Home > You are at: News/Analysis, Page 1 ('07) | Previous | Next Posted: 2-11 Jan 08 Despite continued growth, global economy will face serious challenges: Although global economy will continue to grow in '08, a new report warns that this expansion is under threat, mainly by US econ slow- down, UN, 9 Jan 08 (Slides [pdf] | World Econ Situation & Prospects '08--Exec sum) Developing countries to cushion rich-country slowdown in '08: Resili- ence in developing economies is cushioning current slowdown in US, World Bank, 9 Jan 08 (Tech progress helps poor nations | Global Econ Prospects '08 | Multimedia) Stiglitz says GDP may be poor indicator of economy: Pres. Sarkozy announces in Paris that Stiglitz & fellow Nobel laureate Amartya Sen will head panel to find new index that will include quality-of-life fac- tors, Ag. France-Presse, 9 Jan 08 (Sarkozy recruits Nobel econs); and Richard Layard: How are we doing on happiness?-Teaching of values: 'It is essential to start with right question. I think right question to ask is - are people happy?,' Cambridge Univ, 2 May 07 [pdf] (LSE--Well- being | Books--Happiness; and Econ and Psych) Top 9 risks and 6 red herrings for '08: The list identifies key geopolit- ical areas for global investors to watch.Topping list is trend of US anti- globalization, in which concerns at home are encouraging greater pro- tectionism, Eurasia Grp, 7 Jan 08 (Grp pres.'s note | US turns inward) [pdf] Kenya impasse chokes region: E Africa is choking from ongoing post-election standoff which has brought Kenya to a near standstill. Tanza- nia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, east DR Congo, south Sudan & even Zambia are counting costs of disputed vote, E Afri Biz Wk, 7 Jan 08 Coffee/tea break: Postcard from North Korea--Can a reclusive police state be a vacation destination?, by J Gearey, Time, 3 Jan 08 Charity vs capitalism in Africa: Africa's best hope to fight malaria is wide distribution of mosquito-repelling bed nets. But who best serves that need - public sector or private interests?, BusinessWeek, 2 Jan 08 Pakistani stocks are 'cheap', investment firm says: Pakistani stocks are cheap & still worth holding in spite of pol.uncertainty caused by Bhut- to's assassination, Merrill says, Bloomberg, 2 Jan 08(Reuters--Instabil- ity's invest. risks | Lon.Times--Guru says hedge funds to target Pak.) Top 10 underreported humanitarian stories of '07: The list highlights plight of people living through forgotten crises, where displacement by war of millions continues. It also focuses on ongoing toll of medical catastrophes like TB & child malnutrition, Medicins Sans Frontieres, 20 Dec 07 Nariman Behravesh: Top 10 econ predictions for '08--US economy is now in danger zone. With potential for housing crunches in parts of Europe and post-Olympics China slowdown, risks for global econ are overwhelmingly on downside, Global Insight, 11 Dec 07 (How accur- ate were predictions for '07?) [pdf] Harnessing ideas to idealism--Profile of Michael Kremer: This Harvard economist helped pioneer creation of new instrument to boost devel- opment of vaccines by securing advance promises to pay for them, by A Subramanian, Fin. & Devel., 5 Dec 07 Arab economies face massive bulge in labor force and require renewed globalization to respond: The Arab world faces ncrease in population equivalent to 2 Egypts over next decade or so, Petersen Inst, 12 Jun 07 (In brief | Book) [pdf] Coffee/tea break: Imagining Everest--Edmund Hillary: Hillary joined '51 Everest Reconnaissance & '52 expedition to Cho Oyu before mak- ing first successful ascent to summit with Tenzing Norgay, as part of '53 Expedition, Royal Geog. Soc, May '03 (Nova--Tiger of the snows) Posted: 17-27 Dec 07 S Haggard & M Noland: Engagement - Brief for an incoming Korean pres: In Aesop's fable that gave Sunshine Policy its name, the Sun & Wind bet over which could disrobe a traveler. While Wind fruitlessly tried to blow off traveler's cloak, Sun succeeded by providing warmth, Freedom Rev (courtesy Petersen Inst), Jan '08 International Migrants Day--18 Dec 07: On 4 Dec 2000, the General Assembly, taking into account large & increasing number of migrants in world, proclaimed this day as their special day, UN (Intl Org Migra- tion | Global and regl stats | OECD) Two months in Pakistan--Q&A with Benazir Bhutto: Bhutto was as- sassinated 27 Dec as she was leaving a political rally. She sat down for an interview on 12 Dec, WashPost, 17 Dec 07 (CSMonitor--Why the world needs democracy in Pakistan) Agreement on climate change reached in Bali: 187 nations meeting in Bali agree to launch negotiations towards an intl climate deal -- Key points: UN [pdf] | News/Austral.| Lon.Times | Reuters | AP, 15 Dec 07 (Bali Action Plan [pdf]) Fred Bergsten: How to solve problem of dollar--Many dollar holders, incl central banks and sovereign wealth funds clearly want to diversify into other currencies. But even a modest realization of these desires could produce free fall of dollar, FT (courtesy Petersen Inst), 11 Dec 07 (Boughton--Letter to ed.[courtesy IMF]) OECD nations launch accession talks with five prospective new mem- bers: The org. gives green light for start of accession talks with Chile, Estonia, Israel, Russia & Slovenia, & announces plans to engage more closely with Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, SAfrica, OECD, 3 Dec 07 Nicholas Stern: Bali - Now the rich must pay: A fair & global effort to tackle climate change needs wealthy states to take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Guardian/UK, 30 Nov 07 (Royal Econ Soc lecture--News and audio/slides) William Nordhaus: Critical assumptions in Stern Review on climate change: Its unambiguous conclusions about need for urgent & imme- diate action will not survive substitution of assumptions that are con- sistent with today's marketplace real interest rates & savings rates, Sci- ence (courtesy Yale), 13 Jul 07 [pdf] African Economic Outlook--South Africa country study: The nation is now in middle of two transitions--responding to globalization & trans- forming economy away from its heavy dependence on commodity-based industries, OECD, 11 May 07 [pdf] Posted: 10-14 Dec 07 Iraqi oil exceeds pre-war output: IEA puts the rise down to improving security situation, esp. in the north. But it warns attacks on oil facilities remain a threat, BBC, 14 Dec 07 (Audit reports--Devel.Fund for Iraq) Restrictions block Palestinian revival, says World Bank: In report for donors conference in Paris, the bank says Israel's lifting of movement restrictions is essential to restoring growth to West Bank and Gaza, Reuters, 13 Dec 07 (AHLC | Reports for conf--Bank and IMF) [pdf] Kenneth Arrow: The case for cutting emissions--Critics of Stern report don't think serious action to limit carbon dioxide emissions is justified, because substantial uncertainty remains about costs of climate change, and because these will be incurred far in future, Proj Syndicate (cour- tesy Taipei Times), 13 Dec 07; and Paul Klemperer: Missing answers on climate change--How likely are catastrophes against which we should be paying 'insurance premium'? Do we know what future generations will regard as disastrous out- comes? How much should we care about future?, VoxEU, 3 Aug 07 Emerging East Asia to maintain strong growth, downside risks rise: Growth will ease to 8.0% in '08 from 8.5% in '07, as expansion in key industrialized nations moderates amid volatility in fin.markets & rising oil prices, Asian Dev Bank,13 Dec 07 (Wide disparities in living stand- ards in Asia) Why central banks are teaming up: The world's 5 largest central banks (US Federal Reserve, Europe's Central Bank, Bank of England, Swiss Natl Bank & Bank of Canada) have announced they will pump billions into money markets--Q&A: Telegraph | BBC | Reuters, 12 Dec 07 Economic forecasting survey--Economists say recession risk is climb- ing: Fifty of 52 economists surveyed expect the Fed to trim its target today for federal-funds rate, the rate charged on overnight loans bet. banks, WSJ, 11 Dec 07 World Human Rights Day, 10 Dec 07: Today marks start of year-long commemoration of 60th anniv. of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN (Myanmar crackdown death toll higher than govt figures | UN expert continues visit in Nay Pyi Taw) Burma report unearths new levels of abuse: A new report contains grave, specific, and quantified accusations of abuse not previously re- ported, Brown Univ, 8 Dec 07 (Facts on the ground | Pinheiro report to UNHR Council [pdf]) Simon Johnson: Food & biofuels--The price of success: Rich nations could help limit rise in food prices,which is hurting poor in low-income nations the most, by removing ethanol subsidies & cutting high tariffs, Fin & Devel, 5 Dec 07 (Biofuel demand pushes up food prices) UN climate change conference -- Poised for political breakthrough?: The Bali conference brings together more than 180 nations. A minis- terial segment in 2nd week will conclude the meetings, UN, 3 Dec 07 (Background | Glossary) Dangerous game: Have the world's rainforests gotten short shrift in the climate debate? Q&A with Thomas Lovejoy, pres. of Heinz Cen- ter for Sci, Econ & Envir. and fmr chief biodiversity adviser to World Bank, Newsweek, 2 Dec 07 Robert Shiller: A time for bold thinking on housing--We have to con- sider possibility that the housing price downturn will eventually be as big as that of the last truly big decline, from 1925 to 1933, NYT (free registr reqd), 25 Nov 07 Anders Aslund: Why market reform succeeded and democracy failed in Russia--The Russian revolution, collapse of Soviet Union, and Rus- sia's ensuing transformation belong to the greatest dramas of our time, Petersen Inst, 19 Nov 07 (In Brief | Book) [pdf] Moises Naim: The Battle of Beijing--What happens when an authori- tarian government and thousands of activists go head-to-head at the Olympics? China is about to find out, Foreign Policy, Nov-Dec '07 Stephan Richter: US and the rise of anti-Chinaism--What are real rea- sons behind increasingly broad-based movement in US of blaming China?, Globalist, 1 Nov 07 (Reuters--Anti-China sentiment rouses US voters) Hong Kong, Jordan, and Estonia debut among top 10 of world's most globalized nations: Singapore remains in top spot, US falls four places despite continued strength in technology, AT Kearney, 22 Oct 07 Posted: 3-7 Dec 07 Horizons: Randall Dodd--Subprime: Tentacles of a crisis--During the recent turbulence, the markets broke down in several areas that were stops in complicated journey a home mortgage can make from original issuer to ultimate buyer, Fin & Devel, 5 Dec 07 Brazil slams 'biased and protectionist' US-EU proposal on green trade: US & EU offer to make green goods exempt from trade tariffs such as solar panels, leaving out ethanol/biofuels produced in developing na- tions, AP, 4 Dec 07 (US-EU propose boost to green exports)[courtesy Taiwan News & Findlaw] PISA '06 survey--How nations rank in terms of science knowledge & skills of 15-year-olds: Finland is on top, Hong Kong 2nd, Canada 3rd, Taiwan & Estonia 4th, and Japan & New Zealand 5th, OECD, 4 Dec 07 (FAQ | Exec sum | 57 nations) Paul Johnson: The pursuit of success -- Somerset Maugham wrote: 'When I was 18, I desperately wanted to be rich, successful and famous. Now I am all three, but I am not sure I am any happier,' Forbes, 3 Dec 07 African Diaspora's role in development efforts: African Diaspora - defined as peoples of African descent/origin living outside continent - plays important role, both through financial resources they send back & through their professional expertise, World Bank, 3 Dec 07 Paying taxes--The global picture: This report facilitates direct compari- son of tax systems in 178 nations worldwide, and ranks each nation according to relative ease of paying taxes, PwC-Intl Finance Corp, 3 Dec 07 The stampede has begun: The stampede into Islamic finance is mostly an effort to tap estimated $1.5 trillion of funds sloshing around Mid-east, Brunei Times, 3 Dec 07 (Event info | Islamic Fin. Svcs Forum) New global challengers pose growing threat to established industry leaders: 17 cos. join '08 list of 100 emerging giants, Boston Consult. Grp, 3 Dec 07 ('08 Report--Intro | From our archive: '06 Report) [pdf] Is Chavez taking too many oil risks?: Venezuela may be sitting atop one of world's largest oil deposits, but most of the stuff is extra-heavy crude. Tapping and processing that tarlike oil require billions in invest- ment, Time, 29 Nov 07 A little laptop with big ambitions: In '05, Negroponte unveiled an idea for bridging tech divide bet. rich nations and developing world. It was captivating in its utter simplicity. But the plan has been derailed, in part, by power of his idea, Wall Street J, 24 Nov 07 New LatAm Econ Outlook calls for fairer public spending policies: LatAm nations need to invest more in health, educ. and infrastructure. But to afford this, they need major changes in tax systems, OECD, 7 Nov 07 (Econ Outlook '08 | IMF--Regl Outlook) Geoffrey Heal: Insuring against global warming -- How much should nations spend to avoid uncertain risk of climate change?, Columbia U, Nov '06 (FT--A solution to climate change in the world's rainforests) Russia and the world--Scenarios to 2025: Is Russia on path of decline, or can it turn itself around? Three scenarios aim to illuminate what could happen--'Long march, Oil's curse, and Renaissance', World Economic Forum, Apr '06 (Global risk outlook for Russia [pdf]) Posted: 26-30 Nov 07 World Aids Day, 1 Dec 07: This year focuses on 'leadership', the theme set by World Aids Campaign under 5-year slogan 'Stop Aids, Keep the promise', UNAIDS(Special representatives [pdf]| Fast facts | World Aids Day 46664 concert) Can greed save Africa?--Special report: Fearless investing is succeed- ing where aid often hasn't, by R Farzad, Business Week, 30 Nov 07 Photo finish bet. Iceland & Norway to top human development rank- ing: The index assesses development through life expectancy, adult literacy, school enrollement & income, UNDP, 27 Nov 07 (HD rank- ing | Intro | HD Report | Exec sum) [pdf] Worldwide cost of living ranking: Luanda, Angola is most expensive city for expats, Oslo, Norway is in second place followed by Moscow. The cheapest city in survey is Maseru, Lesotho, ECA Intl, 26 Nov 07 Will sovereign wealth funds rule the world?: These big govt-owned funds may turn their economic clout into political gain. Sen. Banking Cmte heard lengthy testimony on them, Christian Sci Monitor, 26 Nov 07 (IMF convenes SW fund managers | Sen Bank Cmte hearing) Australia's bookish new leader a study in contradictions, has head start on foreign policy: Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd comes to power with some of best foreign policy credentials around, incl. mastery of Chinese language, AP (courtesy pr-inside/Austria), 24 Nov 07 Joseph Stiglitz: Financial hypocrisy--It is not surprising that 10 years after Asian crisis, there has been no fundamental reform. Nor is it sur- prising that world is once again facing global financial instability, Proj Syndicate (courtesy Stabroek News/Guyana), 19 Nov 07 'They are dying in our arms': More dire than the situation in Darfur-- that's how UN officials are describing worsening humanitarian crisis in Somalia, Der Spiegel (Germany), 20 Nov 07 (ReliefWeb--Somalia) Achieving a steady growth rate in Africa: After years of stop-and-start results, many African economies appear to be growing at the fast and steady rates needed to put a dent in region's high poverty rate, World Bank, 14 Nov 07 (Africa Development Indicators | Little Data Book) Newsroom: Roger Cohen--Let's face the new 'core facts': In gym at NATO base in Kabul, US soldiers hit treadmills daily and gaze at TV screens broadcasting Al Jazeera English, NYT(courtesy IHT), 11 Nov 07 (American Thinker--NYT columnist thinks Al-Jazeera 'balanced') Dani Rodrik: Hirschman-esque thoughts on development -- The key lesson of last half-century is that policy makers have to be strategic, rather than comprehensive, Harvard, 5 Nov 07 (Princeton UPr--One Economics, Many Recipes) Economist analyzes troop surge in Iraq: 'The most important message in the study is that the same empirical tools that we use in economics can be used to assess how the surge is going,' MIT, 5 Nov 07 John Taylor: The empty chair at the Iraq hearings--Effective foreign policy requires paying close attention to economics, not just security and politics, Washington Post (free registr reqd), 1 Nov 07 Forum studies future of Saudi Arabia: WEF presents three possible scenarios for kingdom over the next 20 years - 'Oasis, Sandstorm and the Fertile Gulf,' World Economic Forum, 24 Oct 07 From our archive: Restarting Palestinian economic recovery -- Econ monitoring report to Ad Hoc Liaison Cmte for West Bank and Gaza: AHLC is chaired by Norway & includes US, Japan, Bank & IMF, & some Arab states, World Bank, 24 Sep 07 [pdf] (AHLC meet | Press conf) << Previous Home Next >> Copyright (c) 2001-2008 Leonardo L. 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