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The article discusses efforts by Japanese businesses to reduce what is referred to as the gender gap by hiring and promoting women as of the early 21st century. The article cites statistics from the group the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to state that a higher percentage of women are employed in Japan than in the U.S. and Europe. It also states that Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe promoted gender equality in the workplace.

The article discusses the impact of young employees of high technology companies such as Google, Facebook, and Airbnb on real estate development and demand in Dublin, Ireland. According to the article, such professionals were increasing demand in the Dublin area the Grand Canal Dock, also known as the Silicon Docks. The article discusses the real estate market, building construction, and economy in Dublin.

The article, part of a special advertising section, considers luxury housing in the islands of the Caribbean Area. The purchasing and use of vacation homes in countries including Bahamas, Barbados and the British Virgin Islands is considered. Turks & Caicos is discussed as an example of how air travel to the Caribbean from regions of the U.S. other than the East Coast has become easier for travelers.

The author argues that political and social upheaval in the European Union (EU) during the early 21st century was causing the continent to revert to divisions that date to the Carolingian Empire founded by Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. It examines differences in attitudes toward migrants, the leadership of Russian president Vladimir Putin, and the power of the EU.

The article states that a mid-January 2016 decision by the U.S. government agency the Patent and Trademark Office to award a trademark for the rum brand Havana Club rum to the Cuban government was expected to reintroduce tension between the Cuban government and alcoholic beverage firm Bacardi Ltd., which had been selling Havana Club rum in the U.S. since 1994. According to the article, the firm Pernod Ricard SA sold a Cuban-produced version of the rum outside the U.S.

The article states that Fairfield, Connecticut, conglomerate General Electric Co. (GE) announced on January 13, 2016, that it was relocating its headquarters to Boston, Massachusetts. According to the article, the relocation was part of an effort by GE to cut corporate costs. The article discusses GE's displeasure with Connecticut legislation that raised corporate taxes in particular and what GE described as an inhospitable business climate in Connecticut in general.

The article reports on New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's call to end the estate tax on inheritances in the state and criticism over public-sector unions and Democrats blocking of cuts to state-worker benefits in his annual State of the State address delivered on January 12, 2016.

The article cites an opinion poll conducted by the newspaper The Wall Street Journal, the broadcast news organization NBC News, and Marist College to state that 2016 Democratic Party U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were nearly tied among likely caucusgoers and voters in Iowa and New Hampshire three weeks prior to primary caucusing and voting in those states.

The article states that actions taken by the Chinese central bank the People's Bank of China (PBOC) to devalue the currency of the Chinese currency the yuan led to investor selling and driving Chinese stock markets into significant declines in early January 2016. The article examines how Chinese officials believed that they could utilized the yuan to stimulate growth in the Chinese economy following the November 2015 decision by the organization the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to include the yuan in a basket of global reserve currencies.

The article discusses the consumer behavior of the generation known as millennials and states that many millennials favor spending money on travel as opposed to consistent retail spending.

The article reports that the City Council members of New York City urged Mayor Bill de Blasio to cut back the possible trouble on city budget. Topics discussed include the 5 percent potential savings of city agency, the current budget of the New York City, and the insights of spokeswoman Amy Spitalnick on the budget monitors and financial plan of the mayor.

The article discusses U.S. senator and 2016 U.S. presidential candidate Ted Cruz's call for an end to the U.S. legislation the Renewable Fuel Standard and the potential impact on his chances in the February 1, 2016, Republican Party presidential primary in Iowa. According to the article, U.S. presidential candidates typically attempt to ingratiate themselves with the Iowa agriculture lobby on issues involving ethanol, though Cruz's position reverses that trend.

The article discusses investor reactions to decisions made by the Chinese central bank the People's Bank of China (PBOC) in early January 2016, including its decision to inject almost $20 billion into the Chinese financial system to solidify the Chinese currency the yuan.

The author presents his thoughts concerning a system of circuit-breakers put into place for the Chinese benchmark stock exchange the Shanghai Composite on January 4, 2016, during a significant selloff during trading. According to the article, the system halts trading for 15 minutes following a fluctuation of five percent. The author argues that such a system could give investors incentive to sell immediately, causing further damage.

The article discusses the fluctuation of the Chinese stock market in 2015, particularly the impact of the volatility on the willingness of the Chinese government to enact reforms.

The article states that investors were optimistic about European stocks at the start of 2016, largely due to Europe's economic recovery and the economic stimulus policies of the central bank the European Central Bank (ECB). According to the article, the stock index the Stoxx Europe 600 gained 6.8 percent in 2015. The article also discusses the possibility of a British vote in 2016 concerning membership in the partnership the European Union (EU).

The article discusses the emergence of Sudan as a regional sugar trading center as of the end of 2015.

The article states that the California legislation the Fair Pay Act was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2016, and was the strictest fair-pay law in the U.S. According to the article, the law aimed to tighten discrepancies in wages between men and women, and that employers would be required to prove that they pay men and women equally for similar work. The article states that California employers such as networking-equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc. had been analyzing pay practices.

The article discusses the prevalence of camping trips known as Kinderfahrten for German kindergarten away from their parents. According to the article, the trips are designed to help children become more independent and discourage the trend of overprotective parenting known as helicopter parenting. The article presents comments from Berlin, Germany, kindergarten head Christiane Dittrich.

The article discusses the influence of money and political patronage in the Malaysian government controlled by Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, particularly the use of money from the Malaysian state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd. (1MDB) to enhance the fortunes of the Malaysian political party the United Malays National Organization (UMNO).

The article examines an increase in the number of children born of at least one French parent and raised in France eventually leaving France to join the militant organization Islamic State, also known as ISIS, to begin raising families in Syria as of late 2015.

The article states that Chinese political leaders led by Chinese president Xi Jinping approved an economic plan during a December 2015 meeting known as the Central Economic Work Conference. According to the article, the plan represented an effort by the Chinese government to attempt to find new sources of economic growth, reduce overcapacity in industry, and lowering costs for businesses.

The article states that the Spanish ruling political party the Popular Party, led by Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, lost its majority in the Spanish parliament following the December 20, 2015, elections in Spain. According to the article, the results left a fragmented parliament and the possibility of the establishment of a coalition government. The article discusses the austerity measures implemented by Rajoy's government.

The article states that the statistical rating firm Fitch Ratings downgraded Brazil's bonds to double-B-plus on December 16, 2015, citing Brazil's growing budget deficit, inflation, and political unrest. According to the article, the credit rating firm Moody's Investors Service put Brazil's debt on review earlier in December 2015.

The article states that U.S. high technology corporations were wary of digital-privacy legislation agreed to by the political partnership European Union (EU) on December 15, 2015 that could lead to legal questions and potential fines. The article presents comments from financial services firm Visa, Inc. Chief Privacy Officer and Head of Data Use Jack Yang.

The article discusses the social index known as the Gross National Happiness Index used by the government of Bhutan as a more important measure of progress than the gross domestic product (GDP) as of the early 21st century. According to the article, officials in Bhutan were concerned that the growth rate and development of the economy was coming at the expense of the happiness and quality of life of Bhutan's citizens. The article presents comments from Bhutan prime minister Tshering Tobgay.

The article profiles the Utah-chartered online bank known as WebBank headed by investor Warren Lichtenstein. According to the article, WebBank was significant to marketplace-lending platforms such as LendingClub Corp. and Prosper Marketplace Inc. as of mid-December 2015. The article discusses U.S. bureau the Treasury Department and California government investigations concerning online lending.

The article states that the Chinese central bank the People's Bank of China set the Chinese currency the yuan at 6.414 to the U.S. dollar on December 9, 2015, in what was termed a stress test in order to see how market forces would impact the value of the yuan. The article presents comments from the group the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences senior economist Zhang Ming.

The article discusses the rise in popularity of U.S. senator and 2016 U.S. presidential candidate Ted Cruz in the U.S. political party the Republican Party primary election contest in Iowa as of early December 2015, and Cruz's broader strategy for winning the party's presidential nomination via successful showings in primaries in U.S. southern states, particularly those scheduled for March 1, 2016. It also examines Cruz's appeal to evangelical Christians and grass roots Republicans.

The article discusses the political challenges facing German chancellor Angela Merkel in persuading European and German politicians and the German public of the wisdom of her open-door policy for Middle Eastern migrants and refugees as of early December 2015, particularly in the wake of the November 13, 2015, terrorist attacks in Paris, France.

The article discusses a trend of wealthy Chinese investing in U.S. commercial property during the early 21st century in order to move money out of China. According to the article, stock markets in China declined significantly and the Chinese government devalued the Chinese currency the yuan in 2015, and many wealthy Chinese had concerns about the government's ability to reduce their wealth.

The article discusses the economic impact of negative interest rates in eurozone countries such as Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland as of early December 2015. According to the article, the central bank the European Central Bank (ECB) altered its deposit rate to minus 0.3 percent from minus 0.2 percent in December 2015. The article examines the deposit rate's impact on the value of the currency the euro.

The article states that U.S. environmental-compliance employees of German auto maker Volkswagen AG (VW) alerted VW's German headquarters in 2004 that the company should report a faulty emissions part known as an exhaust-gas temperature sensor (EGT) in vehicles made by VW's Audi unit to California government regulators, but were instructed not to do so by Audi official Bernhard Grossmann.

The article states that the political partnership the European Union (EU) antitrust regulator the European Commission was expected to announce as early as December 3, 2015, that it had initiated an investigation of U.S. multinational fast food firm McDonald's Corp. concerning whether the company's tax arrangements in Luxembourg violate EU law.

The article discusses the value of the Chinese currency the yuan following the decision of the group the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to add the yuan to its basket of reserve currencies, known as Special Drawing Rights (SDR), in late 2015. According to the article, the Chinese central bank the People's Bank of China (PBOE) pledged on December 1, 2015, to keep the yuan stable. The article presents comments from PBOE deputy governor Yi Gang.

The article discusses the popularity of parrots in Nigeria, the question of which of the hundreds of languages spoken in Nigeria that pet shops and bird owners should teach parrots to speak, and how the languages that parrots speak in Nigeria can impact their worth to potential buyers.

The article discusses research conducted by the newspaper The Wall Street Journal that revealed that drug prices in the U.S. were far costlier than in other countries, particularly Norway, as of early December 2015. According to the article, the vast price discrepancies were due to philosophical differences concerning health system benefits. It discusses the buying power of state-run health systems as compared to the fragmented U.S. system, the U.S. government-funded program Medicare, and the amount of research and development (R&D) conducted by U.S. pharmaceutical firms.

The article states that German authorities warned near the end of 2015 that migrants to Germany seeking out Arabic-language mosques were increasingly finding mosques attended by Islamist radicals. According to the article, German government officials tallied over 100 cases in which known extreme Islamist radicals attempted to connect with refugees. The article also discusses fears of terrorists entering Europe and presents comments from German intelligence official Torsten Voss.

The article discusses efforts by the Japanese government and private enterprise to address the economic strain and labor shortage caused by its aging population during the early 21st century. It examines efforts to steer healthy retirees back into work, the market of elderly consumers known as the silver market, and the significance of automation in the lives of elderly people. The article discusses initiatives in automation by the firms Toyota Motor Corp. and SoftBankGroupCorp., and innovations aimed at elderly consumers by the firm Panasonic Corp.

The article reports on the refusal by U.S. Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey to accept refugees in the state from Syria due to his commitment to national security. Topics mentioned include the social conditions of Syrian immigrants in the U.S., the regulation on immigrants, and the law enforcement management in the country.

The article discusses a delay in shipments of wheat from Russian ports to Turkey as a result of the Russian government's November 26, 2015, announcement that it was imposing sanctions on Turkish economic interests following Turkey's shooting down of a Russian warplane along the Syrian border earlier in November 2015. According to the article, wheat prices in Europe were down 12 percent as of the end of November 2015.

The article discusses the potential political, economic and social consequences to the rapid population growth rate of Africa during the early 21st century. It discusses the dramatic growth rate of Lokoja, Nigeria, the potential for Africans to fill worker shortages in the rest of the world, and employment in Africa. It also discusses family planning and the birth rate in Africa.

The article describes efforts being made in South Korea during the early 21st century to address the potential economic and social consequences of the significant drop of Asian birthrates. According to the article, selective abortion, infanticide, and neglect resulted in the loss of nearly 100 million women on the continent. The article discusses South Korea's feminist movement, its economic industrialization and urbanization, and education. It also discusses legislation in China and India concerning gender equality and sex detection of fetuses.

The article discusses former Zurich, Switzerland, bank Julius Baer Group AG official Lutz Otte, who spent a year in prison after stealing client data and selling it to German tax authorities. The article presents comments from Otte, who claims he would sell such data again if given the chance. According to the article, tax officials from several countries were clamoring for information about Swiss bank clientele and the Swiss government refuses to cooperate with tax-enforcement requests.

The article examines the difficulties experienced by emerging countries in South Asia, Africa, and Latin America, particularly India, in establishing strong manufacturing sectors amid demographic challenges. According to the article, economists were warning that manufacturing models of advancement were not available to poorer nations. The article discusses efforts by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to improve infrastructure and eliminate bureaucratic obstacles in order to spur economic growth.

The article discusses the negative impact of the rise of the U.S. dollar and falling oil prices on the Ecuadorian economy as of the end of November 2015. According to the article, the adoption of U.S. currency as legal tender helped control inflation in 2000, but Ecuador had billions of dollars in debt with bonds due in 2020, 2024, and 2025. The article presents comments from emerging-market manager Gramercy Funds Management head of sovereign research Sarah Glendon.

The article discusses international relations amid the difficulties posed by terrorism perpetrated by groups such as the militant organization Islamic State, significant numbers of Syrian refugees settling in Europe, and other instabilities in the Middle East threatening Europe as of late November 2015. It examines the disappearance of the leadership alliance once fronted by Great Britain, France, and Germany, the emergence of Russia in international relations, and the impact of the Iraq War on the discussion of future military operations in Syria, Iraq, and the Middle East.

The article profiles African technology startup firm MFS Africa, particularly its mobile payment platform that was transforming payment systems for Africans as of mid-November 2015. According to the article, the use of mobile phones as payment devices was increasing in Africa. The article cites statistics from the organization the World Bank to state that remittances to sub-Saharan Africa increased to $2.2 billion in 2014. The article states that MFS Africa's partners included telecommunications firms such as MTN Group Ltd., Bharti Airtel, Ltd., and subsidiaries of Vodafone Group PLC.

The article discusses the implications for couples looking to utilize foreign surrogacy services following an October 2015 decision by the Indian governmental agency the Council of Medical Research to instruct fertility clinics in India to cease providing surrogacy services from foreign clients. It discusses the efforts of Seattle, Washington, couple Gea Bassett and Doug Smith to utilize an Indian surrogate. The article presents comments from Gujarat, India, Akanksha Infertility Clinic medical director Nayana Patel.

The article states that several African nations such as Mozambique, Ghana, and Zambia had built up significant debt as of mid-November 2015 despite an international effort known as the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative led by musicians such as the rock star Bono and the organizations the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to write off over $100 billion of African government debt during the early 21st century.