World News Insights
1-3 Minute Gist

Browse Articles or use Lyrarc's US patented "Groups" and "Links" for new insights. A Lyrarc Group of Articles on a topic gives insights into particular angles shown in the Group Title. A Lyrarc Link shows more specific insights for 2 articles.

All Topics Articles

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.

Budget Deal Deeply Cuts High-Speed Rail Program

3 Groups   
New York Times - 04.12.2011 Original article ›
Michael Cooper, Michael, Cooper
LyrArc Article Gist
The future of high speed rail in the U.S. is uncertain. Only $10 billion was approved for high speed rail upto now, and this money was spread over projects throughout the country. $8 billion was in the original stimuls program and $2.5 billion was aprroved for 2010. Additional money will be needed to complete projects that are planned. The new 2011 budget deal agreed to between Republicans and the President shows no money in 2011 allocated for high speed rail. One section of the bill calls for taking $400 million out of the $2.5 billion approved in 2010.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Overheard: Oil and Unrest

1 Links 6 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 04.18.2011 Original article ›
Wsj Online, Wsj, Online
LyrArc Article Gist
PFC Energy has estimated the price of oil that would be required by OPEC countries to support higher public spending after the political unrest in these countries. The estimate is based on the minimum Brent crude price an OPEC country needs to balance its current account. This price supports the higher social spending needed. For Saudi Arabia that price was about $28 in 2005, $64 in 2010, and could reach $75 in 2012. PFC Energy says OPEC will cut output if prices fall below $90, because of higher social spending needs after the democracy movements in Arab countries.
Read LyrArc gist ›

"The Big Shift" Sees Hope in an Aging America - Review

2 Groups   
New York Times - 04.30.2011 Original article ›
Nancy F. Koehn, Nancy, F., Koehn
LyrArc Article Gist
Nancy Koehn reviews Marc Freedman's "The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife." Freedman says baby boomers need a new "map of life " to approach the extended years of life that modern medicine and longevity provides. Some way to redefine their lives with purposefulness and commitment. He calls this the encore stage of life, and sees this as a new opportunity if handled in the right way. Accumulated experience and struggles through prior years can be helpful evolving in new ways to find one's passion, for purposeful activity that contributes to the life of future generations.
Read LyrArc gist ›

P&G to Shed More Than Half Its Brands

10 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 08.02.2014 Original article ›
Serena Ng, Serena, Ng
LyrArc Article Gist
P&G CEO Lafley, says the company will shed about 90-100 smaller brands that generate about 10% of sales so that it can focus on the bigger brands such as Tide, Pampers, and others. Era, Cheer laundry detergent, Metamucil are some of the smaller brands. Lafley says its not size alone but whether its the preferred brand of shoppers. One such sale was pet food brands for $1 billion. About $8 billion can be generated in this way. At the same time P&G is moving into related brands such as the adult pamper business.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Fostering National Identity but Not Nationalism

10 Groups   
New York Times - 09.25.2014 Original article ›
Serge Schmemann, Serge, Schmemann
LyrArc Article Gist
Schmemann ponders over the situation in Spain with Catalonia and Scotland with Britain, where national identity arouses pride and there is a strong sentiment for autonomy or independence. He says the situation in Slovakia which sought its own identity and separated from Czechoslovakia, but sought an otherwise peaceful status in the EU, should not be confused with the nationalism that has aroused conflicts in other regions and periods. He puts Scots interest in autonomy or independence in this light, as simply seeking its own future in the EU, with closer attention being paid to the local interests in Scotland.
Read LyrArc gist ›

U.S. Economy Posts Strongest Growth in More Than a Decade

5 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 12.24.2014 Original article ›
Eric Morath, Eric, Morath, Ben Leubsdorf, Ben, Leubsdorf
LyrArc Article Gist
U.S. revised GDP figures from the Commerce Department show growth of 5.1% for the 3rd quarter 2014, up from 4.6% in the 2nd quarter of 2014. The 1st quarter's contraction, and slower growth of about 2-3% expected in the 4th quarter 2014 means the full 2014 GDP growth is expected to be about 2.5%, according to U.S. Fed officials. For 2015 oil capital expenditures will decline, and housing continues to struggle. Exports from the U.S. may slow with a stronger dollar and weakness in Europe and China, creating some of the same uncertainties faced in 2014.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Koch Brothers’ Budget of $889 Million for 2016 Is on Par With Both Parties’ Spending

1 Links 3 Groups   
New York Times - 01.26.2015 Original article ›
Nicholas Confessore, Nicholas, Confessore
LyrArc Article Gist
Following the record fundraising by U.S. president Obama in the 2012 presidential election, outspending Romney at a critical point in the campaigning in Ohio, Republicans and right wing groups are making their own effort to raise fundraising levels. The spending goals set by David and Charles Koch at the winter retreat in Palm Springs is $889 million to be raised from Koch and 300 other donors. Hillary Clinton's Super PAC plans to raise $300 million. The Republican total spending in the 2012 presidential election was $657 million. Koch's 2012 organized donor effort spent $400 million for the 2012 elections.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Germany Faces Tricky Quest Countering Russian Propaganda

3 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 01.28.2015 Original article ›
Chase Gummer, Chase, Gummer
LyrArc Article Gist
Germany's news and culture broadcasting service Deutsche Welle for listeners overseas was started in 1953. Its charter is to promote "democratic values," and "free exchange between peoples." It broadcasts in 30 languages and reaches 100 million people. The German government has increased its budget by 9.3% to 294 million euros, with new bureau in Kiev and planned expansion of the English news service. A new multimedia English language service DWNews will be launched in April 2015. The German language service faces uncertainty as it is not part of the expanded service, and Deutsche Welle has seen shrinking budgets for the last 15 years.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Where to GoIf You Want To Marry a Millionaire

1 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 01.17.2014 Original article ›
Eric Morath, Eric, Morath
LyrArc Article Gist
Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut and Hawaii are the four leading states with the most millionaires in the U.S. since 2006. 7.7% of the households in Maryland are millionaires compared to about 1 in 20 in the U.S. or 6.15 million households. North Dakota has moved up with the natural gas Bakken field production and many affluent workers with new pickups. Nevada, Arizona, Michigan and Florida moved down the list after the economic slump. These figures are from Phoenix based on Census and Fed Reserve data. It does not include real estate, only assets that can be invested.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Fed Sticks to Script on Paring Bond Buys

  
Wall Street Journal - 01.30.2014 Original article ›
Jan Hilsenrath, Jan, Hilsenrath, Victoria Mcgrane, Victoria, Mcgrane
LyrArc Article Gist
The U.S. Fed FOMC's decision to continue paring bond purchases by $10 billion monthly. Fed chairman Bernanke said in 2011 responding to criticism from other countries -"it is upto emerging markets to find the appropriate tools to balance their own growth." The Fed Open Market Committee voted 10-0 to continue tapering bond purchases, by reducing it to $65 billion a month from $75 billion a month. The Fed is forecasting growth for 2014 of 3% in 2014 and over 3% in 2015 can be made without sparking inflation. 2013 growth estimated by the Commerce Dept is 2.7%.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Mexico Pitches Oil Sector Overhaul to Skeptical Audiences

5 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 08.14.2013 Original article ›
José De Córdoba, José, De, Córdoba, Laurence Iliff, Laurence, Iliff
LyrArc Article Gist
Efforts by the Mexican government to sell the constitutional changes for reviving the oil industry. TV ads show children with hands wet from crude oil running through fields, then the slogan appears: "No to privatization, Yes to the energy reform." The purpose is to convince a skeptical public that oil resources will be safe and not given away to foreigners. Also an issue is whether the secondary laws will allow foreign oil companies to show Mexican oil reserves in their reserve figures, and whether the changes will attract interest from foreign oil companies to bring new technology and investment.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Former Greek Defense Minister Convicted of Graft

3 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 10.07.2013 Original article ›
Nektaria Stamouli, Nektaria, Stamouli, Alkman Granitsas, Alkman, Granitsas
LyrArc Article Gist
Akis Tsochatzopoulos, 74, a former defense minister from the socialist Pasok Party, is given a 20 year sentence for taking 55 million euros in bribes from a number of arms deals. He was defense minister from 1996 to 2001, and the charges relate arms purchases in that period of Russian TOR-M1 short range missiles and German submarines. He is already serving a eight year sentence for other offenses. Submarine deals with Germany at what were thought to be inflated prices were a topic of discussion as the Greek crisis and unemployment worsened in 2010-2012.
Read LyrArc gist ›

In India, iPhone Lags Far Behind

2 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 02.27.2013 Original article ›
Dhanya Ann Thoppil, Dhanya, Ann, Thoppil, Amol Sharma, Amol, Sharma, Jessica E. Lessin, Jessica, E., Lessin
LyrArc Article Gist
Apple's 5% smartphone market share in India lags behind Sony at 9% and Samsung at 40% for 4th quarter 2012, according to Canalys. India is expected to become the third largest market for smartphones after China and the U.S. A major problem for Apple is India's multilayered distribution network, says Apple CEO Cook. Government rules require Apple to source 30% of parts in India to be able to open its own store network. Apple is also working on lower priced smartphones for the Indian market closer to Samsung's starting price of $111 for Galaxy smartphones in India.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Panasonic to Pare Unprofitable Units

6 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 03.29.2013 Original article ›
Daisuke Wakabayashi, Daisuke, Wakabayashi
LyrArc Article Gist
Panasonic's renewed focus on profitability. Panasonic's new 3 year business plan under CEO Tsuga focusses on profitability. Tsuga says "the first thing we have to do under this business plan is to get rid of the loss making businesses." Business units will be reorganized so that each business unit will do the product planning, production and sales, as opposed to the current organization which splits units by functional areas such as development and production. The changes are likely to bring the units down to 49 from 88. In a sign of the changes Panasonic set new profit targets but no revenue targets.
Read LyrArc gist ›

National Security Adviser Tries Quieter Approach

  
New York Times - 05.07.2009 Original article ›
Helene Cooper, Helene, Cooper
LyrArc Article Gist
A more thoughtful, getting things done behind the scenes, and smoothing things out on issues with other countries for the President as needed, and delegating to his staff and others, is the team approach adopted by Jones who is National Security Advisor. And it is a deliberative role that suits Mr Obama. Its different fromt he high profile Advisors of the past , but things are too complex today to be handled in that manner, and the President's style and the challenges he faces require this team approach and multitalented team of Holbrooke, Clinton, Jones, Gates and others.
Read LyrArc gist ›

China Takes a Hard Look at Its Steel Industry

1 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 10.13.2009 Original article ›
Robert Guy Matthews, Robert, Guy, Matthews
LyrArc Article Gist
China's effort to close small inefficient steel mills by reducing national taxes and sending more taxes to the regional level which could be used to create jobs for laid off steel workers. This would lead to consolidation in the CHinese steel industry and lead to higher prices for steel for appliance makers and auto makers, as steel makers in Europe and North America keep down supply. It would also lead to stronger negotiation for ironore prices as the small steel mills often struck their own deals. It would also reduce the flood of excess Chinese steel and reduce trade complaints filed in Europe.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Citigroup Is Keeping a Japan Unit, Nikko Cordial

1 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 01.15.2009 Original article ›
Alison Tudor, Alison, Tudor
LyrArc Article Gist
Citigroup will keep Nikko Cordial, Japan's third largest brokerage firm, for which it paid 1.6 trillion yen or $17.95 billion in 2008 before the global financial crisis. The hope is that it will be worth a lot more in future years as Japanese households with $15 trillion in assets mostly in cash buy more financial products from Nikko. Today only 10% of Japanese assets are invested in stocks and other similiar financial assets, compared to 30% in the USA. Citigroup is also keeping the retail banking business of Grupo Financiero Banamex in Mexico as part of its overseas expansion strategy.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Plans Emerge for New Troop Deployments to Afghanistan

2 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 02.04.2009 Original article ›
Yochi J. Dreazen, Yochi, J., Dreazen
LyrArc Article Gist
Map shows new troop deployments for tens of thousands of new troops (20 to 30 thousand) to be sent to Afghanistan under the new strategy to salvage the situation there. All of these new troops will go into the countryside and especially in the opium growing region in the south and Helmand valley region. And also on the border with Pakistan. This will effectively double the number of American troops in Afghanistan. The boom in growing opium in the south has increased the funding of Taliban insurgents to hire new trrops and to get new weapons.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Mr. Geithner's Private Gamble

  
Wall Street Journal - 02.09.2009 Original article ›
Peter Eavis, Peter, Eavis
LyrArc Article Gist
The private -government partnership Summers and Geithner see happening for restoring confidence in the banks may be a child of necessity as Congress is not too keen on providing large bailout funds in addition to the funds approved in TARP. But it has the same problems of pricing these assets for an aggregator bank that were seen from the beginning. How does one price a bad asset? If priced too low banks may not agree and if priced higher or on generous terms it risks taxpayer money. These problems still linger on in the continuing effort to sort the problems out.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Growing Worry on Rescue Takes a Toll on Banks

  
New York Times - 02.21.2009 Original article ›
Eric Dash, Eric, Dash
LyrArc Article Gist
As potential bank takeover on a short term basis to fix things looms over some banks, that are already heavily dependent on government money, their share prices dropped significantly. Bank of America dropped to $3.79 a share and Citigroup dropped to $1.95 on February 20, 2008. The more bank shares fall the more likely it becomes that the government will end up owning even larger stakes in the banks. Larger infusions of government capital mean diluting existing shareholders. In this atmosphere investors fearing that the value of their shares will be wiped out keep selling bank shares.
Read LyrArc gist ›

EADS Taps Airbus Chief as New President

1 Groups   
New York Times - 07.16.2007 Original article ›
The Associated Press, The, Associated, Press
LyrArc Article Gist
Airbus will be run by Louis Gallois as head of the management team with Thomas Enders reporting to him. Ruediger Grube becomes Chairman of EADS. He will oversee Gallois and Enders and the rest of the Airbus management team. The dual structure was considered inappropriate for a company in a competitive business environment and blamed for many of Airbus's recent problems. It has been taken out with Gallois now in charge of decisions and responsible for the running of the company. This was important to French president Sarkozy and agreement was achieved with Ms. Merkel, his German counterpart.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Show Us the Mortgage Relief

  
New York Times - 12.09.2007 Original article ›
Anonymous
LyrArc Article Gist
The Paulson Plan for helping homeowners facing higher rates will help only about 250,000 homeowners with 800,000 foreclosures already ocurred and 3.5 million defaults expected from now till 2010, too litttle too late in the view of the New York Times editorial. Lenders who agree to better terms for homeowners face potential lawsuits from investors and Congress should protect the lenders from lawsuits with legislation. Only then can really effective terms be worked out for homeowners facing defaults and foreclosures. Another legislative measure for Congress is to allow homeowners to restructure their mortgages under bankruptcy protection.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Saudis Promise More Oil To Curb World-Wide Fears

  
Wall Street Journal - 06.23.2008 Original article ›
Margaret Coker, Margaret, Coker, Neil King Jr., Neil, King, Jr.
LyrArc Article Gist
Saudis make only a modest increase in production of 200,000 barrels a day taking production to 9.7 million barrels a day for 2008. The global market is for 86 million barrels a day with 40% of production coming from OPEC. Saudis make plans to increase capacity from 11.4 million barrels a dya to 15 million barrels a day with increased investments but this is thought to be ambitious. One former president of Aramco the Saudi oil company Edward Price thinks there are resource limits even in Saudi Arabia, as he sees the big fields topping off at 12 million barrels a day.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Argentina Makes Grab for Pensions Amid Crisis

  
Wall Street Journal - 10.22.2008 Original article ›
Matt Moffett, Matt, Moffett
LyrArc Article Gist
The Argentine government proposes to nationalize the private pension system, which would provide much of the cash needed to meet debt payments to avoid a default. The private pension system has $30 billion in assets and has $5 billion in contributions each year. Economists say the new contributions could be used to fill some of the gap of $10-11 billion as a result of a drop in farm export prices like soyabeans, in what Arentina has to pay for debt between now and the end of 2009 for debt restructured after a 2001 default and new debt issued locally.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Bankruptcy Is Option to GM Board

1 Groups   
Wall Street Journal - 11.22.2008 Original article ›
John D. Stoll, John, D., Stoll
LyrArc Article Gist
Prepackaged bankruptcy has to be very carefully and meticulously arranged to work. With this creditors have to agree to retstructure debts before a company seeks court protection. In the case of GM complex union and dealership contracts and a number of creditors means someone in the government has to use governmental powers and authority, and with the leadership of the President, and help from Congress with new legislation, to get the job done in a short period of time. Something that would put the company on recovery track and its customers warranties and other incentives to buy protected.
Read LyrArc gist ›

Support LyrArc

We took a different way to help millions around the world build educated informed mindsets that affects and shapes their lives. For a future that is open, global and digital, with everyone having access to high quality information. We believe in the renewal of America, renewal of Europe, the renewal of India, the rest of Asia, Latin America and Africa. The renewal of our supply chains, health, education, infrastructure, as we rebuild our countries after the pandemic. Literacy and knowledge we believe cannot thrive and grow in a world of web bots, web crawlers, or AI. This requires human curiosity, human learning, and human imagination. We take as inspiration the saying- “One has to be free, and as broad as sky. One has to have a mind that is crystal clear, only then can truth shine in it.” Every contribution whether big or small is precious- in this crisis and ahead.

Support Lyrarc from as small as $1




Support LyrArc →


Copyright © 2006 - 2026 Intelilinks LLC
Terms and Conditions | Copyright Policy | Privacy Policy | Contact Us