Showing 1 - 8 of 8
Trade shifts redefine development
News, Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg & Michele Ruta, Published on 03/02/2025
» Global trade is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by three major shifts. New technologies are redefining countries' comparative advantages and the types of goods they produce and export. The revival of activist trade and industrial policies threatens to distort trade flows and provoke retaliatory measures. And escalating tensions risk fragmenting the global economy along geopolitical lines.
Refugee deaths an immigration wake-up call
News, Pinelopi Goldberg, Published on 24/07/2023
» For around a week in late June, Western media were obsessed with the fate of the Titan, a small submersible carrying a few billionaires and others to the sunken Titanic and later found to have imploded within hours of beginning its descent. Meanwhile, a boat carrying some 750 economic refugees capsized off the Greek coast, killing hundreds who had boarded in Libya after making perilous journeys from places like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria. Pakistan declared a national day of mourning for its citizens lost at sea. But the West paid hardly any notice.
Don't ignore the climate elephant in the room
News, Pinelopi Goldberg, Published on 24/05/2023
» Now that the falsehoods and obfuscation of climate denialism have finally been silenced, addressing climate change has become the world's top priority. But time is running out, and the International Monetary Fund warns that any further delays in implementing policies to mitigate global warming will only add to the economic cost of the transition to a low-emissions economy. Worse, we still lack a concrete, pragmatic strategy for tackling the problem. Although economists have made a robust case for why carbon taxes are the best solution, this option has proven politically infeasible, at least in those countries that account for some of the highest emissions (namely, the United States).
More than rate hikes needed
News, Pinelopi Goldberg, Published on 01/08/2022
» As inflation in the United States reaches new heights, economists are debating how high the Federal Reserve will need to hike interest rates to curb demand and rein in price growth. Some commentators believe that the Fed will need to be as aggressive as Fed Chair Paul Volcker in the early 1980s, who ended up raising interest rates to as high as 20%.
Weaponising trade won't end Ukraine conflict
News, Pinelopi Goldberg, Published on 19/03/2022
» One of the strongest arguments for free trade is that it promotes peace between participating countries. There is an undeniable correlation between the two, even if it is not always clear whether peace is a precondition for the free trade, or commerce creates the economic incentives for all participants to maintain peace.
The everlasting appeal of Mrs Peel
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 20/09/2020
» I was saddened to learn of the death of actress Dame Diana Rigg at 82, best known by people of my vintage for her role as Emma Peel, the dynamic comrade of dapper secret agent John Steed in the idiosyncratic BBC series The Avengers. Rigg only appeared in two seasons, 1965-67, but she certainly made her mark, displaying a winning combination of charm, fashion, sophistication and martial arts. She was particularly proficient at karate chops.
Sometimes you just have to walk away
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 03/03/2019
» The Hanoi summit may not have gone quite as smoothly as planned, but I'll leave that for the experts to dissect. One suspects the expression "sometimes you have to walk" will be widely featured in forthcoming panel discussions. Nonetheless, the summit did have its entertaining moments.
Nix ugly billboards
News, Postbag, Published on 19/12/2018
» Re: "Posters an eyesore", (PostBag, Dec 18).