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4/16 Issue

2014/ 04/ 16 by jd in IRCWeekly

The UK’s Gordon Brown is not just blowing his own horn but America’s as well. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is confident that both the UK and U.S. economies are recovering and that fears of secular stagnation are exaggerated.

As the economies of India and China continue to grow, albeit more slowly, both countries seek new energy sources. Both are investing in research into the use of thorium reactors, with plans for at least one working prototype next year. Thorium is tricky, the U.S. axed its research program in the 1970s, but the Economist believes it promises major benefits in terms of abundance and safety.

To end its destabilizing activities, the Financial Times contends Europe must be willing to hit the Russian economy where it hurts. This may also inflict some pain in Europe, but strong economic consequences are the most effective tool to persuade Putin.

The Los Angeles Times warns that the pervasive Heartbleed bug should remind us that it’s not just about the geeks writing code. Websites and service providers need to be vigilant that patches and upgrades are installed on a timely basis so their systems remain secure for users.

The European Central Bank is making progress in eliminating “fudges” to strengthen the regulatory framework, according to Euromoney. On the other hand, the Chicago Tribune believes John Kerry should quit trying to make progress in peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The talks are collapsing because neither party is motivated to overcome their divisions.

And the New York Times urges the new Mayor Bill de Blasio to back off on his plans to rid the city of horse-drawn carriages. Seeing that the horses are well treated is admirable. Eliminating this distinctive feature from the city is not. 

As always, links are provided to the original source so you can get further detail, but please note these are frequently updated and links that were valid at publication may later be broken. To see the media’s takes on these and other developments from around the globe, you can browse Global News highlights below and also at http://www.irken.jp/gn/.

 

Financial Times (April 15)

2014/ 04/ 16 by jd in Global News

“Putin’s insidious tactics in Ukraine” should convince EU leaders of the need to spell out the consequences of further incursion. “Russia’s Achilles heel throughout this crisis has been its economy. If Mr Putin persists in his attempt to destabilise Ukraine, European leaders need to be prepared to apply punishment – even if this means inflicting some pain on their own economies.”

 

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