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LyrArc brings in selected articles from many of the world's top publications.

Articles are selected by experts and you can see the gist of the important articles.

With a Big Nuclear Push, France Transforms Its Energy Equation

2 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 03.28.2006 Original article ›
Jeffrey Ball, Jeffrey, Ball
LyrArc Article Gist
A history of French nuclear energy. How it got started in the area known as Beaumont-Hague. The decision of the French government to pursue nuclear energy and set up new nuclear plants. The efforts to Frenchify the early nuclear technology developed by Westinghouse in the U.S. Today nuclear plants produce 78% of its electricity. Setting up the industry has cost about $120 billion and France has accepted the risks of spradic radiation leaks. Electricity accounts for 20% of French energy consumption, oil takes up 49%, leaving France still dependent on foreign oil.
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Daimler's Zetsche Criticizes UAW On Benefits Talks - WSJ.com

1 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 09.29.2006 Original article ›
Stephen Power, Stephen, Power
LyrArc Article Gist
For DaimlerChrysler CEO Zetsche, it is " totally unacceptable" not to have a level playing field in the area of union health care benefits with Ford and GM. For the UAW not to give Chrysler the same concessions it gives GM and Ford is seen as having " no rationale" that Zetsche can comprehend. So around Sept 29, Zetsche is already thinking of what to do with Chrysler, including selling Chrysler and working with the new buyer in some areas, as he alludes to the "best structure" in some future arrangement.
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Wisconsin Goes to Cruz, Raising Chance of Fight at Convention

2 Groups   
New York Times - 04.05.2016 Original article ›
Jonathan Martin, Jonathan, Martin, Matt Flegenheimer, Matt, Flegenheimer
LyrArc Article Gist
Ted Cruz wins the Wisconsin Republican primary election with 48% to Trump's 34%, with only 29% of voters who made up their mind late going to Trump compared to 46% for Cruz. About 37% of the voters in the Wisconsin primary said they would not vote at all or vote for Hillary Clinton if Trump was nominated. Showing deep discomfort with Trump exit polls showed 58% saying they were "concerned" or "scared" if Trump was elected. Cruz quoted John Kennedy and Winston Churchill, describing it as the turning point in the primaries.
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Public Views Congress as Top Culprit in Debt Debate, Poll Finds

1 Groups   
New York Times - 08.04.2011 Original article ›
Michael Cooper, Michael, Cooper, Megan Thee Brenan, Megan, Thee Brenan
LyrArc Article Gist
Both parties were given poor ratings by respondents for the way they conducted the debt ceiling negotiations- a 72% disapproval rating for Republicans in Congress and a 66% disapproval rating for Democrats in Congress. On the spending cuts the views are ambivalent. On one hand showing Americans 2 to 1 favoring job creation over spending cuts. On the other hand 44% of those polled saying the cuts in the debt ceiling were not enough, 29% that the cuts were about right, only 15% saying they went too far.
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Warren Buffett's Tax Dodge

1 Links 2 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 08.17.2011 Original article ›
Editorial
LyrArc Article Gist
The Wall Street Journal points out that about 3.92 million people in the U.S. reported income above 200,000 in 2009, and paid $434 billion in taxes. Of these people 90% are not millionaires. The overwhelming majority of the people affected by an increase in taxes on the middle class with incomes above $200,000 are not millionaires. The editorial asks a question about "fairness" for these Americans- who pay a large share of their income for higher university tution payments for kids- for whom the taxes can make a difference.
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Drought and Cold Snap Cause Food Crisis in Northern Mexico

  
New York Times - 01.30.2012 Original article ›
Karla Zabludovsky, Karla, Zabludovsky
LyrArc Article Gist
A severe drought is affecting parts of Mexico in January 2012. About two million people are left without access to water. The Agriculture Ministry estimates total loss for 7% of Mexico's agricultural land. The worst affected areas are in the Sierra Madre in the north. The Mexican government has approved $2.63 billion in aid to the worst affected regions. These are rural parts of 19 of 31 Mexican states. The drought is likely to increase inflation in the latter part of 2012, as it is leading to higher prices for corn and beans.
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Global Banks Far Short of Capital Rules, Basel Report Shows

3 Groups   
New York Times - 12.16.2010 Original article ›
Jack Ewing, Jack, Ewing
LyrArc Article Gist
Based on 2009 financial results, 94 largest banks worldwide would be 577 billion euros or $769 billion short of risk free capital they would need to hold if the Basel III rules were applied to these banks. About half of this shortfall is in Europe. This was stated by members of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. The banks have till Jan 1, 2019 to comply with the new rules. Banking profits for these banks was 209 billion euros in 2009, suggesting that these banks could meet these requirements from retained profits.
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Credit Remains Scarce in Hurdle to Recovery

  
Wall Street Journal - 02.27.2010 Original article ›
Jon Hilsenrath, Jon, Hilsenrath
LyrArc Article Gist
Financial conditions- as measured by the quantity of money available and the availability of credit- tightened in the fourth quarter of 2009. Issuance of asset backed securities went down from $51 billon in the third quarter to $29 billion in the fourth quarter, and commercial paper outstanding declined to $1.1 trillion in January 2010 from $1.3 trillion in September 2009. A ""financial conditions index" produced by Columbia, NYU, Princeton and Deutsche bank, Goldman Sachs, shows the conditions tightening, revealing a financial sector that remains weak and impaired even with very low rates by the Fed.
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Subaru Targets China and Russia

2 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 06.01.2010 Original article ›
Yoshio Takahashi, Yoshio, Takahashi
LyrArc Article Gist
Fuji Heavy which makes Subaru cars is targeting sales of 50,000 cars in 2010 for China. It has no factory there and says it needs 100,000 in sales for putting up a factory in China. Sales in the US were robust and went up 39% in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, to 227,000. Sales for 2010 are targeted at 244,000 vehicles for USA. Fuji Heavy plans to source smaller models from Toyota- which has a16% stake in Fuji Heavy- so that it can address demand in emerging markets like Russia and China.
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Housing Market Stumbles

2 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 07.21.2010 Original article ›
Nick Timiraos, Nick, Timiraos, Robbie Whelan, Robbie, Whelan
LyrArc Article Gist
Housing market looks weak in Juy 2010 with the U.S. Census Bureau reporting single family housing starts falling in June by 0.7%. Permits for single family starts fell 3% in June 2010. A Wall Street Journal quarterly survey shows rising inventories in 28 metropolitan areas. Inventory was up at the end of June 33% from a year before in San Diego, and 19% in Los Angeles. Compared to 2008 when the banking crisis caused problems, now it is the general economic conditions that are acting as a drag on the housing market.
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In South America, a Mine of Riches and an Economic Sinkhole

5 Groups   
New York Times - 09.11.2010 Original article ›
Alexei Barrionuevo, Alexei, Barrionuevo
LyrArc Article Gist
Chile and the dilemma of copper exports taking up 57.8% of exports in 2009, from 54.4% in 2005, making 15.5% of GDP. With the surge in China's growth Latin America remains as tied to commodities exports as it has been for decades, facing boom and bust cycles and not able to diversify into value added and industrial products. A regional economic commission says in a report, that Latin American and Caribean exports were over 50% in raw materials in 1980 and declined to 27% in 1999, and back up to 39% in 2009.
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Israelis Embrace Washington's View Regarding Unilateral Military Strike

2 Links 20 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 03.05.2012 Original article ›
Joshua Mitnick, Joshua, Mitnick
LyrArc Article Gist
Public opinion experts in Israel say President Obama's policy in the Middle East is seen by a majority of Israelis as reflecting a sound judgement. Obama's approval ratings in Israel are up 13 percentage points compared to 2010. It is now 54%, according to December opinion polls by Mr. Telhami, a University of Maryland professor who supervised the surveys on Israeli opinion. Only 19% of Israelis now support Israel attacking Iran's nuclear facilities without U.S. support, according to the University of Maryland survey by Mr. Telhami of 500 people, that was annouced last week.
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Iran, U.S. Agree Only to Resume Their Talks Next Month

1 Links 6 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 05.25.2012 Original article ›
Jay Solomon, Jay, Solomon
LyrArc Article Gist
A second round of talks in Baghdad concludes after the first round in Istanbul, Turkey. No agreement is reached. A third round of talks is planned in Moscow for June 18-19, 2012. The bloc of countries negotiating with Iran is composed of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, known as the P5+1. Talks were led by the EU's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, and by Saeed Jalili for the Iranians. Ashton said they had found common ground but significant difference remain.
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Lessons From Chernobyl for Japan

1 Groups   
New York Times - 03.19.2011 Original article ›
Ellen Barry, Ellen, Barry
LyrArc Article Gist
Chernobyl nuclear disaster area in Ukraine as it is today. Cesium's half-life is 30 years and strontium's half-life is 29 years. Scientific estimates show that it takes about 10-13 half-lives, or about 300 years, for the radioactive effects to disappear and for life to return to the area. The contaminated area around the Chernobyl reactor is about 15,000 square miles or about the size of Switzerland. This place gives some idea of what can be expected for the area around the Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan. A reporter visits this area.
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The 1967 Line of Fire

1 Links 11 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 05.21.2011 Original article ›
Wsj Online, Wsj, Online
LyrArc Article Gist
This Journal editorial calls the point in the Obama speech calling for Israel to return to 1967 borders a serious misstep. At its shortest point the Journal points out, the distance from the West Bank to the Mediterranean coast is 9 miles. This makes such a major geographic factor critical to shaping a peace with the defensible borders Israel needs. This may actually make the peace harder to reach by putting Obama behind a Palestinian position that Israel will not accept, as prime minister Netanyahu pointed out on May 19, 2011.
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Health-Care Stocks Avoid Market Malaise

1 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 01.07.2015 Original article ›
Daniel Strumpf, Daniel, Strumpf
LyrArc Article Gist
The defensive nature of invesments in healthcare sector with increasing uncertainty in the 4th quarter of 2014 and the first quarter of 2015. The S&P 500 Healthcare Index trades at 17.3 times earnings for the next 12 months, up from 16.7 at the beginning of 2014, according to FactSet. By comparison the S&P 500 trades at 16 times earnings. A major factor pushing earnings is the development of new drugs for cancer, and other diseases. FDA approved 41 new drugs in 2014, up from 27 in 2013, and 39 in 2012.
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How the Rising Dollar Has Pressured U.S. Manufacturers

3 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 01.21.2015 Original article ›
James R. Hagerty, James, R., Hagerty
LyrArc Article Gist
Since mid-2014 the dollar has strengthened by 19% against the euro and 17% against the Japanese yen. This is putting new pressure on American manufacturers to come up with efficiency improvements to cut costs and move into markets with better pricing power. This will increase in importance in 2015-2016 as the euro moves towards parity with the U.S. dollar increasing the competitiveness of German and other European manufacturers. The Japanese yen at 116 to the dollar in Jan 2015 gives Japanese manufacturers an edge in pricing competitiveness.
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The Wall Street Journal

7 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 06.30.2015 Original article ›
Things To Know About The Supreme Court's Decision On Epa Mercury Rules, Things, To, Know, About, The, Supreme, Court's, Decision, On, Epa, Mercury, Rules
LyrArc Article Gist
The Supreme Court ruling on EPA mercury regulations gives smaller plants with coal fired plants more leeway in installing scrubbers. Large companies have already committed to installing scrubbers for coal fired plants. Regulations are only one reason for the shift to natural gas from coal. Lower prices of natural gas and increasing supplies are a major reason. The U.S. will reduce dependence on coal for energy from 39% to 36% in 2015, with natural gas increasing from 27% to 31%, and renewable solar wind energy making up about 13%, according to EIA.
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Merkel Begins Election Drive

  
Wall Street Journal - 12.04.2012 Original article ›
William Boston, William, Boston
LyrArc Article Gist
German chancellor Merkel wins the CDU election for party leader at the party convention in Hannover. The convention was held in Lower Saxony to give a boost to the election prospects of the CDU governor of the state, David McAllister. The CDU has 39% support in the polls and the 40% mark will be needed to form another coalition with the FDP, because of the sharp decline in the FDP's popularity. Merkel's personal popularity is high, with 58% favoring Merkel over 38% for the SPD candidate for chancellor, Peer Steinbruck.
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Panasonic President Sees Short-Term Pain in Restructuring

8 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 07.13.2012 Original article ›
Daisuke Wakabayashi, Daisuke, Wakabayashi
LyrArc Article Gist
Panasonic CEO, Kazuhiro Tsuga, says the company is conducting a strategic review of 90 business areas in July 2012. He said Panasonic still has businesses that are losing money and about half of its businesses are providing less than 5% profit on revenues. He said the charges for the restructuring process could exceed the 41 billion yen target, because the company "will take the action we need to take." He said the company will look for partnerships in the TV set business in China, especially if partnerships mean the businesses will do better.
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Rising Debt a Threat to Japanese Economy

1 Groups   
New York Times - 10.21.2009 Original article ›
Hiroko Tabuchi, Hiroko, Tabuchi
LyrArc Article Gist
On the negative side Japan has public debt that is about twice the size if its $5 trillion economy. In the USA government debt is up to 98% of GDP.On the positive side only 10% of it is owed to foreigners compared to 46% of it for the USA. Japan is also rich in personal savings and assets. Over half of government bonds are held by the public sector and the rest are with long term investors like banks and pension funds and insurance companies. So any sudden sell off of bonds is very unlikely.
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Dissecting the ACA Downgrade

  
BusinessWeek - 04.03.2008 Original article ›
David Henry, David, Henry, Matthew Goldstein, Matthew, Goldstein
LyrArc Article Gist
Note that ACA shares had lost 95% of their value and were down to 50 cents by the time Standard and Poors cut its credit rating of ACA to CCC in December. Now it appears that prior to the downgrade S&P had only looked at subprime securities created in 2006 and not subprime investments from 2005 and 2007 which ACA had insured. Why did it take so long for S&P's models to refect the true situation and why did the 2005 and 2007 information take till December to evaluate for a downgrade?
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UAL to Record Up to $2.7 Billion in Charges

  
Wall Street Journal - 07.12.2008 Original article ›
Susan Carey, Susan, Carey
LyrArc Article Gist
UAL's stock has gone down 93% in the past year more than its other U.S. rivals and the entire company has an equity value of $433 million smaller than the retail price of two jumbo jets. It will take second quarter noncash charges of $2.7 billion to writedown to zero the value of its intangible assets or goodwill. United will pare its 460 plane fleet by 100 planes by 2009, cut capacity by 15% in the 4th quarter 2008, cut 20% of salaried jobs or 1500 jobs, and furlough 950 of its 6000 pilots.
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U.K. Plans to Buy Into Large Banks in Bold Move

1 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 10.08.2008 Original article ›
Dana Cimilluca, Dana, Cimilluca, Sara Schaefer Muñoz, Sara, Schaefer, Muñoz, Carrick Mollenkamp, Carrick, Mollenkamp
LyrArc Article Gist
As the UK's biggest banks are hit hard in the markets, RBS shares down 39%, HBOS down 42%, and Lloyd's down 13%, Barclays down 9%, on Tuesday October 7, 2008, Brown takes a bold step to recapitalize British banks. In recent years as the boom years progressed British banks handled global capital equal or greater than Britain's entire economic output for a year, and making London the global financial hub rivalling New York. Brown offered to buy stakes in British banks for as much as 50 billion pounds or $88 billion.
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Trump Is the Democrats’ Dream Nominee

1 Links 4 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 12.10.2015 Original article ›
Karl Rove, Karl, Rove
LyrArc Article Gist
Rove cites Quinnipiac poll surveys showing Trump with the worst ratings of the 12 Democratic and Republican candidates- 35% favorable to 57% unfavorable. The breakdown shows 60% of independents disliking him, and 69% of voters 18-34 saying they dislike him. He says Trump stands little chance against a Democratic nominee for president. This is why a splintered vote in the Republican primaries is dangerous for Republicans says Rove, pointing to the need for Republicans to focus on a good alternative candidate, who has experience and ability to win votes across many demographic groups.
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