600 bankers and over 700 service professionals to deliver the full spectrum of JPMorgan Chase offerings - from cash management and credit to investment banking and wealth management. Chase Business Credit is a leading national provider of highly structured asset-based financing for an array of leveraged financing needs. The business' key strengths include asset-based loan structuring, syndication, and collateral analysis.


Provides long-distance, international and wireless services as well as internet access.
From the site: Text message the keyword "GIVE" to "2HELP" (24357) from your AT&T wireless phone to make $5 donations to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.


Breaking news, business, financial and investing articles from around the globe. Also provides technology solutions.


Transport company offering integrated transportation, information and logistics solutions.
From the site: FedEx provides access to a growing global marketplace through a network of supply chain, transportation, business and related information services. ... All rights reserved. © 1995-2008 FedEx.


Group-edited blog about technology start-ups, particularly the Web 2.0 sector.
From the site: TechCrunch is co-edited by Michael Arrington and Erick Schonfeld. If you would like to contact TechCrunch with suggestions, comments, corrections, errors, or new company announcements, please email editor@techcrunch.com. ... Joining TechCrunch is a wonderful new adventure for me. Until now, I spent the last ten years working within News Corporation. I’ve held a variety of corporate development, strategy and operating roles both in Los Angeles and New York.  


Do-it-yourself email marketing solution for small businesses and associations. Create, send, and instantly track professional html email newsletters and promotions. Free 60-Day Trial.
From the site: Constant Contact®, Inc. helps small businesses, associations, and nonprofits connect with their customers, clients, and members. Launched in 1998, Constant Contact champions the needs of small organizations and provides them with an easy and affordable way to build successful, lasting customer relationships.


Official site for Disney's One Saturday morning and Disney's 1 Too.


Combines practical personal finance advice, calculators and investing tips with business news, stock quotes, and financial market coverage from the editors of CNN and Money Magazine.


Get the latest in news, sports, travel and entertainment at The Times Online.


A free articles directory to choose articles and content for websites or newsletters. Search for articles and submit your own articles for free syndication.
From the site: ArticlesBase.com Free Articles Directory was established in 2005 as a website to provide a free platform for content producers to publish their work online with an easy and free process. Over the past two years our website as grown at a rapid pace, over the last 9 months we have rolled out 4 new versions for French, Russian, Spanish and Chinese speakers to reach their target audiences. Currently there are over 20,000 contributors to our website and growing daily.


The Sun is a British tabloid newspaper owned by News Corporation.


Offers cell phones, PDAs, wireless mobile phone plans, data plans in the United States and parts of Mexico and Canada.


Provides mobile voice and data communication services. Includes rate plans, equipment, and area coverage maps.



Corporate headquarters for chain of full-line retail stores and auto centers. Offers information on career opportunities, community affairs, online shopping, store locator and investor relations.
From the site: Welcome to the parts page at Sears.com! Since this "About Ordering" section has been launched in a separate browser, you can keep it open while you continue. The ordering process is simple and secure, using SSL (Secure socket layer) 1. Enter your model or part number - In order for you to locate a part you'll need the model number of your product or the part number itself. If you already know your model or part number, type it on the home page and click "go".


Search for jobs or careers using 13 different criteria, or post resumes and let employers with job openings find you. Also has a section of advice and career-related information resources.
From the site: CareerBuilder.com put over 1.6 million jobs in front of poised job seekers wherever they are - at home or work - in print and on the Internet. More than 23 million unique visitors come to the site every month to check out opportunities in every industry, field and job type. ... CareerBuilder.com strives to incorporate the following values into everything that we do: ... View CareerBuilder.com job opportunities ».


Computing, Internet and technology-industry news.


Breaking financial, business and economic news worldwide from major provider of information services.
From the site: If you find a Bloomberg B-Unit within your company, you should immediately contact your company's Information Technology department. The IT department may be able to determine the proper owner and arrange for its return. If you find a B-Unit in a public place, or if no one in your company uses a B-unit, you should place the B-Unit in the nearest lost-and-found. There is no owner identification on the B-Unit; therefore, it is impossible to determine its owner.


Connects customers to essential financial services 24 hours a day -- by ATM, phone or personal computer, as well as through a growing network of traditional and supermarket branches.


Cellphones, accessories, and mobile data.
From the site: Find corporate and customer service contact details along with contact information for Nokia offices around the world. Q2 2008: Nokia net sales of EUR 13.2 billion and EPS of EUR 0.36, excluding special items ... New Nokia/Vodafone website spotlights mobile solutions for social change www.ShareIdeas.org.


Since 1997, SiteSell.com has delivered "E-business success. Simple. Real." Over 100,000 entrepreneurs and small businesses outperform large competitors. While everyone else seems to focus on putting up Web sites, SBI! provides the entire process, all the tools, Support and guidance and constant updating to enable everyday people to build profitable, long-term e-businesses with equity.


Provides online advertising, direct marketing and interactive marketing technologies.
From the site: Mediaplex provides technology and services that help advertisers, agencies and publishers manage their interactive and traditional advertising activities. Mediaplex's complete suite of technology solutions includes MOJO Adserver for third party advertising, MOJO Mail for email management and delivery, MOJO Publisher for ad management, the AdVault suite of products for agency production and financial management and media management and Content Depot for digital advertising management solutions.


The online edition of the New York Post. News, weather, sports, and entertainment all updated daily.


Information about companies and the people who run them. Forbes success lists including the Platinum 400 best-performing U.S. big companies, the Private 500 largest U.S. private firms, and the world's richest people.
From the site: Forbes.com Inc., ( www.forbes.com ) a leading Internet media company, is among the most trusted resources for the world's business and investment leaders, providing them the uncompromising commentary, concise analysis, relevant tools and real-time reporting they need to succeed at work, profit from investing and have fun with the rewards of winning.


Provides a wide range of card, travel, and financial services to individuals and businesses.
From the site: American Express sites across the globe share the content you are about to access. The information on these pages is generated from our US office; it is updated on a regular basis. For the most recent news about our businesses, products and results, click here . To see our current annual report, earnings, release and stock quotes, click here.


Manufactures TVs, digital cameras, DVDs, VCRs and audio systems.
From the site: FAQs reparasi & pelacakan lacak status reparasi lokasi layanan kebijakan layanan & garansi asesoris pemberitahuan pusat registrasi produk layanan prestige pengalaman melalui produk melalui partisipasi & komunitas berita berita produk berita korporat berita sponsorship olahraga berita eksibisi tentang samsung.


A one-stop career management resource. Job search, resume management, 1200 pages of advice from career experts, plus chats and message boards on dozens of topics.


This state-owned bank is the largest in Asia, and fourth-largest in the world.
From the site: Contact by E-mail    E-mail Subject    Suggestions to ICBC website    Suggestions to other problems    Complains    Other suggestions    Mail Address webmaster@icbc.com.cn Address of head office   No.55 FuXingMenNei Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, P.R.C   Post Code 100032 More...


US retailer of brand name and private label products. Employment, investment information, product notices, membership requirements, store locator, and online order delivery information.


Indeed is a search engine for jobs - with a radically different approach to job search. In one simple search, Indeed gives job seekers free access to millions of employment opportunities from thousands of websites. Indeed.com includes all the job listings from major job boards, newspapers, associations and company career pages - and we continue to add new sites every day.


Among the largest issuers of major brand bank card products worldwide.
From the site: Capital One has been named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For," according to Fortune Magazine. ... America's Promise and Capital One Announce 2007 100 Best Communities for Young People ... Capital One and Junior Achievement Win US Chamber of Commerce Partnership Award ... Capital One ® is a diversified financial services company offering a broad array of credit, savings and loan products to customers in the United States, UK, and Canada.


Offers a wide range of banking products and financial services to corporate and retail customers.


Information about services offered to resident Indians, NRI's, and companies. Links to its subsidiary companies.
From the site: View the new Savings Accounts Ad Film here... View the new Personal Loans Ad Film here... ... Bank has bagged as many as ten awards at the Asia Pacific HRM Congress .


Elance is the leading site for online work where businesses connect with independent professionals to get work done. Elance delivers an immediate, cost-effective and flexible way to hire, manage and pay independent professionals and contractors online. Companies tap into Elance’s skilled talent pool to distribute their work, while professionals use Elance to meet clients, stay independent and get paid for delivering great results.
From the site: Elance is an online workplace where businesses connect with qualified professionals to get work done. With the largest network of certified technology and creative talent, Elance helps businesses succeed by connecting them with the people they need to get work done. Elance facilitates the entire work process from hiring to collaboration to payment. Businesses use Elance to get work done by qualified professionals whenever they need it.


A free, searchable on-line dictionary and thesaurus, word games, a word of the day, and many other English language and vocabulary reference tools and resources.
From the site: Get instant results from Merriam-Webster in any desktop application in a single click! ... Classic Merriam-Webster content is now available on classic mobile platforms. ... From Noah Webster to Merriam-Webster: A Timeline Merriam-Webster Continues Noah Webster's Legacy.


A renowned business publication. Business news, trends and profiles of successful businesspeople.
From the site: For answers to frequently asked questions about BusinessWeek's rankings of business education programs: MBAs ... How does BusinessWeek determine who is eligible for rankings? We look at a number of different statistics, including but not limited to: age of the MBA program, enrollment, test scores, acceptance rates, and number of international and minority students. A program must be accredited to be considered for ranking.


Spanish-language media company serving the US. Includes investor relations information, media groups, and company background. Site in English and Spanish.


Designs, manufactures and markets microcomputer components and related products at various levels of integration. Principal components consist of silicon-based semiconductors etched with complex patterns of transistors.
From the site: Intel pushes the boundaries of innovation so our work can make people's lives more exciting, fulfilling, and manageable. ... Intel creates amazing leaps in technology every day. Find out the many ways we stay at the forefront of technological innovation. ... Intel is driven to create bold advancements in technology that enable positive change and a better, more interesting world. ... Intel's mission is to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers, employees, and shareholders.


Headline news, articles, reports, stocks and quotes, message boards, and a stock ticker.


The official site with information on trains, fares and availability.
From the site: India is a land of diverse culture and Indian Railways play a key role in not only meeting the transport needs of the country, but also in binding together dispersed areas and promoting national integration. ... Indian Railways have emerged as the sinews of the Indian economy and have reached out to bring together the great Indian family. 

China unveils new rules for foreign investment

BEIJING, April 13 -- The State Council, China's Cabinet, released here Tuesday new regulations on overseas investment, promising good business conditions but restricting funds to environmentally unsound projects.

According to the new regulations, China still welcomes foreign investment in high-tech industries, services sectors, energy-saving and environmental protection, but polluting and energy-gorging or projects in industries running at overcapacity are not wanted.


According to the regulations, the State Council said China will continue to support Chinese A-share listed companies in further introducing strategic investors from home and abroad, and standardize foreign companies' investment in domestic securities and corporate merger and acquisition moves.
A national security examination mechanism will be built as soon as possible for foreign-funded companies' merger and acquisition operation in China, according to the regulations.


Qualified foreign-funded companies are allowed to go public, issue corporate bonds or medium-term bills in China.


Multinationals are encouraged by the regulations to set up regional headquarters, research and development centers, procurement hubs, financial management and other functional offices in China.


Importing items for scientific and technological development by qualified foreign-funded R&D centers will be exempt from tariffs, importing value added tax and goods and services tax by the end of 2010, according to the regulations.
Foreign-funded enterprises are also encouraged to increase their investment in China's central and western regions, particularly in environment friendly and labor-intensive companies. 

ADB: Developing Asia to grow by 7.5% in 2010

MANILA, April 13 -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said that developing Asia, which includes China, India, and Southeast Asian region, will grow 7.5 percent this year and 7.3 percent in 2011 on back of a rebound in global trade and ongoing fiscal and monetary stimulus.

In its flagship publication, Asian Development Outlook 2010 ( ADO 2010), released Tuesday, the ADB noted that the strong performances in China and India, the region's economic powerhouses, have improved this year's prospects for most developing Asian economies.

The Manila-based lender added that the fiscal stimulus package and monetary easing policies which Asian economic managers implemented last year at the height of the meltdown will continue to attract investment in the region.

"The stimulus measures last year will continue to fuel investment in the region, while private consumption is likely to increase as income prospects pick up and unemployment declines," the ADB said.

The global meltdown battered most economies in the region, with regional GDP expanding at 5.2 percent -- an eight year low. The weaker demand in ther United States and Europe slackened the export sector -- one of the main engines of growth in the region.


This year, as the global economy recovers, the developing Asian region is also expected to recover. But the region faces several risks, which may rein in its growth potential. These include a slower global recovery, rising commodity prices, deteriorating fiscal positions and uncertainties as to whether private demand can be strong enough to sustain recovery.

This is why, the ADB suggests that government policy makers should implement a timely return to sound and responsible fiscal and monetary policies.
"These served the region well when the crisis broke, and authorities need to adapt them appropriately as recovery takes hold and the crisis recedes," the ADB said.
The ADB said that Asia's policy makers should also improve its monetary, exchange rate, and fiscal policies to sustain recovery over the long term.

"Beyond the crisis, Asia's governments face the challenge of adjusting their monetary, exchange rate, and fiscal policies to better prepare their countries for the changing environment in the post-crisis period," ADB Chief Economist Jong-Wha Lee said in a statement.


The ADO 2010 lists down a number of specific adjustments to monetary, exchange rate, and fiscal policies to help the region better adapt to the post-crisis world. These include strengthening of financial regulation to prevent asset bubbles; promoting of a more flexible foreign exchange rate; and carefully designed capital controls that can help guard against disruptive short-term capital flows and prevent extreme volatility in exchange rates.

Related:

ADB raises its China GDP growth forecast to 9.6% for 2010

BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Tuesday lifted its forecast for China's 2010 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth while lowering its forecast for 2011 on account of expected monetary tightening measures.
ADB estimates China's GDP will grow by 9.6 percent in 2010, higher than the 8.9 percent it forecast last September.Full story
MANILA, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Rising private consumption and investment will support India's economic growth in the next two years, with the country's GDP forecast to grow by 8.2 percent in 2010 and 8.7 percent in 2011, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in its latest report.
According to the Asian Development Outlook 2010 (ADO 2010), ADB 's flagship annual economic publication released Tuesday, the normalization of financial market conditions will support a rebound in private investment in 2010. Urban consumption is set to remain strong, with fears of job cuts dissipating amidst substantial new recruitment, and salaries on an upward trend.Full story

Oil settles near 84 dollars on oversupply concerns

NEW YORK, April 13 -- Oil prices fell for a fifth day on Tuesday as oversupply concerns weighed on market ahead of weekly inventory report.

Light, sweet crude for May delivery fell 29 cents to settle at 84.05 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Crude futures dropped to as low as 82.51 dollars a barrel during trading.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its latest monthly report, which was released on Tuesday, that crude prices above 80 U.S. dollars a barrel could hurt the economic recovery.

IEA said it expects world oil demand will increase by 1.7 million barrels per day this year, compared with a decline of 1.3 million barrels per day last year.
However, IEA also predicted that U.S. crude stocks will continue to rise and oil supply from non-OPEC countries will grow faster than previously expected, as big producers cash in on higher oil prices this year.

Traders are focused on the government's weekly fuel inventory reports, which are scheduled on Wednesday. Analysts expect the crude stocks to rise for the 11th consecutive weeks by 1.6 million barrels.

In London, Brent crude for May delivery fell 9 cents to 84.68 dollars a barrel on the ICE Futures Exchange.

Obama Warns About Potential of Nuclear Terrorism



President Barack Obama at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, 13 Apr 2010
Photo: AP
President Barack Obama at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, 13 Apr 2010

U.S. President Barack Obama has opened the 47-nation Nuclear Security Summit in Washington with a warning about the potential of nuclear terrorism.  The president says al-Qaida and other terrorist groups are trying to acquire nuclear material, and must be stopped.

President Obama says the summit is an unprecedented gathering to address an unprecedented threat.

"Two decades after the end of the Cold War, we face a cruel irony of history: The risk of a nuclear confrontation between nations has gone down, but the risk of nuclear attack has gone up," Mr. Obama said.

In his address to the first full day of the summit, Mr. Obama said terror networks such as al-Qaida are actively seeking material for nuclear weapons.  He said if they get it, they will use it.

"Were they to do so, it would be a catastrophe for the world, causing extraordinary loss of life and striking a major blow to global peace and stability," Mr. Obama said.

The conference follows two days of meetings between Mr. Obama and other heads of state on efforts to keep nuclear materials out of terrorists' hands.

Mr. Obama met Monday with Chinese President Hu Jintao, who agreed to work with the United States on sanctions against Iran for its nuclear activities.  China has been reluctant to place more U.N. sanctions on Tehran.

Also Monday, a spokesman for Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich announced Ukraine will get rid of its highly enriched uranium by 2012.

President Obama said he hopes for further progress.

"Last night, in closed session, I believe we made further progress pursuing a shared understanding of the grave threat to our people," Mr. Obama said.  "And today, we have the opportunity to take the next steps."

Mr. Obama was  to meet one-on-one with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

The president announced South Korea will host another summit of this kind two years from now.  South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak invited this year's participants to return.

"I will do [my] best to make this summit a success.  So I hope to see all of you in Korea," Mr. Lee said.

This year's meeting is expected to end with a joint declaration to guide work in preventing terror groups and criminal gangs from getting access to nuclear material.  Mr. Obama says that is a first step toward his long-term goal of ridding the world of nuclear weapons.


Related Articles

France Investigates Suicides at Telecommunications Company


In a first for France, the Paris prosecutor's office has opened a probe into the management practices of French telecommunications giant France Telecom.  The probe follows a wave of worker suicides at the company that has riveted the country.

For some, the wave of suicides at France Telecom reveals the downside of the scramble to stay competitive amid the pressures of globalization and the recent economic downturn.  More than 40 France Telecom employees have taken their lives since 2008. Unions say that includes a dozen suicides this year alone.

The probe by the Paris prosecutor's office follows a court complaint filed by the union Solidaires Unitaires Democratic (SUD).  Union lawyer Jean-Paul Tessionniere blamed working conditions at the company for the suicides.

Tessionniere described France Telecom's management as "pathogenic."  He called the work situation extremely dangerous.  He said all the red lights were blinking, pointing to disaster.

SUD and other critics claim France Telecom used extremely coercive methods to lay off 22,000 workers between 2006 and 2008.  Much of the company has been privatized in recent years, but many workers are civil servants and it is very difficult to lay them off in France.

Tessionniere claims that since it could not fire many workers, France Telecom created miserable working conditions to force them to leave.  In extreme cases, employees took their lives.

A February report by the French labor inspector's office linked 14 France Telecom suicides directly to the company's management practices.

The suicides and apparently difficult working conditions appear in stark contrast to France's reputation of having some of the most generous worker benefits in the world.  While France's famous 35-hour work week is no longer compulsory, many French workers still enjoy what amounts to a seven-hour day, and many have weeks of paid vacations each year.

But a 2005 study by the World Health Organization (WHO) also found France has a higher suicide rate than any other western nation.

France Telecom denies its management practices have led to the suicides.  It has about 102,000 employees and it says its suicide rate is about average for a company its size.

France Telecom lawyer Claudia Chemarin told French television that each suicide will be examined individually.  She said that under no condition can it be claimed there was an organized policy that led to them.

In March, France Telecom's new boss Stephane Richard outlined ways the company planned to improve employee working conditions.

Richard said France Telecom would initiate periodic meetings with the company's health staff and set up new work spaces where employees could gather during their breaks.  He also said that forced transfers of staff, which critics say demoralized workers, would be applied only in exceptional circumstances.

France Telecom is not the only French company grappling with employee suicides.  But because of the numbers of employee deaths and the media attention they have attracted, critics say France Telecom's problems have emerged as a warning story about the downsides of valuing productivity and growth over employee well being.

Thailand's Tourism Industry Falls Victim to Bangkok Protests

Anti-government protesters take camp in a main commercial shopping district causing shops and businesses to close down where they have occupied for more than a week in Bangkok, Thailand, 11 Apr 2010
Photo: AP
Anti-government protesters take camp in a main commercial shopping district causing shops and businesses to close down where they have occupied for more than a week in Bangkok, Thailand, 11 Apr 2010

An industry association warns Thailand's tourism business faces staggering losses this year because of the confrontation between anti-government protesters and security forces.  Many tourists have canceled travel to Thailand or have fled areas caught up in deadly clashes in the past few days.

The Federation of Thai Industries says the political conflict could cost the tourism industry more than $1 billion, after images of deadly clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces were flashed across the world.

The FTI says hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and shopping malls near the protest sites would be hardest hit.

More than 40 countries have issued travel warnings regarding Bangkok.

Khao San Road is a popular tourist area in the city, and it is close to the location of the worst violence on Saturday, when more than 20 people died, and hundreds injured.

Kumtan drives a tuk-tuk, or small three-wheeled taxi, on Khao San.

Kumtan says foreign travelers will stay away this year because they are afraid. He says is not good and will hit his income hard.

The protesters largely support former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in 2006. They want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign and call new elections. They began mass protests in the city a month ago.

Even before the violence, hotels in Bangkok reported that 20 percent of their reservations were being canceled by travelers concerned by the protests.

Tourism industry officials expect visitor arrivals to fall to about 14.5 million this year, one million less than had been expected, because of the protests. Tourism accounts for some six percent of Thailand's national income.

One of the main protest sites is in the heart of a large shopping, hotel and transportation hub. As a result, hundreds of popular shops have been forced to close ever the past week, with hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.

The violence led to the Bangkok city government to cancel official celebrations for the Thai New Year, the Songkran festival, which begins Tuesday.

Alice, a tourist from France, says she notices the difference in atmosphere among the people.

"All the people are very stressed, stressed out," she noted.  "People from Thailand are not like this usually, they are not like smiley people. This is just weird ambiance."

Small companies are especially at risk because they lack cash reserves. Krishna at a Khao San tailor shop says his business is suffering.

"This month is almost no business at all. It's been very quiet right now. Khao San is the most busiest during the festival, but this year seems like nobody here. It's almost empty around here," he noted.

Bob James, tourism industry consultant, says while the situation is serious, he expects tourism to recover.

"It's a serious situation but I also think you have to put things into context," he explained.  "Thailand is renowned for its tourism - it's one of the major tourism players in Asia and always has been. It's had its challenges and ups and downs but has rallied and come through."

Thailand's tourism authority is planning to begin a new wave of promotions once the political conflicts subside.

Euro Gets Boost On Heels of Greece Loan Package

Lisa Bryant | Paris 12 April 2010

The euro rose to its highest level in several weeks after European Union finance ministers offered a massive loan package to Greece should it need it.  But some analysts fear the EU measure is a short-term solution.

European Union officials and some economists have hailed the $41 billion rescue package of low-interest loans announced by EU finance ministers. Along with expectations the International Monetary Fund could offer another $20 billion, that amounts to a significant cushion for Greece, which is struggling under a massive government debt and deficit.

So far, Athens has not made a formal request for EU assistance. But analysts expect that at the very least, Europe's response should help reassure international investors and lower the interest rates on the loans they are offering.

But Simon Tilford, chief economist at the Center for European Reform in London, has reservations about the EU's action.

"It's a short-term palliative. It's positive but it's unfortunate that it took a crisis, or a speculative attack by investors, to bring the EU to this point," he said.  "This should have happened weeks and weeks ago."

French analyst Philippe Moreau Defarges calls the EU rescue package a "minimalist solution" - and only a first step.

"It's just the beginning. There will be many more discussions about what should be done for Greece and other European countries," he said.

Weeks of discussions have already taken place about what to do for Greece. Germany, the EU's biggest economy, has opposed bailout efforts, arguing Athens was responsible for its economic crisis.

Tilford says the new EU loan package does not address Greece's long-term problem.

"Going forward, the only way a country like Greece is going to ensure its public finances are sustainable is if it can get its economy growing," he said.  "And that goes for other economies that are similar to Greece, such as Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Italy."

The Greek crisis is considered the biggest test to date facing the 16 nations sharing the euro currency.

Battle Emerges Over US Financial Reform

Michael Bowman 13 April 2010

The top Republican in the U.S. Senate has announced strong opposition to a Democratic proposal to reform America's battered financial system. A partisan battle has erupted over how best to prevent financial meltdowns and the economic havoc they inflict.

The struggling U.S. economy still bears scars from 2008, when a cascading failure of banks, investment houses, mortgage giants and insurance firms obliterated much of America's financial landscape, froze credit for consumers and businesses, and accelerated a plunge into the deepest recession since World War II. In a desperate bid to prevent complete economic collapse, the federal government spent hundreds of billions of dollars to bail out scores of near bankrupt private financial institutions.

Republicans and Democrats agree that the dire turn of events must never be repeated. But how best to fix the financial system is shaping up as the latest partisan fight to consume Washington.

Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell dashed waning hopes of bipartisan support for a Democratic financial reform bill. Addressing the Senate, the Kentucky Republican said the proposed package gives too much authority to the federal government and fails to protect taxpayers from the costs of any future bailouts.

"We cannot allow endless taxpayer-funded bailouts for big Wall Street banks," said  Mitch McConnell. "That is why we must not pass the financial reform that is about to hit the [Senate] floor [for debate]. The fact is: this bill would not solve the problems that led to the financial crisis. It would make them worse."

Under the Democratic bill, the U.S. central bank, known as the Federal Reserve, would be empowered to craft and enforce consumer protection rules for large financial institutions. Banks would also be restricted in the types of investments they can make. It was private institutions' dealings with complex financial products tied to special home mortgages for high-risk borrowers that helped spark the meltdown of 2008.

The Obama administration says the United States cannot afford to drag its feet on financial reform. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner had this response to Senator McConnell:

"Look at the devastation caused by this financial crisis," said Timothy Geithner. "Look at the damage it did to tens of millions of Americans. I do not think there is a tenable position anyone could take that says we do not need to fix this system."

Geithner says the current system allowed banks and other institutions to take huge risks without bearing the cost of failure.

"And you had the spectacle of the United States of America come into the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression [of the 1930s] and had, basically, no tools to unwind, to put into bankruptcy large institutions," he said. "The taxpayer faced an untenable choice: either to let the system collapse or put hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer money at risk. And I think that fundamental recognition is going to drive us to a necessary, essential, very well-designed, sweeping set of reforms."

But while applauding safeguards against future financial meltdowns, some progressive voices say America's financial sector must pay for damages already inflicted. The head of America's largest union umbrella group, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, says banks that survived thanks to the federal bailout are now flooding Washington with lobbyists to defeat financial reform, without taking responsibility for the havoc and economic losses they caused.

"Wall Street just hasn't gotten the message," said Richard Trumka. "They [banks] all helped to create the crisis. They all helped destroy 11 million [American] jobs. And quite frankly, they should start paying to create jobs that they destroyed.

In fact, many recipients of federal bailout money are repaying the loans with interest, minimizing government losses and, in some cases, giving the U.S. Treasury a modest profit on the initial layout of funds. Nevertheless, no one is arguing that overall effect of the financial crisis has been anything but devastating to the U.S. economy and its workforce.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

US Government Looks to Cloud Computing to Cut Costs


A top U.S. information technology official says the Obama administration is looking to cloud computing - or the ability to access software, data and computer applications anytime and everywhere - as a way to lower the cost of government operations and use technology to help change the way Washington works.  Experts estimate the increased use of cloud computing technology could save local and federal governments billions of dollars each year.

Vivek Kundra, the Federal Chief Information Officer at the White House says that while the government is just beginning its efforts to make a shift to cloud computing - the intelligent use of technology can help cut costs, improve efficiency, promote innovation and shine a light into the performance of government.

"Imagine an environment, where we're able to look at any given agency, use the data that the government has democratized and share the performance, the same way we share You Tube videos," said Kundra.

Speaking at a forum in Washington Wednesday, hosted by the research group the Brookings Institute, Kundra says that while the wider shift to cloud computing could take at least a decade, the savings could add up.

Darrell West, the director of governance studies at Brookings agrees.

"We did case studies of local and federal government agencies and we found anywhere from 25 to 50 percent cost savings, and so there really are substantial savings," he said.

The U.S. government currently spends nearly $76 billion a year on information technology, with $20 billion of that spent on hardware, software and file servers.

Kundra's speech came on the same day that the U.S. government set as a deadline for all the federal agencies to publish their so called open government plans.  The plans seek to make government operations and data more transparent and available online as well as expand citizen participation, collaboration, and oversight.

Kundra says cloud computing can help in ways such as streamlining and simplifying the student government loan process online to reducing government paperwork.

"Why is it that you can go online on Turbo Tax or Tax Cut and have access to three years of your tax records, yet when you go to IRS.gov you don't have access to the same level of information," added Kundra.

Kundra says that part of the reason for this is that the government's focus on how it uses technology needs to go through a dramatic shift.  He notes that right now the focus is largely on the hardware - the building of data center after data center and purchasing server after server - instead of the options technology is creating.

He says that over the last decade, the United States went from having over 400 data centers to more than 1,100 data centers.  And yet, he adds that server utilization at those centers is only at seven percent. That means that the government is on average using seven percent of the storage space in its servers. A number Kundra says is "unacceptable."

Kundra says that next month, the federal government will host a cloud computing summit and invite representatives from the private sector to attend. The summit will look at case studies of government agencies that have already begun the shift to put some of their operations in the clouds.

The urgent push by governments is a trend that is being felt across the globe.  According to a survey released earlier this week by Global Industry Analysts, a market research group, the worldwide cloud computing economy is set to grow by $200 billion over the next five years.

High Costs Drive Americans Overseas for Medical Help

Travelers take a vacation from high prices by having medical procedures performed abroad at a fraction of the price

Photo: Courtesy:John Freeman
John Freeman paid $18,000 for a heart procedure in Turkey that he says would have cost him $120,000 in the United States.

With the passage of America's Health Care Reform bill, more Americans will have access to affordable health insurance. But they have yet to see lower costs for medical treatment. Because of that continuing expense, many Americans choose to go abroad for one-time medical surgeries or procedures.
Grim choice
John Freeman took that gamble a few years ago. The 62-year-old retired computer analyst dropped his health care insurance because the high monthly premiums and a huge deductible were eating up his retirement savings. He hoped he would not need major medical care until he turned 65 and qualified for the government's Medicare insurance program.

But last year, Freeman had a heart attack. He was told surgery in his hometown of Reno, Nevada, would cost close to $120,000. Freeman felt he faced two grim choices: use up all of his savings or die.

"I thought that the American medical system was going to take away my life savings and essentially ruin any prospects I had for a pleasant retirement after the operation," he says.

Courtesy: Anadolu Medical Center
Freeman chose Anadolu Medical Center in Turkey, in part, because its website stated an affiliation with Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

Exploring his options

So Freeman did what hundreds of thousands of Americans do each year. He went abroad for the surgery.
After some research, he decided to have his operation performed at the Anadolu Medical Center outside of Istanbul, Turkey. The price was just 15 percent of what it would have cost in Reno: $18,000, all-inclusive, except for airfare.

Both the American Medical Association and the American College of Surgeons have acknowledged that medical tourism is a growing industry because of lower medical costs overseas. They have issued statements encouraging patients to seek out the treatment that best suits their needs. However, both organizations also warn patients to make sure they choose certified doctors and surgeons at health care institutions that have met high standards of accreditation.

John Freeman took that advice seriously when he researched Anadolu Medical Center.
"When I first looked at the website, there's a logo that says 'Affiliated with Johns Hopkins University' and I think that really helped my comfort zone because I knew there was an affiliation with a well-known American hospital," he says. "I knew my doctor was in meetings with American doctors about things like heart surgery techniques."
Medical tourism

Americans first began going abroad for cosmetic surgery such as facelifts, breast implants and reductions, and tummy tucks in the 1980s and 90s. Today, common medical procedures sought overseas include cardiac surgery, knee and hip replacements, liver transplants and dental work.

Courtesy: WorldMed Assist
Wouter Hoeberechts, CEO of WorldMedAssist, helps ailing Americans find accredited and affordable medical treatment in six countries.

"We have a problem delivering affordable quality health care in this country," says Wouter Hoeberechts, CEO of WorldMedAssist, the medical tourism provider that helped John Freeman find his surgeon in Turkey.
He founded WMA three years ago to offer ailing Americans accredited and affordable medical treatment in six countries.
Hoeberechts, originally from the Netherlands, says all the hospitals affiliated with his company meet high U.S. standards and many of their board-certified doctors and surgeons trained in America.
"What we try to do is - for each hospital that we work with - become the number one or number two provider of U.S. patients, so that we really can build a very good relationship with those hospitals and make sure that patient benefits from that," says Hoeberechts.
Courtesy: John Freeman
Freeman did a little sightseeing while in Turkey for a medical procedure.

Surgery abroad

John Freeman can attest to that. He says he received professional surgery and excellent care from attentive doctors and nurses.

"If one can say that about such an essentially unpleasant thing, I actually really enjoyed the whole experience and the price was very good," he says. "I got it done and can still have a retirement."

Hoeberechts says WorldMedAssist has successfully sent several hundred patients abroad for medical treatment at a discount. WMA is one of a growing number of companies providing this service.

But medical tourism is not for everyone. Prospective patients must be fit for travel, the cost must make economic sense, the length of stay should be relatively short and follow-up care must be predictable and fairly brief.
Aftercare challenges

Aftercare is the challenge John Freeman faces. Now that he's back home, his doctor wants him to take some expensive post-operation tests. But, still without insurance and feeling okay, Freeman says he doesn't want to spend the money.

That attitude concerns neurosurgeon and Harvard educator, Dr. Teo Forcht Dagi. He oversaw the writing of the statement on medical tourism for the American College of Surgeons. Dagi stresses that overseas medical treatment is not for routine or on-going health problems. He notes aftercare is of concern to both the ACS and the American Medical Association because follow-up is rare.

"So what you get may be cost, but what you give up may be the on-going relationship, the communication, the follow-up care, and things, traditionally, American patients have held very dear," says Dagi.

Seeing growth potential in medical tourism, many major American health care insurance providers have started pilot programs that offer overseas coverage. If a subscriber can get quality care for less overseas, the companies calculate they will have to pay out less money in reimbursement.

Medical industry observers expect to see an increase in medical travelers, as continuing costly health care at home drives more Americans to seek medical services overseas.

China Says Trade Deficit Proves Currency Not To Blame

China says it posted its first trade deficit in six years in March as it resists calls to let its currency increase in value.

Chinese customs authorities announced Saturday that China had $7.2 billion more in imports than in exports last month.

A spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce (Yao Jian) said Saturday that the March trade deficit proves that the foreign trade balance depends on market demand and other factors, rather than on the value of its currency.

Western nations that import large amounts of Chinese goods say China keeps the value of its currency artificially low, making Chinese products cheaper. The issue has become a major sore point in China-U.S. trade relations.

Chinese officials said Saturday imports jumped more than $30 billion in February to almost $120 billion in March.  Meanwhile, exports grew more slowly, reaching about $112 billion.

The White House has pressed China to let its currency, the yuan, to be more influenced by market forces.

U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Washington on the sidelines of the upcoming nuclear non-proliferation summit.

Britian Deals Legal Blow to 'Vulture Funds'

Campaigners have called on the United States to outlaw "Third World Debt profiteering" after the practice was banned in Britain on Thursday. The British Debt Relief bill is the world's first law that restricts so-called Vulture Funds, which buy up poor country's debt at a cheap price and then take the country to court to recover the full amount.

Nick Dearden, director of the Jubilee Debt Campaign, a Britain-based group that campaigns for the complete cancellation of poor country debts, says over half of "vulture" cases are tried in the United States and Britain.

"If both Britain and the United States manage to pass legislation on this it will make a huge difference to the ability of vulture funds to extract profits from the poorest countries in the world so that's what we hope will happen next," he said.

"Vulture funds" buy the debts of poor countries at a knock-down price. Often the country has defaulted on that loan and, after the debt has been written off by Western governments, the "vulture" sues for the full debt along with interest and additional costs.

If the country refuses to pay, the "vultures" threaten to sue anyone who deals with the country.

Dearden says it's the world's poorest that are hit the hardest.

"They end up making extortionate profits off the backs of countries as poor as Liberia, Zambia, Cameroon, Nicaragua and so on," he said.

The law passed in Britain this week applies to the debt of the 40 countries in the World Bank and International Monetary Fund's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative.

"Vultures" suing these countries will now have to accept a steep discount on the amount that they can claim - up to 90 percent, says Dearden.

"What in effect this will mean is that vulture activity becomes impossible in these cases. So hopefully it's a real attack on the vulture model in these cases of the very poorest countries," he said.

But Dearden says the law needs to be passed elsewhere in the world and not only affect the very poorest.

"We see this as a step towards making the lending system and third world debt a little more just, a little more responsible but there's a long way to go in terms of cleaning up the financial system and the way that it works," he said.

The law comes into force later this year. It will block a move to extract around $20 million from Liberia for a debt dating back to the 1970s.

Piracy Cuts Oil Production in Cameroon, Threatens Future Investment

Cameroon says its oil production is falling, in part, because of piracy. Our correspondent looks at the economic impact of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and how it differs from piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Cameroon's National Hydrocarbons Corporation says crude oil production is averaging just over 73,000 barrels a day. That is down 13 percent from levels just one year ago as spending in the oil sector has dropped by more than one-third.

The state oil firm says that is partly a result of the international financial crisis and partly a result of insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea brought on by increasing piracy.

As much as 95 percent of Cameroon's oil comes from a basin in the Gulf of Guinea, where attacks on commercial shipping and raids on government outposts have made the area increasingly lawless, threatening the region's export of oil, natural gas, and bauxite.

Seven Chinese fishermen were kidnapped last month in international waters off the Bakassi Peninsula which separates Cameroon from Nigeria. The previously-unknown Africa Marine Commando group is thought to have been paid a ransom for their release.

Days later, the group raided a gendarmerie post in Bakassi stealing weapons and ammunition. It then hijacked a Nigerian boat off the coast of Cameroon, demanding more than $1 million for its release.

Raymond Gilpin is an associate vice president for sustainable economies at the US Institute of Peace. He says piracy is partly a result of the breakdown in a deal that resolved a long-running border dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon over the Bakassi Peninsula.

"The issues have a lot to do with the fall-out from Bakassi and the apparent harassment of Nigerian nationals on the peninsula," said Raymond Gilpin. "There is a lot of disaffectation in the communities. And as they have done in the Delta, the main way that they demonstrate how disaffected they feel and how wronged they feel they have been is by criminal activity."

Gilpin says piracy threatens the profitability of new oil exploration off Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria's Niger Delta. The interest in new sources of oil will always be there, but Gilpin says it is the quality of investment that will suffer.

"You are less likely to see oil majors who have the capacity and the deep-pockets for the sort of exploration that will be required go in first," he said. "You are more likely to see smaller concerns go in and test the waters. And what this does it costs the countries because when the oil majors come in later, the beneficiaries are the smaller companies that took the risk to go in in the first place, not the countries."

Gilpin says very few countries in the Gulf of Guinea have addressed what he calls vast gaps in maritime security from Nigeria to Angola. Pirate groups that withdrew after increased security in 2000 are now reemerging. But unlike the more-publicized piracy off the coast of Somalia, Gulf of Guinea pirates are less organized.

"Somalia is a projection of lawlessness on land out at sea," said Gilpin. "And therefore you have more organization among the clans to support and sustain piracy. You also have more organization out on the high seas with mother ships supplying and sustaining the skiffs. You also have a lot more organization in terms of financial flows with business communities in Yemen and Kenya and some in Somalia financing, supporting and facilitating the whole chain of piracy through to the ransom."

In the Gulf of Guinea, Gilpin says most pirates operate individually or in less organized groups of small boats.

"What they do share in common is a general trend toward non-lethality unless they feel that their lives are in danger because what both sets are after is the ransom," he said.

The U.S. private security firm MPRI last month won a $250-million contract from Equatorial Guinea to provide nationwide coastal surveillance against piracy.

Gilpin says there should be a broader regional approach to maritime security either through the Economic Community of West African States or the Gulf of Guinea Commission established by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo.