New York Times (August 7)
The “government rescue of one of Portugal’s largest lenders” is another example of “regulatory failure.” Banco Espírito Santo had succeeded in a system that made “it easy for banks to look good and hide their problems.” As the European Central Bank (ECB) moves to assume supervision for some of Europe’s largest banks later this year, it will have to show that it really is serious. “Europe’s economy will not recover until its banking system is truly healthy.”
Tags: Banco Espírito Santo, Banks, ECB, Economy, Europe, Government, Lenders, Portugal, Recover, Regulatory failure, Rescue
New York Times (June 10)
Will the recent attack on the Karachi airport “be the crisis that finally persuades Pakistan’s government and its powerful military to acknowledge the Taliban’s pernicious threat and confront it in a comprehensive way? It should be…. Security is crumbling and the military, the country’s strongest institution, is in danger of losing control.”
Tags: Airport, Attack, Confront, Control, Crisis, Government, Karachi, Pakistan, Security, Taliban, Threat
Institutional Investor (June 3)
“It’s been 25 years since the government cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrators in and around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.” Today, most younger Chinese have little awareness of the seminal event, and authorities are “taking extraordinary measures” to make sure the anniversary “passes without incident, or indeed recognition of any kind.”
Tags: Anniversary, Authorities, Awareness, Beijing, China, Crack down, Demonstrators, Government, Pro-democracy, Tiananmen Square
New York Times (May 30)
Following the recent coup in Thailand, “the military is operating an increasingly authoritarian government intent on silencing all forms of dissent or disobedience.” If the military truly intends to deliver a “genuine democracy,” it needs to “provide a plan for a return to civilian rule, including setting a date for an election.”
Tags: Authoritarian, Civilian rule, Democracy, Disobedience, Dissent, Election, Government, Military, oup, Silencing, Thailand
New York Times (March 30)
“In recent years, the government has too often given patent protection to inventions that do not represent real scientific advances.” With patent applications more than tripling during the past 20 years, many of the patents granted “appear to be overly broad and vague.” In an upcoming case, the Supreme Court will have a chance to narrow the scope of what’s patentable. “The Supreme Court should make clear that nobody should be allowed to claim a monopoly over an abstract idea.”
Tags: Abstract idea, Applications, Government, Inventions, Monopoly, Overly broad, Patent, Protection, Scientific advances, Supreme Court, U.S., Vague
Financial Times (March 27)
Abenomics “has been judged a qualified success but there are concerns the effort will peter out.” The upcoming consumption tax increase ranks high among these and an even more fundamental concern, that higher inflation would make the government’s debt burden unsustainable, remains untested. If the latter holds true, however, “it is precisely when Abenomics reaches its stated aim that it will begin to unravel.”
Tags: Abenomics, Concerns, Consumption tax, Government, Inflation, Success, Unsustainable
The Economist (March 22)
“Global spending on basic infrastructure—transport, power, water and communications—currently amounts to $2.7 trillion a year when it ought to be $3.7 trillion. The gap is almost as big as South Korea’s GDP. And it is likely to grow fast.” To close the gap, governments need to step forward, and new ways need to be found to coax private capital investment in infrastructure.
Tags: Communications, Gap, GDP, Government, Infrastructure, Investment, Power, Private capital, South Korea, Spending, Transport, Water
New York Times (March 9)
“American press freedoms rank among the broadest in the world,” but the government can still crimp this freedom by “prosecuting those suspected of leaking classified documents, and even seizing reporters’ records. Uninhibited and robust criticism can go only so far without meaningful access to information.”
Tags: Access, Classified documents, Criticism, Government, Information, Leaks, Meaningful, Press freedoms, Prosecuting, Reporters, Robust, Seizure, U.S.
Financial Times (March 4)
The Chinese Government appears to be getting serious about tackling air pollution. “The danger is that the leadership of the Communist party will conclude that it needs fast growth more than it needs clean air, clean soil and clean rivers. That would be a mistake.”
Tags: Air pollution, China, Clean air, Clean rivers, Clean soil, Communist party, Government, Growth, Leadership
Chicago Tribune (February 18, 2014)
“Automakers have outfitted their vehicles with cutting-edge technology that goes way beyond the now-common mapping and music options. New cars these days act like smartphones on wheels.” While some new features improve safety, others create dangerous distraction. “Like so much of the digital world, car-borne technology is changing fast. Government watchdogs and corporate innovators should work together to accelerate progress, while keeping motorists safe.”
Tags: Automakers, Cars, Digital, Distraction, Government, Mapping, Motorists, Music, Progress, Safety, Smartphones, Technology, Vehicles, Watchdogs