Topic: Asia

The Siberian Energy Rush

Global warming is opening up the Arctic Circle, and Russia would like to control its bounty of natural resources. An exclusive dispatch from the Yamal Peninsula, where reindeer give way to railroads and gas rigs every day.READ»

• Slideshow: How the Siberian Energy Rush Is Affecting the Nenets Tribe

Portrait of the Rapper as a Young Marketer: How K'naan Delivered on Coca-Cola's $300 Million Bet

Coca-Cola bet that an unknown Somali rapper could support its biggest marketing campaign ever. The company was right, and it may have launched a new star. Or not.READ»

• Two Versions of "Wavin' Flag"

Preserving the Gift of Giving

Americans donated $304 billion in 2009, down 3.6%, and this year some are pledging more. We spoke to seven philanthropists of all different incomes, from billionaires promising half their wealth via Bill Gates and Warren Buffett's Giving Pledge, to regular folks earmarking a slice of their salaries.READ»

• Now: November 2010
• Read: Decision Points
• Soar: Future of Air Transport Conference

Suppliers Set Out to Grade Products with Sustainability Scorecards

Procter & Gamble and Kaiser Permanente set out to grade their suppliers' environmental practices with sustainability scorecards.READ»

Swans Island Blankets Are Artisanally Made From the Finest Fleece

Maine is not China, and in many ways, that's a fine thing, especially when it comes to Northport-based Swans Island Blankets. "We could never compete on price with low-wage countries or industrial looms," says company president Bill ...READ»

How a Handful of Countries Control the Earth's Most Precious Materials

While the global market for ever more sophisticated tech gadgets grows, the metals and minerals that make them go are controlled by a handful of countries.READ»

Measuring Influence One Click at a Time

From No. 1 finisher Jeremy Schoemaker to Shaquille O'Neal (no. 1,709) and beyond, here are the 29,795 photographs we received from participants in our social-media experiment. Go to fastcompany.com/influence for details about the top finishers and to search for specific participants.READ»

November Events

November MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 ...READ»

• Read: Decision Points
• Share: National Philanthropy Day
• Soar: Future of Air Transport Conference

The Challenges of Eco-Friendliness

Starbucks isn't the only company discovering that setting sustainability targets is easy, but achieving them is not.READ»

• A Story of Starbucks and the Limits of Corporate Sustainability
• Surprise Packages

Innovation Agents: Jessica Mayberry, Founder of Video Volunteers

Imagine giving a village full of people who have never seen a film, barely ever watched television, much less have access to a computer, a way to challenge traditional news coverage. To millions of impoverished people in India, Jessica Mayberry offers a way to do just that, by creating their own stories through Video Volunteers.READ»

PepsiCo: Agricultural Hero?

The fast-food giant unveils its i-crop soil-monitoring system to help farmers around the world manage water and CO2 emissions. What about the rest of us?READ»

Mobile Companies Open the Floodgates to Allow Text Message-Based Donations

Obopay and Benevity partner up to allow any registered charity to receive text message-based donations.READ»

Bears Make Their Case for Climate Change in Japan

Wild-eyed bears have been roving the streets of Japan, with attacks on the rise. One Japanese official blames climate change, though shifting land use also plays a role.READ»

India, South Africa Team Up to Fight HIV

India is rapidly becoming a global supplier of life-saving HIV vaccine. Now it's joining forces with South Africa to research the HIV sub-type most commonly found in their countries. READ»

Tokyo Eco-Startup Fullcircle Innovations Is Announced as a Finalist in Red Herring 100 Asia Prize

Solving climate change is a big challenge that will require cooperation and innovation on a global scale. Tokyo startup Fullcircle Innovations is taking on this challenge with its offerings at GreenITers.com and EcoAppsFree.com.READ»

Corporate Leadership for the 21st Century: Sustainability Experience Required

You will soon find that no corporate board will hire a CEO or elect a new board member who doesn't have experience in environmental sustainability and social issues. Why would I say this? And where would a corporate person gain ...READ»

PATH Bringing Super-Fortified Rice to Africa

When we last covered PATH, the nonprofit had licensed its rice fortification technology to producers in Brazil, Columbia, and India. Now PATH is bringing Ultra Rice--a rice-shaped extruded rice grain filled with vitamins and minerals--to Burundi.READ»

RIM Parlays Near BlackBerry Ban Into UAE Government Partnership

Research In Motion just landed a deal to bring advanced egovernment services to the United Arab Emirates, just days after the end of a highly public spat between RIM and the Emiratis. What changed?READ»

Canada, Spain Find Google Violated Privacy Laws, Collected Loads of Personal Data, Medical Records

Google gets another ticket from a government accusing its fleet of Street View vehicles of speeding past privacy laws.READ»

Prospects for the World's Endangered Species Rest on Peace and Harmony of the Human Species

A new report details how participatory development can save the world's endangered ecosystems and species.READ»

Renegades: Lathan Hodge on 5 Takeaways about "Mass-Personalization"

Okay, so you've created awareness of your brand. How do you maintain continuity and momentum with the relationship you've just established? Here are 5 takeaways about "Mass-Personalization" in a digital world.READ»

Shock of Gray

The immigrant in Spain who tried to auction her virginity to fund the care of her Alzheimer's-stricken mother. The caregiver in Japan who gives respectful "last baths" to the dying elderly. The Florida doctor arrested for operating ...READ»

Will Dave McClure Save the VC Industry?

One man in Silicon Valley is trying to turn the venture capital industry on its head--by going outside Silicon Valley. Dave McClure, founder of the new SuperAngel/VC fund 500 Startups, travels all over the world looking for ideas and deals.READ»

South Korea's Power Structure Hacked, Digital Trail Leads to China

South Korean intelligence claims China-based hackers stole confidential material from the country's diplomatic and security services throughout 2010. If a new report is correct, hackers inside the People's Republic of China gained access to personal computers and PDAs belonging to much of South Korea's power structure.READ»

Why You Should Start a Company in ... Atlanta

It used to be, if you were serious about starting a tech company, you went to Silicon Valley. But emerging entrepreneurial hubs around the country are giving startup aspirants options. In this series, we talk to leading figures in ...READ»