Dismantle the euro, says Nobel-winning economist who once backed currency union

“The euro should either be dismantled in an orderly way or the leading members should do the necessary as fast as possible to make it growth and employment-friendly,. “We will get nowhere plodding along with the current line of ad hoc decision-making and inconsistent debt-relief policies.

Before the new government could go on the offensive, it needed to play defense. It fended off an attack on Ireland’s 12.5 percent corporate tax rate, the cornerstone of an economic policy that transformed Ireland from a financial backwater into a European hub for companies such as Pfizer Inc., the maker of Viagra, and Google Inc.

Two days after commencing his premiership, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, 62, became embroiled in what he called a Gallic spat with French President Nicolas Sarkozy after refusing to raise the tax rate in return for an interest-rate cut on aid.

“The attitude was: ‘You misbehaved and here’s what you have to do’,’”

Person of the year: Jack Ma

The emerging risks of ticking time bonds By Martin Wolf

In sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, excluding South Africa, the entire electricity-generating capacity available is only 28 gigawatts — equivalent to Arizona’s — for 860 million people. About 6.5 million people live in Arizona.

Over the last 30 years, China moved an estimated 680 million people out of poverty by giving them access to modern energy, mostly powered by coal. Yes, this has resulted in terrible air pollution and a huge increase in greenhouse gas emissions. But it is a trade-off many developing countries would gratefully choose.

Today, 81 percent of the planet’s energy needs are met by fossil fuels, and according to the International Energy Agency, that percentage will be almost as high in 2035 under current policies, when consumption will be much greater. The unfortunate fact is that many people feel uncomfortable facing up to the undeniable need for more cheap and reliable power in the developing world.

This one number explains how China is taking over the world

Germany is a weight on the world

Why Government Doesn't—and Can't—Manage Resources Like a Private Business

Northern Europe’s Drag on the World Economy

Turning Good Economic Luck into Bad

Which Corporate Taxation for America?

The current system, all agree, is deeply flawed: the corporate tax rate is too high by global standards, and the corporate tax base is too narrow, owing to numerous credits, deductions, and special provisions that distort economic decisions.

The Greek Budget Myth

Green growth is a worthwhile goal

A particularly important aspect of that uncertainty is tipping points

It is irrational to play in the climate casino without seeking to eliminate worst-case outcomes

Why the world faces climate chaos

Recasting high school, German firms transplant apprentice model to U.S.

The apprentices are grouped together for coursework that leads to an associate’s degree in mechatronics, a hybrid discipline pioneered in Japan and Germany that melds the basics of mechanical engineering, electronics and other areas.

It produces workers that can program, operate and fix the machines common to the factories run by Siemens and other top companies. There used to be an elective among the 24 courses the students take. That was replaced with a logic class.

Why the future looks sluggish

Mexico’s car industry

Energy in India

Coal in the rich world

American industry and fracking