Imports/Exports

Iraq's most lucrative export after oil - dates - has seen declining production since the American-led invasion began in 2003. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ikhlasulamal/3542981557/">Ikhlasul Amal (flickr)</a>

share

Declining Dates in Iraq

The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the subsequent violence has left the country struggling to survive. Now, Iraq’s economy is suffering even more due to declining production in one of its most thriving exports after oil: dates.

An Israeli checkpoint in Nablus, West Bank. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidortmann/2843381227/">David Ortmann (flickr)</a>

share

Economic Improvements in West Bank = Political Gains for Palestinians?

Since Israel relaxed West Bank checkpoints in June, there's been a newfound sense of both security and economic freedom for the struggling Palestinian territory, according to the New York Times' Thomas Friedman.

A man models the "Zambulance," a bike-drawn ambulance designed with expecting mothers in mind. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbcworldservice/3340541627/">bbc world service (flickr)</a>

share

Bamboo Bikes

Families in poor countries can save up to 30 percent of their transportation costs by doing one simple thing: buying a bicycle. World Bicycle Relief, a U.S.

Sugar is a popular commodity in India, where imports are expected to rise as droughts cause sugar prices to rise by 50 percent. Here vendors make sugar cane juice. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jim-c/229985380/in/se">Jim-C (flickr)</a>

share

India's Sugar Struggles

Sugar rushes tend to be followed by sugar crashes.

Many African countries, like Madagascar pictured here, are increasingly leasing land to foreign firms, but critics argue the deals are exploitative. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/goukely/1372969345/">goukley (flickr)</a>

share

Who will profit from 'land grabbing'?

A million hectares in Uganda. Some 690,000 hectares in Sudan. And 500,000 hectares in Tanzania. These are just a few of the numbers that have appeared on the bargaining table in the past year as foreign firms scramble for land leases in Africa.

Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blentley/2073725030/"> blentely(flickr)</a>

share

Fight Poverty: Keep On Trading

We may be in the midst of global recession, but if countries react by curbing their trade with each other, it will only hurt the poorest among them.

Changing the dates of the weekend in Algeria has been endorsed by the World Bank. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnw/2981710338/">Radio Nederland Wereldomroep (flickr)</a>

share

Algeria Changes Their Weekend

The Algerian government hopes to boost the country's economy by shifting the weekend from Thursday and Friday to Friday and Saturday. The change comes after 33 years of Thursday-Friday weekends.

The interior of a number 2 subway train in NYC. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevharb/3065141497/">Kevin H. (flickr)</a>

share

Payback

Jeton Qallaku, a Bronx resident, sends about three percent of his $60,000 salary back to his parents and sister in Kosovo each year. Qallaku's family mostly uses these remittance payments to keep up with their water, sewage, and electricity bills.

China's Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydro-electric power station. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pvcg/3412711352/">PVCG (flickr)</a>

share

China Going Green?

Can China go green without disrupting their economic growth?

Fossil fuels provide most of the energy powering the world’s post populated country, but last month China committed to producing more energy from cleaner sources.

Idle mining cars on a train track in La Oroya, Peru. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiemme/2874972806/">Max Opp (exoppholdsvaer) (flickr)</a>

share

Toxic Work in Peru

La Oroya, Peru, is one of the ten most polluted places in the world, according to the Blacksmith Institute, a New York-based global health agency.

share

Still Swimming, but Millions Fewer Due to Virus

Chile's salmon industry is worth $2 billion and the fish are one of the country's top four exports. Chile is the biggest supplier of salmon to the U.S. and second to the world.