Business, Economics and Jobs

woman by flag

Young Africans seek to leverage Vice President Harris’ trip to Africa 

US Vice President Kamala Harris began her weeklong visit to the African continent this week in Ghana. She plans to focus on youth entrepreneurship, and to make a claim for supporting some African countries, as China and Russia have made diplomatic and financial inroads. 

Young Africans seek to leverage Vice President Harris’ trip to Africa 
A lab worker removes crane hoist from a load of rebar used to construct full-scale buildings and bridge spans that are then pushed to the limit in field tests.

This ‘earthquake lab’ is designing buildings to withstand natural disasters

This ‘earthquake lab’ is designing buildings to withstand natural disasters
Colleagues gather at a cafeteria in the offices of Picsart, in Yerevan, Armenia.

Russia's war turns Armenia into a booming tech sector

Russia's war turns Armenia into a booming tech sector
people at building entrance

The risk of banking 'contagion' 

The risk of banking 'contagion' 
In this photo taken Wednesday Sept. 2015, a man buys kerosene at a road side stall in Harare, Zimbabwe. 

Zimbabwe struggles to keep the power on

Zimbabwe struggles to keep the power on
tram in Kolkata with dancers

India's tramway turned 150. But it’s on its last legs.

​​​​​​​Kolkata's 150-year-old tram system is limping along. It's down to just two lines and there is little political will, or room in the city's crowded streets, to bring the streetcars back to their former glory days. The tram does have a small but loyal band of supporters who want to keep it alive.

India's tramway turned 150. But it’s on its last legs.
Guyana faces risks from climate change that include rising sea levels that could eventually submerge the capital Georgetown.

Guyana’s discovery of oil reserves has the nation split between boosting the economy and preserving the environment

Guyana is hoping that newly discovered offshore crude reserves can help transform the country's economy and offset its ongoing poverty crisis. But some people are concerned about what this may mean for the environment.

Guyana’s discovery of oil reserves has the nation split between boosting the economy and preserving the environment
The view from the Emerald Line commuter rail, which follows the Pinheiros river and ends at Vila Natal, one of the enclaves of Venezuelan migrants in São Paulo.

'We have to fight': Venezuelan women lead migration to Brazil

Yoselin Calcurian, 35, is among some 400,000 Venezuelans who went to Brazil, fleeing economic collapse and political chaos. She and many others say they are now struggling to find jobs and learn a new language.

'We have to fight': Venezuelan women lead migration to Brazil
staff in lobby area

Prominent Afghan news organization reports on life under Taliban rule from Maryland 

The investigative newspaper Etilaatroz opened a new newsroom in an office building in Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC.

Prominent Afghan news organization reports on life under Taliban rule from Maryland 
As vaccination levels drop in Ghana, the threat of a measles outbreak looms.

'Red alert for child health': A nationwide vaccine shortage hits Ghana amid measles outbreak

In Ghana, a shortage of childhood vaccines has mothers traveling from hospital to hospital in search of immunizations to protect their infants. As a result, measles are breaking out in some parts of the country.

'Red alert for child health': A nationwide vaccine shortage hits Ghana amid measles outbreak
In this Wednesday, June 29, 2011, photo, Henrik Holgersson puts a shoe on his son.

Founding fatherhood: Part I

Critical State, a foreign policy newsletter by Inkstick Media, takes a deep dive this week into parental leave and caregiving in various affluent democracies between 1965 to 2016.

Founding fatherhood: Part I
A coal-fired power station in Witbank, South Africa , Monday, Oct. 11, 2021.

Scheduled blackouts roll South Africa into electricity crisis

The lights may be off, but "crisis mode" is definitely switched on in South Africa. Despite a national state of disaster and a new minister of electricity, scheduled power outages, known as load-shedding, continue to heavily impact citizens.

Scheduled blackouts roll South Africa into electricity crisis
Protesters wave a Georgian national and EU flags as they rally against a draft law

Georgia faces a rocky road to EU membership

Georgia was once considered a favorite among countries seeking EU membership. But in recent years, the country’s majority Georgian Dream party has faced accusations of failing to improve the judiciary, protecting LGBTQ rights and of decreasing press freedoms.

Georgia faces a rocky road to EU membership
Wide view of Almeria in southern Spain.

Migrant farmworkers in Spain living in makeshift encampments have little hope for formal work

Many migrant farmworkers in Spain say they can't afford housing, so they live in makeshift plastic housing near the farms where they work. Local governments have tried to remove these informal settlements and relocate people to shelters far from the farms — but they keep building back.

Migrant farmworkers in Spain living in makeshift encampments have little hope for formal work
people in line

Thousands of passengers are stranded after Colombia’s Viva Air grounds flights 

​​​​​​​Thousands of passengers were stranded in airports in Colombia and several other Latin American countries this week following the collapse of the budget airline, Viva Air. It's the latest airline company to fold amid decreasing passenger demand and higher oil prices. 

Thousands of passengers are stranded after Colombia’s Viva Air grounds flights