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The paper examines, the relationship and impact between Brent Prices and the Stock Market Indices of the BRIC Nations over both the short-run and the long-run. The paper revisits the traditional behavioral finance wisdom that higher Brent prices hurt Stocks. And it is studied with the time-series data of respective vital indices of Bovespo, MICEX, Nifty and Shanghai Composite in relation to Brent Price Index. The stochastics are studied with tools like ERS Unit Root Test, Johansen Co-integration Test, Vector Error Correction Model and Impulse Response Analysis. Not only that the traditional view of inverse relationship between Brent Prices and Stock prices is no longer valid, it is clearly established that the relationship attributes cannot be generalized, even amongst emerging economies in BRIC Nations. Further, the Paper examines both the short-run and long-run aspects in these markets and clearly establishes the relationships are not similar. The results from the impulse response function clearly reveals that in the case of oil exporting countries like Brazil and Russia, higher Brent prices have positive impact and effects on Stock indices. But, in India higher Brent prices has negative effect. The Vector Error Correction Model reveals that in the case of Brazil and China, Brent prices and the respective Stock indices are in a long-run equilibrium relationship, and the Stock indices follows and adjusts to Brent shocks much faster than it does in case of Russia and India. The findings from Impulse Response Function, further establishes that in oilexporting Nations like Brazil and Russia, higher Brent Prices raises the respective Stock Indices, whereas in the case of India and China, higher Brent Prices has muted response in Stock Performances. The outcomes of the study debunk the traditional behavioral finance theory after careful evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The problem of informal areas is the most significant urban challenge facing third world countries. Most of the urban population has become informal areas dwellers. These areas consume many resources and suffer from bad conditions. Therefore the need arose to transform them into sustainable societies in order to save resources and improve their quality of life. This paper discusses the sustainability as means of achieving quality, efficiency and improvements in informal areas using the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic and environmental. It also aims at carrying out a comparative analysis of case studies for sustainable upgrading of informal areas in Brazil and India to observe the impact on their dwellers' life after upgrading. Analysis is examined on three levels: economic, social and environmental. Moreover, the comparison and evaluation of results ends with suggestions to be applied on Egyptian informal areas in order to achieve more efficient and sustainable upgraded areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides news information from the Metso Paper Inc. The Paperboards & Specialty Papers Division in India will be supplied by Metso Paper with a rebuild of their Bhadrachalam mill PM 4 board machine. The Brazilian dissolving pulp producer Bahia Pulp chooses Metso Paper Inc. to supply them new lines of pulp. New equipment will be supplied by Metso Panelboard to Sonae Novobord's new particleboard line in White River, South Africa.

Abstract: This paper looks into the clean development mechanism (CDM) projects involving energy recovery from municipal solid waste (MSW). The paper looks into the municipal waste management problems, regulatory framework in place and the CDM opportunities in India. A comparative assessment of the Indian CDM projects vis a vis projects worldwide is also presented. One hundred and nineteen worldwide CDM projects, including 16 from India, based on MSW and implemented across the developing countries in the world were studied to assess the various processes and methodologies used and the green house gas (GHG) reductions estimated. RDF, composting and landfill gas recovery methods have been explained in brief. Two case studies from India and Brazil have also been outlined. Brazil has the highest number of CDM projects of MSW origin (25) followed by China (16), India (16), Chile (10), Mexico (10) and Argentina (8). Rest of the non-Annex-1 countries have one, two or three projects each. It was observed that out of the 119 projects, 88 projects were using ACM0001 methodology where electricity is being produced and supplied to a grid. Out of the 16 Indian projects, only one of the projects has electricity being supplied to the grid. Nine out of the sixteen projects are based on AMS.III.E. methodology that is RDF. To conclude, India does not have well designed sanitary landfills where methane can be captured. India needs to make conscious effort towards developing more scientific landfills, capture methane and take carbon credits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper compares the status of social science research in India, China and Brazil using various indicators. It particularly focuses on the analyses of annual average publication rate vis-a-vis global publication share; similarity in research profile of different countries; research priorities of countries as measured in terms of national publications output by sub-fields; relative share of international collaborative papers in the national output; distribution of research output by geographical regions within each country; and characteristics of high productivity institutions and highly cited papers computed on select measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Projections for the global economy frequently center on the BRIC countries: Brazil, Russia, India, and China. As futurists and economists alike define and re-define both formal and informal coalitions (for example, by broadening the R in BRIC to include all Eastern European economies or instead re-directing the discussion to G-8 countries or to World Trade Organization members), the education profiles of the individual nations sometimes resemble economic indicators: what is imported, what is exported, and what is the potential for expansion. Higher education, and specifically distance learning (the Clicks element of this paper), can already be charted in these terms for some nations. This paper describes the current role of distance learning in countries described as growing economies and proposes a typology for describing change as additional data become available. The paper informs readers of global developments in distance education, using the BRIC nations as examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the weak form efficiency in the BRIC countries and Turkey with use of autocorrelation analysis, unit root tests, Johansen cointegration and Granger causality test. Monthly data covers the period from July 1997 to December 2013. Our findings indicate the efficiency among the stock markets in the weak form. The empirical findings indicate monthly closing prices of indices follow the random walk procedure. According to Granger causality and Johansen cointegration tests we found the long-run relationship between China and India, also China and Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper we study the relationship between output and inflation for India, South Africa and Brazil, using the EGARCH model. For India and South Africa, we find evidence of: (1) the Cukierman and Meltzer hypothesis that inflation volatility raises inflation; (2) the Friedman hypothesis that inflation raises inflation volatility; and (3) the Black hypothesis that output volatility raises output growth, and that output volatility reduces inflation. For Brazil, we do not find any evidence of a systematic relationship between inflation and output growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper explores the argument that the so-called four BRIC or the five BRICS economies can help rescue the global economy from its current crisis. It reviews the arguments for the positive role of these developing economies and then urges a series of reasons for caution about their capacity to act as an independent element in global economic recovery. It also draws attention to the differences between these economies and the need to consider the way that economic issues are related to geo-political considerations in the global system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents an overview of the current status of the main CCS initiatives in the major emerging economies: China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa. This study first covers all six countries as a group and describes their natural resources. The second part of this study embraces each country individually and includes current initiatives and current legal and technological status of CCS. At the end, this study summarizes the main findings in the emerging economies and the potential of including CCS as part of the CDM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: How big a threat is global warming to climate-sensitive and economically important sectors such as agriculture in developing countries? How well will farmers be able to adapt to the threats of global warming? This paper attempts to shed light on these two important questions. A cross-sectional analysis is employed to estimate the climate sensitivity of agriculture in Brazil and India. Using panel data from both countries, the study measures how net farm income or property values vary with climate, and consequently, how farmers in India and Brazil react and adapt to climate. The estimated relationships are then used to predict the consequence of alternative climate scenarios. Global warming by the end of the next century could cause annual damages in Brazil between 1% and 39% and between 4% and 26% in India, although some of this effect may be potentially offset by carbon fertilization. These estimates do not factor into account climate-induced extreme weather events. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Leprosy is a bacterial infection causing severe disfigurement of the affected individual. It is considered as an ancient disease affecting humanity since thousands of years and also has tremendous stigma associated with it. It is known as a neglected tropical disease. In spite of all the efforts, the disease remains a major healthcare distress in many underdeveloped and developing countries like India and Brazil. Thus, to understand the disease and implement various strategies successfully, one need to understand the epidemiological aspect of the disease along with various operational factors influencing the epidemiological data. Thus, the present paper describes the various epidemiological facts and figures of leprosy along with the suggestions and measures to tackle this global ailment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]