Western consumers are concerned that they are being sold goods made illegally by children. But is it easy to get rid of the exploitation of minors in the world's poorest countries? Yothi Ramulla Naga is only about twenty meters tall. From dawn to dusk, she toils on a cotton plantation in southern India, earning 20 cents an hour. Here in Uyalawada, farmers grow genetically modified cotton seeds for US agricultural giant Monsanto that contain a natural pesticide.

The liquidity crisis that came from America has at least one positive side: loans will be cheaper for reliable borrowers Against the backdrop of a widespread increase in the cost of mortgage loans in Russia, Expobank in February of this year reduced rates in dollars by 0.5% - now money can be borrowed to buy an apartment at 9.25% per annum. Not the cheapest option on the market, but something else is noteworthy: Expobank’s actions run counter to the actions of most competitors.

19 questions to Mikhail Kusnirovich The name of the chairman of the board of directors of the Bosco di Cileggi group of companies often appears on the pages of gossip columns. He usually creates the occasions for these publications by holding another festival or opening a new store. Mikhail Kusnirovich’s business entered a new orbit after the company he heads acquired a controlling stake in GUM (2004) and signed a contract to sew clothes for the Russian Olympic team (2001).

Former Soviet emigrant Leonid Gandelman became Leon in the USA and opened a trade in inexpensive clothing. The company Le Monti, which he created in 1985, expanded into post-perestroika Russia five years later. The Moscow trading house “Le Monti” had more than 600 models of shoes and 1000 models of clothing in its arsenal. In 1995, Gandelman's company gained national fame thanks to a television project on the RTR channel.

The banking market is far from saturation. How to stake a claim on it and undermine the business of the major players? Financial services to the population are a profitable and promising business, otherwise entrepreneurs would not invest money in it with such energy. The scheme by which they operate is the same: a run-of-the-mill bank is purchased, the main value of which is its license; A logo and other corporate symbols are ordered from an expensive designer.

Glenn Kelman is hated by American realtors. Cause? His agency takes minimal commissions and tells the truth about the houses they list. Glenn Kelman, co-owner and CEO of online real estate brokerage Redfin, doesn't mince words with other real estate brokers. Redfin's website, for example, lists all the homes for sale in a given area and honestly states how long they've been waiting for a buyer. Redfin often adds unflattering comments to its ads.

Former Russia's first post-Soviet Minister of Fuel and Energy, Vladimir Lopukhin, led the energy industry for only five months, from November 1991 to June 1992. During this time, he managed to develop a concept for reforming the fuel and energy complex and appointed the then little-known Mikhail Khodorkovsky as chairman of the fund for promoting the fuel and energy industry with the rights of deputy minister.

Yandex defeated Rambler with technology. Will he be able to withstand Google's technology? The enemy came from the West. Germany and Spain submitted to him, and most European countries fell to him. Then the superior enemy forces began an attack on Russia... As people who know him say, it is in these terms that the CEO and co-owner of Yandex, Arkady Volozh, talks about the struggle of the largest Russian search engine against its main competitor, Google Corporation.

PR technologies Not all of the richest people on the planet hide from public attention—some, on the contrary, start a website or diary on the Internet to improve (they hope) their image. The richest Russian blogger is Mikhail Prokhorov. At md-prokhorov.livejournal.com, on behalf of the billionaire, army stories are told, the story of the rescue of Oneximbank after the crisis of 1998 and details of his personal life are reported. From the latest: “[I’m flying] to Venezuela to windsurf.

Council In January, Moscow housing prices rose by 7.9% in rubles. One explanation is a correction in financial markets, as a result of which investors again turned their attention to the real estate sector. I believe that the reasons for the growth may be different. Today, the situation in the Moscow housing market is more likely determined by supply and demand from residents and visitors than by the actions of speculators.

Tax authorities and bankers no longer trust retailers Retail companies selling household appliances and electronics are caught between a rock and a hard place. Retailers are under pressure from tax authorities, and loans have also become more expensive due to the global crisis. Squeezed into a financial vice, retailers are forced to change their business model: now the main thing for them is not expansion, but profit. There will be fewer and fewer areas of low prices.

Even non-commercial Soviet culture now brings in money. You just had to wait For the anniversary of Vladimir Vysotsky, Elena Lavrenova, owner of the International Book - Music (MKM) company, released a disc with his little-known songs recorded in Paris. It acquired the rights from a French company with which the company has historically collaborated.

Voters like the goals - economic growth, the rule of law. But will they be delighted with the methods? The elections are over. The majority of Russians cast their votes for Dmitry Medvedev, preferring him - for obvious reasons - to other candidates. The paradox, however, is that Russians are unlikely to share the agenda of the man to whom they have entrusted running the country.

What do a small regional bank and the international fight against terrorism have in common? A little over a year ago, the largest bank in the Krasnoyarsk region, Kedr, got a new, independent chairman of the board of directors. The usual thing. If not for one circumstance. Anatoly Safonov has held a position with a sonorous name since 2004.

The financial magic that didn’t work hit those who stood aside The truth appeared to the financiers in the form of 45 PowerPoint slides with children's drawings in the “stick-stick-cucumber” style. In London, New York and Zurich, banks one after another announced record write-downs of assets, and in Moscow they announced increases in mortgage rates.