World News Insights
1-3 Minute Gist
Search, personalize, or simply browse. Follow the world around you from gist and context to insights.
Who we are | Our Credo | Ways of using Lyrarc | FAQ | Send Feedback | First Letter From the Editor
Sign up. It's free and easy to use
Create an account
to personalize your feed of articles and topics.
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 Links
The Sentier Research study that shows median American household income decline of $4019 from Jan 2009 to June 2012
08/23/2012
Worst hit groups in terms of the decline are blacks, people 55-64 nearing retirement, those with a high school diploma but no college degree. The decline affects both younger and older Americans.
Linked Articles
Big Income Losses for Those Nearing Retirement
New York Times 08/23/2012
Negative $4,019Wall Street Journal 08/25/2012
The failure of Barclays bank management under CEO Diamond in setting artificially low LIBOR rates
06/28/2012
Linked Articles
Barclays Executives Are Said To Know of Low Rates
New York Times 07/02/2012
Lie Bores Into Credibility of Barclays and the CityWall Street Journal 06/28/2012
Hollande, Ayrault, and "the strong signal to Germany"
05/15/2012
French president Hollande's appointment of Ayrault, a professor of German studies as premier, is seen as "a strong signal to Germany." So is the appointment of a former minister of European Affairs, Muscovici, as finance minster. This sets the tone and groundwork for a closer fiscal and political union in Europe, to provide the foundation for the euro as a common currency in the eurozone. Germany and France now have two leaders whose mentors were strong proponents of European Union, former German chancellor Kohl and former European Commission president Jacques Delours.
Linked Articles
Logic Pushing Europe Toward Greater Integration
New York Times 06/07/2012
Ayrault Named French PremierWall Street Journal 05/15/2012
Living wills of major banks in the U.S. under Dodd-Frank legislation
05/10/2012
The "orderly liquidation authority" of the FDIC and the U.S. Federal Reserve under the Dodd-Frank legislation provides a framework for bank resolution in the event of a crisis- something lacking in the 2008 financial crisis when Lehman Brothers collapsed. The largest finanial firms are required to write living wills so that orderly resolution can take place. Nine of the largest finacnial firms in the U.S. including Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and UBS, have submitted the wills to the Fed and the FDIC.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 05/10/2012
Banks' 'Living Wills' UnveiledWall Street Journal 07/03/2012
Iran's young people under 35 who make up about 70% of the population of 74 million, and the future of Iran in 2015
05/07/2012
Linked Articles
Iran’s Legions of Weary Young People Push Against the Old Ways
Wall Street Journal 07/08/2015
Young Iranians Confront a Constricted FutureNew York Times 05/07/2012
Increasing U.S. dependence on Saudi Arabian oil supplies after sanctions on Iran
04/13/2012
U.S oil imports from Saudi Arabia in the first half 2012 compared to 2011 increased by 20%.
Linked Articles
U.S. Reliance on Saudi Oil Is Growing Again
New York Times 08/16/2012
Pressure on Oil Supply EasesWall Street Journal 04/13/2012
Changes at Apple under new CEO, Timothy Cook
04/01/2012
Linked Articles
Apple Shake-Up Signals Tim Cook Era
Wall Street Journal 10/31/2012
Apple's Suppliers Pressed to Improve Worker's LotNew York Times 04/01/2012
The U.S. Federal Reserve's March 2012 U.S. bank stress tests and the questions about overoptimistic assumptions
03/14/2012
Experts question the the overoptimistic assumptions for losses on home equity lines of credit, second lien mortgages and legal settlements. The capital ratios for the banks shown under the stress tests of 3-4% indicate high levels of leveraging, one of the principal causes for the banking crisis of 2008-2009.
Linked Articles
Stressing the Bank 'Stress Tests'
Wall Street Journal 03/14/2012
Questions as Banks Increase DividendsNew York Times 03/14/2012
China's Stimulus plan in 2012-2013 and the problem of "uncoordinated, unbalanced and unsustainable development"
03/06/2012
China's premier Wen Biao told the National People's Congress, China's parliament, in March 2012, that it was urgent to tackel the "problem of uncoordinated, unbalanced, and unsustainable development." He called for "an acceleration of the transformation" of the economic model towards consumption and away from exports and infrastructure spending. The accelerated approval of 254 investment projects in May 2012 puts off this task of rebalancing development for China and the world economy. With slowing growth in China and the last Stimulus of 2008 having propelled the housing bubble, the options were limited. A decrease in the reserve requirement by 0.5% in 2012 for China's banks was not expected to spur growth because lending was not expected to increase, as the demand for loans is low. A sharp falloff in growth below 7% was feared leading to the acceleration in investment.
Linked Articles
China’s stimulus policy means trouble down the road - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/31/2012
China Speeds Economic 'Transformation'Wall Street Journal 03/06/2012
The problems of lack of balanced development, higher inequality, and slowing growth under current economic policy in China
02/23/2012
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 10/03/2012
New Push for Reform in ChinaWall Street Journal 02/23/2012
The Indian government's plan to bring the deficit down over 5 years to 3% in 2017
02/14/2012
In response to the policy of the Reseve Bank of India (RBI), India's central bank, to hold off on interest rate changes till the government takes action in reducing the deficit, the Indian government lays out a plan to bring the deficit down to 3% by 2017, and 5.3% in the fiscal year ending March 2013. The government is under pressure to come up with an economic strategy to deal with the slowing economy with growth forecasts lowered to 5-6.5% for 2012. The risk of India's credit rating being being lowered to junk status and drastic slowdown in foreign investment is creating a crisis atmosphere after a period of indecison.
Linked Articles
India Lays Out Deficit Targets
Wall Street Journal 10/30/2012
Indian Central Banker Hits His Government's SpendingWall Street Journal 02/14/2012
"Hiroshima" 1945 and the Siege of Leningrad 1941-1942 - What a post war Russian, American and Japanese generation could understand and what is lacking in the Middle East
01/27/2012
Noonan asks the question about what a post war generation of Americans, Russians and Japanese could understand about the horrors of nuclear war and of the Second World War, and how this is lacking in the Middle East as each nation strives for nuclear weapons from Iran to Saudi Arabia. Separately in another link Kaname Harada asks a different question- has a new generation in Japan born after 1945, both leaders and the public, forgotten about that period including "Hiroshima."
Linked Articles
Vladimir Putin Describes Loss of a Brother at Ceremony
New York Times 01/27/2012
Misplaying America’s Hand With IranWall Street Journal 04/04/2015
Hungary's economic problems under prime minister Viktor Orban's government
01/16/2012
Linked Articles
An interview with Viktor Orban, prime minister of Hungary - The Washington Post
Washington Post 04/07/2012
Hungary, Once a Star, Loses Its ShineNew York Times 01/16/2012
The slow response of Spain compared to the more aggressive aproach of France
07/18/2012
The contrast between Spain's lack of strong and quick action for its banking problems and France's aggressive approach to its debt problem. Spain's problems come from the housing bubble and bad loans in parts of the banking sector especially the cajas savings banks. The lack of strong and early action by bank supervisors at the central bank and the government to cleanup the banks created conditions requiring a bailout. The problems in France which did not experience a housing bubble were the result of slow growth, rising debt and deficits. France took an aggressive approach to tackle these problems, with shared sacrifices, and setting a goal of bringing the deficit down to 3% in 2013 with its 2013 budget.
Linked Articles
France's New Budget Focuses on Cutting Deficit
New York Times 09/28/2012
Spanish Official: Slow Reaction to CrisisWall Street Journal 07/18/2012
Alexei Kudrin and other experts see the potential for a deep economic and political crisis in Russia as the situation in the eurozone worsens
05/23/2012
The Center for Strategic Studies in Moscow was prescient in predicitng political dissatisfaction before parliamentary elections. The former finance minister, Alexei Kudrin, anticipated the 2008 global financial crisis and set aside reserves in the sovereign wealth fund to cope with the crisis. Both now see the potential for a worsening economic and political situation in Russia as Greece nears exit from the eurozone and the banking crisis in Europe leads to reduced loans to Russia. At the same time the political polarization in Russia between pro and anti Putin factions creates other tensions.
Linked Articles
Report Says Support for Putin Is Dropping
Wall Street Journal 05/23/2012
Russian Recession Could Prompt Political Woes, Report SaysNew York Times 05/24/2012
Paul Volcker, the traders at JP Morgan's London office, and "losses that would be socialized with the potential gains all private"
05/12/2012
Volcker described the situation to the U.S. Senate Banking committee the day before the story came out about the massive trades made by JP Morgan's trader, known as the "London whale." Losses would be socialized under "too big to fail" for the largest U.S. banks.
Linked Articles
Paul Volcker vs. JPMorgan’s London Whale - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/12/2012
'London Whale' Rattles Debt MarketWall Street Journal 05/13/2012
Criticism of Japan's central bank on the lack of an activist monetary policy to support economic growth 2010-2012
05/07/2012
Shinzo Abe of the LDP, the leading candidate for prime minister after general elections in Dec. 2012, says he will appoint a new central bank chief who supports an activist monetary policy. Abe supports the BOJ setting an inflation target of 2% compared to the 1% under current Bank of Japan chief Shirakawa. Both the governing DPJ and the LDP parties are strongly critical of Shirakawa and prefer to see an activist stance against deflation similiar to the one Ben Bernanke is taking against unemployment in the U.S. Abe returns to power after becoming LDP prime minister following the government of Junichiro Koizumi.
Linked Articles
Vote Challenges Japan's Central Bank
Wall Street Journal 12/13/2012
Pressure Rises on BOJ to Reach Inflation TargetWall Street Journal 05/07/2012
The Way Out for the U.S,. Europe, India and Pakistan- Boskin and Shaikh push for expanding trade and a free trade agreement
04/16/2012
A way out of conflict, wasted resources, and misshaped priorities, through a strong push for expanded trade and a free trade agreement between India and Pakistan. After several generations of conflict a way out. An opportunity to do in South Asia what happened between France and Germany under Adenauer, Monnet and De Gaulle. The Shaikh-Boskin proposal calls for expanded trade between India and Pakistan, and a free trade agreement between the two neighbors similiar to NAFTA in North America, and the European Common Market in Europe. This would generate a surge in growth in South Asia similiar to what happened in China in the last two decades and create new opportunities for hundreds of millions of people in South Asia.
Linked Articles
Pakistan's Untold Economic Story
Wall Street Journal 04/24/2012
A Passage to India-Pakistan PeaceWall Street Journal 04/16/2012
The absence of solutions to the underlying problem of increasing U.S. health care costs in fiscal cliff deficit negotiations
04/03/2012
Without a new approach to increasing health care costs, especially considering the demographic changes in the U.S. with more people on Medicare in future years, the problems of defunding other areas such as education, R&D, and infrastructure, to fund these increases is likely to continue. Estimates show that the 50 million Americans enrolled in Medicare in 2012 will grow to 80 million by 2030, according to the Medicare program actuaries. Demographic changes as the baby boom generation ages mean more Americans relying on Medicare and Medicaid. With continually increasing health care costs from costly technologies, increasing of diabetes, asthma and other diseases, pricing in the medical industry, and some fraud costs, this is a toxic mix that will lead to to a situation where one of three dollars in spending get swallowed up here.
Linked Articles
Beneath Budget Battle, a Health-Spending Juggernaut
Wall Street Journal 12/17/2012
What to Do on the Day After ObamaCareWall Street Journal 04/03/2012
The prospects of oil price increases in second half 2012 with an Iranian cutoff and diminishing Saudi reserve supplies
03/18/2012
Linked Articles
Fears of a 2008 Repeat for Oil
Wall Street Journal 03/18/2012
The End of the Saudi Oil Reserve MarginWall Street Journal 04/03/2012
The risks facing Spain in 2012 with austerity measures when unemployment is at 23%
03/06/2012
Finance Minister Luis de Guindos sees Spain loosing either way with spending cuts that worsen high unemployment and lower economic growth leading to a worsening debt to GDP ratio in 2012, and this situation in turn raising its borrowing costs on $86 billion in debt issuance for 2012. He estimates the debt to GDP ratio will increase under the 2012 budget of 27 billion euros in cuts and an economy shrinking by 1.7% in 2012, by 10% from 2011 to 78%. Markets are focussing on debt in Portugal and Spain in 2012, after focussing on Greece and Italy in 2011.
Linked Articles
Spain Faces Risks in Budget Refit
Wall Street Journal 04/03/2012
Spain Struggles to Unite Regional Leaders on CutsNew York Times 03/06/2012
John Cochrane on how to build a truly open competitive system of healthcare the day after Obama healthcare
03/05/2012
Cochrane points to regulations and laws that support high prices of medical carein the U.S., by reducing competition and restricting supply of doctors and suppliers of medical care. He says the mandate most likely would not even be necessary under such a system because the costs of healthcare in the U.S. would be so much lower.
Linked Articles
What to Do on the Day After ObamaCare
Wall Street Journal 04/03/2012
Why an MRI costs $1,080 in America and $280 in France - The Washington PostWashington Post 03/05/2012
Greece and EU in 2015- (4) How are the structural issues such as tax evasion in Greece being tackled, after Monti's effort to tackle this in Italy in 2012?
02/18/2012
Surprisingly the Syriza government in 6 months in office did not come up with a plan to implement for tax evasion. This was a major issue for the IMF and in Greece's interest, even though it was going contrary to long standing practice in Greece as it was in Italy. Estimates of lost revenue are about $11 billion each year for tax evasion. By comparison the IMF payment due was less than $2 billion on June 30, 2015. Sustainable long term finances make this a major issue in Greece's own interest. Greece has an aging population and the number of retirees are growing in relation to young working people making this an important issue for stable finances under any administration, and regardless of the euro.
Linked Articles
How Greek tax evasion sunk the global economy
Washington Post 07/10/2012
A Hollow Target for Greek DebtWall Street Journal 02/18/2012
Xi Jinping, China's history of political convusions in the leadership and society, and the desire for consensus and careful thinking.
01/31/2012
Xi' s life story, his family, and the Communist party under Mao and Deng. What it says about the desire for consensus and careful thinking about the future direction of China.
Linked Articles
Xi Appeals for 'Purity' Amid Party Scandal
Wall Street Journal 03/16/2012
Heartland Return for Chinese LeaderWall Street Journal 01/31/2012
Spending by regional governments and the deficit in Spain
01/18/2012
Under Spain's decentralized system of government regions prove education, healthcare and other services. The 2011 deficit target in Spain was exceeded largely because of spending by local governments. The new government of Mariano Rajoy has announced moves to control regional spending.
Linked Articles
Madrid to Curb Spending by Powerful Regions
Wall Street Journal 01/18/2012
Spanish Regional Governments to Get AidNew York Times 01/19/2012
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
Terms and Conditions | Copyright Policy | Privacy Policy | Contact Us