Money Talks

Gua-yaquil's lawsuit comes as the Ecuadorian government faces harsh criticism over how it's handling the vaccination drive. Accusations that the wealthy and politically connected were being given the injections first have led to the resignation of the country's health minister. Now, a group of lawyers is demanding the state release the names of those involved in misusing vaccines that were intended for medical personnel and the elderly. Cristina Munoz reports.

#Ecuador #Vaccines #Corruption

Starting a business that relies on big crowds sounds like a bad idea in the middle of a pandemic. But one of the biggest names in video games is going ahead with its very first theme park. Super Nintendo World opened in Japan this week, in a dream-come-true for its legions of long-time fans. Laila Humairah reports.

#SuperNintendoWorld #Japan #COVID19cases

The pandemic battered New York's City's commercial real estate sector in 2020, as offices emptied out and retailers shut up shop. But one area of the market is booming industrial real estate. The rise in e-commerce has accelerated the demand for distribution centres to complete so-called "last-mile deliveries", which refers to the final leg of a package's journey to a buyer's front door. Fred Katayama takes a closer look at the growing interest in warehouse space, and how it's become a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy market.

#NewYork #IndustriaProperty #ECommerce

The global economy is expected to rebound in 2021, after taking a heavy blow from the pandemic. A new report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development says it expects growth to accelerate, as countries get a better handle on the health crisis. But it warns global inequality remains a threat to the pace of the world's recovery. Jeronim Capaldo joins us now from Geneva. He's an economic affairs officer at the Globalisation and Development Strategies division of the UN Conference on Trade and Development. Jeronim Capaldo spoke to us from Geneva. He's an economic affairs officer at the Globalisation and Development Strategies division of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.

#GlobalGrowth #StimulusPackages #Pandemic

The Turkish lira surged by more than two percent against the dollar on Thursday, after the central bank raised its key lending rate beyond market expectations. Turkey's GDP growth outpaced all but two countries last year, but more retail spending is also driving-up prices. And the government says reining-in inflation is its top priority. Mobin Nasir reports.

#InterestRates #TurkeyEconomy #Lira

Guayaquil's lawsuit comes as the Ecuadorian government faces harsh criticism over how it's handling the vaccination drive. Accusations that the wealthy and politically connected were being given the injections first have led to the resignation of the country's health minister. Now, a group of lawyers is demanding the state release the names of those involved in misusing vaccines that were intended for medical personnel and the elderly. Cristina Munoz reports.

#Ecuador #COVID19 #VaccineRollout

Shares in Uber have tumbled after the ride-hailing giant announced it will now be giving its 70-thousand drivers in the UK the minimum wage, holiday pay and pensions. The move follows a legal judgement last month that ruled Uber drivers should be treated as "workers" and not as freelance contractors. The move has been broadly welcomed and some hope it will lead to improved conditions across the so-called "gig" economy. Simon McGregor-Wood reports. For more on this, Yaseen Aslam joined us from London. He's the President of the App Drivers and Couriers Union and was the lead claimant in the case against Uber.

#Uber #WorkerRights #DriversUnion

In Kenya, animal feed manufacturers are turning to an unlikely source of protein for their products to partly replace fish and soy, which are often in short supply. Adesewa Josh reports on how a fly species is turning into a lucrative and environmentally-friendly business for farmers.

#Kenyan #OrganicAnimalFeed #FlyLarvae

It's no great surprise that the luxury watch industry has taken a hit during the pandemic. But after a tough 2020, many retailers in the UK are reporting a rebound in sales. With travel and hospitality currently off limits, many Brits appear to be splashing their savings on more tangible consumer goods. Matt Gooderick has more.

#LuxuryWatches #Ecommerce #ConsumerGoods

Turkey is seeking to benefit from more EU funds for small and medium businesses to improve research, development and innovation, to increase their export potential. The Competitive Sectors Programme event was held this week in Ankara, to boost trade by using the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, also known as I-P-A funds. The financial support for candidate countries is used towards projects for alignment with the EU acquis. As part of Turkey's EU accession process, it's received 955-million dollars for SMEs towards various social and cultural projects. Turkey is prioritising the expansion of green projects in the third phase of the IPA, as it aims to become carbon-neutral by 2050.

#Turkey #EU #SmallBusinesses