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.
Direct From the Editor / On Topics Vital to the Nation
06/23/2026
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
Lower incomes in manufacturing and a general lowering of expectations in U.S. midwestern states like Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin (2)
02/02/2012
Linked Articles
Ohio economy improving, but residents can’t feel it - The Washington Post
Washington Post 08/08/2012
Oil Patch Bucks Income DropWall Street Journal 02/02/2012
Spain's high jobless rate of 23% in 2011 and new labor laws to make it easier to hire workers
01/28/2012
Linked Articles
In New High, Spain's Jobless Rate Nears 23%
Wall Street Journal 01/28/2012
Spain Approves Changes to Labor PolicyNew York Times 02/10/2012
The passage of the unpopular sales tax hike and political uncertainty in Japan
12/27/2011
Critics say the Democratic Party of Japan should have invested efforts in its election promises to cut wasteful spending. Polls show a majority of Japanese oppose the doubling of the sales tax to 10%.
Linked Articles
Vote Ensures Japan Will Double Sales Tax to 10%
Wall Street Journal 06/27/2012
Tokyo's Move to Raise Tax Hits SnagWall Street Journal 12/27/2011
Delving into the causes of higher income inequality and finding solutions
12/06/2011
As the OECD report shows income inequality is a global trend over the last three decades. This is further exacerabated by austerity policies. Causes of this range from education to favored treatment of economic sectors with greater influence on government.
Linked Articles
Angry about inequality? Don’t blame the rich. - The Washington Post
Washington Post 01/28/2012
OECD report cites rising income inequality - The Washington PostWashington Post 12/06/2011
Slowing growth, high inflation and lack of foreign investment limit India's growth potential in 2012-2013
11/25/2011
A combination of higher inflation, muddled political leadership that is limiting foreign investment in retail and other sectors, and high energy costs is limiting economic growth in India to annual GDP growth of 7% in 2012-2013
Linked Articles
Stress on Economy Prompts India to Revive Controversial Plans
Wall Street Journal 12/01/2011
With Economy Slowing, the Indian Rupee TumblesNew York Times 11/25/2011
Convergence of ideas on deficit reduction around Simpson-Bowles and limiting tax expenditures and deductions
11/17/2011
Limiting tax deductions, loopholes to say $35,000 for high income earners goes further than earlier proposals from Obama advisors to limit tax deductions to 28% in distributing the tax burden more equitably. Obama advisor, Christina Romer, and Romney advisor Feldstein, support limiting tax deductions in this way to help reduce the deficit, creating the basis for an agreement between Republicans and Democrats.
Linked Articles
Budget Showdown Offers an Opportunity for Progress
New York Times 11/10/2012
GOP supercommittee members’ tax plan gives party an identity crisis - The Washington PostWashington Post 11/17/2011
America's middle class falling behind with typical household income at the same level after 25 years
09/14/2011
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/14/2011
Americaâs Sinking Middle ClassNew York Times 09/18/2013
Krugman and the WSJ- Differing views on taxes and the middle class
08/17/2011
Linked Articles
New York Times 11/18/2012
Warren Buffett's Tax DodgeWall Street Journal 08/17/2011
The June 2011 European Union plan for Greece faces strong criticism for being unworkable
07/01/2011
This plans doubles the interest rate for Greece debt owed to French and German banks under a French banking proposal. Sharp spending cuts and tax increases face opposition inside Greece and their negative impact on economic growth may leave Greece with a much larger debt to GDP ratio in 2011 than in 2010.
Linked Articles
Greece and the euro: The abuses of austerity
Economist 07/02/2011
Move Buys Time for Greece, But Growing Debt LoomsWall Street Journal 07/01/2011
The signs of slower growth in China in 2012-2015 and what this means for commodity producer countries and producer countries of high tech machinery
06/09/2011
How the slower growth will affect commodity exporters Australia, Canada, Chile, S. Africa and high tech machinery exporters like Germany and the U.S.
Linked Articles
What a China Slowdown Means for the World
Wall Street Journal 06/09/2011
In China, Sobering Signs of Slower GrowthNew York Times 03/05/2012
OPEC social programs and need to maintain high oil prices
04/18/2011
PFC Energy estimates a price of $90 at which Saudi Arabia would start cutting output to maintain a floor on oil price to support large spending programs after the democracy protests in Arab countries.
Linked Articles
Fears of a 2008 Repeat for Oil
Wall Street Journal 03/18/2012
Overheard: Oil and UnrestWall Street Journal 04/18/2011
Muni-Bond Default Estimates of $100 Billion
02/09/2011
Estimates on muni-bonds default range from the high side presented by Meredith Whitney to the more moderate estimate of $100 billion over several years by Roubini.
Linked Articles
Muni Default Estimate: $100 Billion
Wall Street Journal 03/02/2011
In Muni-Bond Ills, Danger and HopeWall Street Journal 02/09/2011
Angela Merkel's experience with the reunification of East and West Germany and her views of the eurozone crisis
01/30/2011
The perceptions of the eurozone crisis of ordinary Germans and of former East German Angela Merkel are colored by the period of reunification of the two Germany's. This was paid for with a"solidarity surcharge" tax paid by Germans amounting to $1.7 trillion and led in its early stages to 4 million unemployed in the eastern part and 20% unemployment. It took over a decade for East Germany to build new modernized industries in the larger cities of the east, but still leaves the rural parts of former East Germany in a neglected state as young peoplemoved out. During this period industry in the west also regained lost global competitiveness, especially in industries such as automobiles and advanced machinery, using wage restraint agreements with unions and increases in productivity. Germans see the need for eurozone countries in the southern part of Europe needing to make similiar sacrifices and see the tax evasion in Italy and Greece as unacceptable. The real estate bubble, the lack of transparency for banks bad loans, and out of control regional spending in Spain is also seen in a similiar light. Greece is seen as the most egregious offendor because of the bad financial accounting that grossly understated the extent of the bad loans. Less publicized in Germany is the role played in the bad loans through poor lending practices of German and French banks and that as experts have pointed out Germany was to some extent bailing out German banks when it was bailing out Greece- till German banks reduced their exposure to Greece in 2011.
Linked Articles
In former East Germany, anxious residents resent paying for Europe’s problems - The Washington Post
Washington Post 06/21/2012
Merkel's Defense of Euro Forged in East GermanyNew York Times 01/30/2011
Reports by the Federal Reserve and Sentier Research on the decline in income and net worth, higher debt levels of American households
02/02/2012
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 02/02/2012
Americans saw wealth plummet 40 percent from 2007 to 2010, Federal Reserve says - The Washington PostWashington Post 06/12/2012
Obama's 2012 presidential campaign and weak support from financially struggling white voters
01/13/2012
By a 26% margin financially strapped white voters affected by high unemployment favor Romney over Obama. This is wider than the 18% margin by which Obama, Kerry and Gore lost this group in prior elections. It will be crucial in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan which were hard hit by the economic downturn.
Linked Articles
Romney holds key advantages among financially struggling white voters - The Washington Post
Washington Post 05/25/2012
White Blue-Collar Vote May Be Crucial in ElectionNew York Times 01/13/2012
Tax increases on the wealthy in Japan by the Shinzo Abe government to promote a sense of fairness in tax policies
12/27/2011
Linked Articles
Tokyo Set to Raise Levy on Wealthiest
Wall Street Journal 01/11/2013
Tokyo's Move to Raise Tax Hits SnagWall Street Journal 12/27/2011
Tax evasion in Italy and Greece and Germany's insistence on good governance and financial practices for a sound euro currency
11/25/2011
One estimate of tax evasion in Italy cited by Faiola in the Post is $340 billon a year. Greece has a similiar problem. This is one area in which the culture and practices of individual countries have to converge to acceptable norms to make a common currrency viable, something the founders of the euro currency did not take as seriously as needed and account for in a disciplined framework. The political enthusiasm for a union of European countries of EU founders led to ignoring the dangers of not having controls and convergence in place.
Linked Articles
New York Times 12/01/2011
Amid crisis, Italy confronts a culture of tax evasion - The Washington PostWashington Post 11/25/2011
The huge disparity betwen Mexican American high school dropout rates nationwide and in New York city, and the abysmal college enrolment rate
11/24/2011
Semple cites census data showing about 40% dropout rate for the Mexican American immigrant community in New York city, with no other minority community having more than a 20% dropout rate. The college enrollment rate for the Mexican American immigrant community is cited as ony 6% and cause for alarm considering the large Mexican American immigrant community in New York and and nationwide. This is much worse than the rate for the Mexican American community in the U.S. and for Hispanics in the U.S. as The recent Pew Hispanic Center study shows a 76% high school completion rate and a 46% college enrollment rate for U.S. Hispanics 18-24 years with a high school diploma for 2011.
Linked Articles
Mexicans in New York City Lag in Education
New York Times 11/24/2011
Hispanics' College Enrollment Surges, Report FindsNew York Times 08/20/2012
S. Korea and unsustainable levels of household debt to disposable income of 155% in 2012-2013
09/21/2011
Linked Articles
S. Korea tries to curb mounting debt and avert a crisis - The Washington Post
Washington Post 07/09/2012
A Warning Light to Alert the I.M.F.New York Times 09/21/2011
Harvard labor economist Lawrence Katz's solutions to the job crises and high unemployment in the U.S.
09/06/2011
Katz suggest a number of steps including a subsidy for companies creating new jobs. A form of this subsidy is used in Germany with the "kurzarbeit" program which preserves jobs in a downturn. Katz reminds us that there are three job crises facing America- long term unemployed not reflected in government unemployment figures, effects of foreclosures and debt, and the impact of automation with lower job creation in manufacturing. A sustained andmultipronged approach over a number of years is needed and no single panacea or misguided optimism will work.
Linked Articles
The Next First (and Only) 100 Days
New York Times 12/10/2011
Help Displaced WorkersNew York Times 09/06/2011
Antonis Samaras and the political opposition to harsh austerity measures in Greece- 2011-2012
07/02/2011
Antonis Samaras of the New Democracy Party opposes tax increases that will further reduce any prospects for economic growth in Greece. As opinion polls show his party passing the socialist party of prime minister Papandreou in popularity in July 2012, any future E.U. agreement for Greece will have to be negotiated with Samaras. The E.U.'s June 2011 plan for Greece faces strong criticism.
Linked Articles
Greek Opposition Slams Tax Rises
Wall Street Journal 07/05/2011
Greece and the euro: The abuses of austerityEconomist 07/02/2011
The Wall Street Journal calls the June 2011 E.U. plan for Greece "the French deception," and the Economist says it is doomed to failure
06/30/2011
Doubling the interest rate on loans owed by Greece to French and German banks is called "the French deception" by the Journal . The Economist sees the sharp spending cuts and tax increases having enough detrimental impact on economic growth to make the debt load larger than before.
Linked Articles
Greece and the euro: The abuses of austerity
Economist 07/02/2011
The French DeceptionWall Street Journal 06/30/2011
Pernambuco and other states in Brazil's northeastern region- lack of investment in public health, education and transportation services infrastructure
05/21/2011
During the boom years much of the investment, about three fourths of the growth rate of over 4%, came from infrastructure investments that supported exports of soyabeans, iron ore and other commodities to China. Under the Worker's party socialist governments that get much of their support from the northeast, this disguised the low investments in public infrastructure services for drinking water, health sanitation, public schools and transportation services. This is a problem in developing countries of Latin America, South Asia, and Africa, with some regions lagging behind in essential infrastructure services, even with high growth rates.
Linked Articles
The Brazilian Doctors Who Sounded the Alarm on Zika and Microcephaly
Wall Street Journal 01/30/2016
Brazil's north-east: Catching up in a hurryEconomist 05/21/2011
Apple's low tax rate of 9.4% on global profits
03/24/2011
Companies ranging from Apple and Google to GE pay low tax rates. The New York Times reports that corporate share of U.S. tax receipts dropped from 30% in the 1950's to 6.6% in 2009. This has a serious impact on states and local governments and the federal government as they cut essential services and education to balance their budgets or lower deficits.
Linked Articles
Apple's Tax Strategy Aims at Low-Tax States and Nations
New York Times 04/28/2012
G.E.'s Strategies Let It Avoid Taxes AltogetherNew York Times 03/24/2011
High youth unemployment and lack of economic growth in Italy
02/02/2011
Linked Articles
Italy Seeks to Spur Growth, Narrowing Gap With Peers
Wall Street Journal 07/18/2011
The Youth Unemployment BombBusinessWeek 02/02/2011
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