Decoding the 'Signals' From Davos

Posted: 01/27/2013 11:42 am

Rich Lesser

President and Chief Executive Officer of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

huffingtonpost

As I head to Africa after the World Economic Forum in Davos, like most participants I am trying to distill the core insights from the past week. Clearly, the tone of the meeting was more optimistic than last year, with spirits buoyed by the recent upward momentum of China and the U.S. and signs that the euro zone has stepped back from the brink of collapse. But gauging the mood is one thing. Making sense of the cacophony of issues, challenges, and opportunities is another.

Wealth and Poverty in a University Town

Huffington Post

Rena N. Lauer

Ph.D Candidate, Harvard

Posted: 01/25/2013 6:32 pm

The cashier told the woman in front of me that she couldn't buy the sack of potatoes. WIC, the government food program for mothers and children, would not pay for starches, and so the potatoes she had chosen -- "mistaking" them for a vegetable -- had to go back to the supermarket's shelves.

Will Your Mother Live in Poverty?

Victoria Pynchon, Contributor

FORBES

http://www.forbes.com/sites/shenegotiates/2013/01/26/will-your-mother-live-in-poverty/

A recent news release by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development predicts poverty for mothers in their elder years.

Bankers, policymakers say Europe's crisis not over

By Emma Thomasson and Alexander Smith

DAVOS, Switzerland | Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:15pm GMT

(Reuters) - International bankers and finance ministers warned on Saturday that Europe's crisis was not over even though the euro currency is now stabilised, it will take years to overcome economic malaise and mass unemployment in Europe.

Greece Opposition Leader Calls for European Debt Renegotiation Summit

The New York Times

By RICK GLADSTONE

Published: January 25, 2013

¶ The 38-year-old leftist opposition leader in Greece, who could become its next prime minister on a wave of simmering popular fury over the Greek government’s austerity measures, called on Friday for a European summit to ease the crushing debts that threaten not only his country but all of Europe.

Greece orders striking subway workers back to work

Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:24am EST

* Strikers could be arrested under emergency law

* Athenians frustrated by week-long subway closure

* Strike tests government's resolve against unions

ATHENS, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Greece's government invoked emergency powers to order striking public transport workers back to work as Athens' subway system remained paralysed for the eighth consecutive day on Thursday.

Greek government backs its embattled statistics chief

By Dina Kyriakidou

ATHENS | Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:43am EST

Jan 24 (Reuters) - Greece's government on Thursday backed its embattled statistics chief, accused in felony charges of artificially inflating budget deficit figures to make the country's debt crisis appear worse.

Greece orders subway strikers back to work

By Anthee Carassava

January 24, 2013, 9:32 a.m.

Los Angeles Times
ATHENS -- Greece's ruling coalition on Thursday issued an emergency order demanding that striking subway employees go back to work or face massive arrests and potential job losses in the latest labor showdown to grip the beleaguered government.

UPDATE 1-EU court rules against Greece's OPAP gambling monopoly

Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:48am EST

Jan 24 (Reuters) - Europe's highest court ruled that OPAP's gambling monopoly in Greece was illegal and that the Greek authorities would have to reform the sector to protect consumers or open it up to competition.

U.S. Budget Discord Is Top Threat to Global Economy in Poll

By David J. Lynch - Jan 23, 2013 7:50 PM GMT+0200

Global investors say the state of the U.S. government’s finances is the greatest risk to the world economy and almost half are curbing their investments in response to continuing budget battles, a Bloomberg poll shows.

Can we fight poverty by ending extreme wealth?

Posted by Olga Khazan on January 20, 2013 at 8:00 am

The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/01/20/oxfam-poverty-income-inequality/

In a sign that the “Occupy” and “99 percent” movements that swept the United States in recent years have taken on increased global relevance, Oxfam International this week called for “a new global goal to end extreme wealth by 2025,” as a way to stem income inequality and continue the fight against poverty.

Greece’s 2012 Budget Deficit Narrows 31 Percent to Beat Target

Bloomberg

By Marcus Bensasson - Jan 22, 2013 2:18 PM GMT+0200

Greece’s budget deficit narrowed 31 percent in 2012, slightly more than an initial estimate earlier this month, as the government cut spending and revenue dropped less than anticipated.

ΕΚΤΕΛΕΣΗ ΚΡΑΤΙΚΟΥ ΠΡΟΫΠΟΛΟΓΙΣΜΟΥ 2012

Το Αρχείο που έδωσε στην δημοσιότητα το Υπ. Οικονομικών. Είναι για όλο το 2012.
Καλύτερο από ότι προβλεπόταν. 
Με μια πρώτη ανάγνωση οι δαπάνες για τόκους το 2012 είναι 11,735 δις. Ευρώ. 
Το 2011 ήταν 16,348 δις. 
Όλο το κείμενο για το 2012.
http://goo.gl/735a3 (2012)
Και το κείμενο για το 2011, για όσους ενδιαφέρονται.
http://goo.gl/Lvk07 (2011)

The bright side of Greece: Lower prices, fewer tourists

Rick Steves

January 22, 2013

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/sns-201301220000--tms--travelrsctnri-a20130122-20130122,0,752553.column

I keep getting asked if Greece is "safe" for travelers -- a question that feels absurd the instant you arrive there. Ask anyone who's been to Greece recently, and you'll learn that safety concerns have been played up by both Greek and international media outlets.

Δ. Ραυτόπουλος: Η Αριστερά θέλει να αλλάξει όλον τον κόσμο εκτός από τον εαυτό της

Η συνέντευξη του Δ. Ραυτόπουλου δημοσιεύθηκε στο ΒΗΜΑ την20-1-2013.

http://www.tovima.gr/books-ideas/article/?aid=493698

Ένας από τους τελευταίους σημαντικούς κριτικούς της ελληνικής μεταπολεμικής λογοτεχνίας μιλάει για την πρόσφατη συλλογή δοκιμίων του με θέμα τον Εμφύλιο και τις συνέπειές του, για την Αριστερά, τη βία, την κριτική και τον δυτικό πολιτισμό.

Makeshift bomb injures two at Greek shopping mall

By George Georgiopoulos

ATHENS | Sun Jan 20, 2013 9:48am EST

(Reuters) - A makeshift bomb lightly injured two security staff at a large shopping center near Athens on Sunday, in escalating political violence in the crisis-hit country.

Explosive device at shopping mall near Athens injures two

ATHENS | Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:29am EST

(Reuters) - An explosive device went off on Sunday at a shopping centre near Athens causing damage and lightly injuring two security employees, police said.

UPDATE 2-IMF sees up to 9.5 bln euro Greek funding gap in 2015-2016

 Jan 18, 2013 9:35pm EST

* Greek economy likely to shrink again this year

* Brazil opposes loan tranche to Greece

By Lesley Wroughton

WASHINGTON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund estimated on Friday that Greece faced a financing gap of between 5.5 billion and 9.5 billion euros for 2015 and 2016 and said it had assurances from Europe it would deliver the aid in the final years of the bailout.

A Strong Euro Starts to Worry Europe

By Carol Matlack on January 16, 2013 

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-16/a-strong-euro-starts-to-worry-europe#r=nav-fst

A new obstacle lies in the path of euro zone economies struggling to regain traction. It’s the strength of the euro currency, which is trading this week near a 10-month high of $1.34 against the dollar and threatening the competitiveness of European exporters. “Dangerously high” was how Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker described the exchange rate in a Jan. 15 speech.

IMF OKs Greek next aid tranche; Lagarde sees progress

By Lesley Wroughton

WASHINGTON | Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:18pm EST

(Reuters) - Greece's bailout program is moving in the right direction, the head of the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday after the IMF board agreed to pay the next aid tranche to Athens under the country's 240-billion-euro international bailout.