Category Archives: Business/Economics

Common Visa for people of Iran, Iraq, Syria & Turkey

It might be soon that the people of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran will have a common visa, that will allow unhindered travel between the countries.

The visa (international travel document) is being called Shamgen, similar to the European Union’s Schengen visa.  Sham is the ancient name for Syria.

Shahbaz Yazdani, Deputy Head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, said the four countries are still hammering out details of the visa plan.  Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran are working for a economic union similar to the EU.

 

Business owner dedicated to customer service to the rescue in Japan

“Since these people are having trouble getting to stores, we will bring the store to them.”-company spokesperson

A convenience store company, called Lawson, is sending “Mobile Lawson” stores to the areas of Japan devastated by the March 11 disasters.

The company is using food service trucks, originally designed for construction sites, to deliver food and other items.  The trucks are small (you can say ‘cute’) by U.S. standards, but they get the job done.

Company officials say they have been considering such an idea, as a way of expanding their business, before the disasters struck.

A Bread maker that uses Rice

Just as Japan’s rice production takes a hit from radiation, Sanyo makes a hit with its rice bread maker.

Sanyo is resuming production of its bread make that uses rice, called “Gopan”, because they are getting swamped with orders.

Sanyo didn’t stop production because of the March 11 disasters, they stopped because their factory just couldn’t keep up with demand.  In just the first three weeks on introducing their Gopan, orders hit 10,000 per month.  They’re now ready to meet those orders.

Iran announces they have their own Nuclear Fuel

“Our scientists took action to supply fuel for the Tehran research reactor and this fuel which is the fruit of the efforts made by our country’s scientists will be loaded into the Tehran Research Reactor this year.”-Ali Baqeri, Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Undersecretary

Iran decided to provide its own nuclear fuel, after several deals to get fuel from Western countries fell through, due to complaints from the U.S. and France.

In April 2010, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered the domestic production of nuclear fuel. They claim to have produced uranium fuel at 20% purity.

Iran strikes back at Europe, refuses to fuel European airlines

“In a retaliatory move, we have stopped providing fuel to European aircraft.”-Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi

For some time several European countries have refused to fuel up Iranian passenger planes that land at their airports.  After repeated requests by Iran, countries like Germany and United Kingdom, still refuse on the grounds that they are following the latest sanctions placed against Iran by President Obama.

Iran now says it will not fuel passenger planes from those countries, that land in Iran.

Germany’s Lufthansa says they will have to come up with a plan, because they can no longer get fuel in Tehran.  Netherland’s KLM says they’re not worried because they fuel up in Greece on their way back from Iran.

The sanctions placed on Iran by Obama do not specifically say that Iranian airlines can not be fueled.

VW was looking to buy Isuzu, rethink after March 11 disasters

Volkswagen has been considering taking over Japan’s Isuzu, in a joint venture with Germany’s truck maker MAN.  They’re a little hesitant after the 11 March 2011 disasters.

VW is also working on a partnership with Suzuki.  The German car maker has cited cultural differences as problems getting into the Japanese market, but now has to consider the damaged ‘just in time’ production practices in Japan, which is causing the current severe parts shortages.

Nissan Leaf won’t start

Nissan is investigating why its electric car, the Leaf, won’t start.  Several customers, in Japan and United States, are complaining that their Leafs won’t start.

Nissan thinks it is related to the air conditioner sensor: “…it will illuminate a warning light on the instrument panel and may cause the vehicle to not restart once it has been turned off.”-Katherine Zachary, Nissan’s North American unit

Vermont set to Protest GOP leader

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, will not get a warm welcome when he speaks in Vermont on Wednesday.

Vermont Unions plan to protest Priebus, because they see him as the architect of Wisconsin’s anti-collective bargaining rights bill.  The protest will be in solidarity with Wisconsin’s Unions.

Priebus is speaking at a $100 per plate dinner, to raise money for the Vermont GOP.

Biggest protest yet planned for Michigan

People are preparing for what could be the biggest protest yet of the Michigan government.  On Wednesday thousands of people will demonstrate outside the state capitol building.

The issue is collective bargaining rights.  The Michigan government what’s to get rid of it.  People are also upset by the planned huge cuts to social programs.  Then there’s the proposed tax on retirement, which could tax retirement funds the same as regular income.

There is talk of Unions staging mass strikes.  Sounds like what’s going on in some European countries.

Mass Japanese hotel reservations Canceled

Since the March 11 disasters, more than 560,000 hotel reservations have been canceled in Japan.  It goes in hand with the recent report that tourism has dropped by 75%.

The Japan Tourism Agency expects hotel cancellations to continue, as Japan keeps getting hit with intense aftershocks.  Also, hotel reservations for April and May are down as much as 45% from last year.