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In the News
Will Boris Johnson’s immigration reforms work?
The excellent Jonathan Portes with a summary here of the government's proposed immigration reforms.
Economics Weekly Quiz 14 February 2020
Here's this week's economics news quiz. Good luck!
Why do big government projects cost so much?
Here is a fascinating insight into why government projects are so frequently over-budget.
Asda and Greggs announce shop-in-shop partnership
Another strand of the rapid growth of Greggs emerges here with news of a trial concession partnership with Asda.
Apps proliferate but do they actually lift productivity?
The idea that apps can make major changes to the behaviour of individuals is something of a pipe dream. New technology is often being applied when it is simply not needed.
Where do wind turbine blades go to die?
It sounds like the build-up to the sort of very poor joke only economists could love: where do wind turbine blades go to die?
Uber's losses extent beyond $1 billion - is there a path to profit?
A little of bit of an Economics/Business mash-up. Uber has made a loss of $1.1bn - yes, that's right - a loss. So how can the company stay in business?
Rising obesity as a barrier to development
An interesting World Bank clip looking at the global prevalence of obesity, not least in low and middle-income countries, and the implications of this for development.
Did Apple slow down their old iPhones?
Really interesting regulation story here emanating from France, where the authorities have fined Apple for not providing consumers with information that they 'slowed down' old iPhones.
Economics Weekly Quiz 7 February 2020
Here's this week's economics news quiz. Good luck!
Contestable Markets: The Battle for Dominance in Cloud Gaming
Who said this today? "When you talk about Nintendo and Sony, we have a tonne of respect for them, but we see Amazon and Google as the main competitors going forward"
Why US economists are obsessed with 'Japanification'
We have been discussing Japan in economics classes when looking at the impact of deflation. This FT video is timely.
Economics Weekly Quiz 31 January 2020
Here's this week's economics news quiz. Good luck!
Can Mozambique close their rural infrastructure gap?
The discovery and extraction of liquified natural gas has the potential to raise Mozambique's trend economic growth rate from 3% to 5% but this natural resource endowment is no guarantee of...
Regulatory failure in the UK electricity industry
A case of regulator pitched against regulator, with the National Audit Office suggesting that lenient regulation of electricity network providers has seen consumers overpaying for their electricity.
Indonesia’s Aspiring Middle Class
The rise of an aspirant middle-class is a sure sign of economic development and this World Bank clip looks at how almost half of all Indonesians are now in that bracket.
Northern Rail is nationalised
The government has confirmed that Arriva will lose their Northern Rail franchisefrom the 1st of March 2020 as the UK government nationalises this part of the UK rail network.
Tech giants power record surge in renewable energy sales
Vilify them as we might, the tech giants are the largest corporate buyers of renewable energy, with Google alone buying over 2.5 gigawatts.
Cambodia: Sewer Networks Improve Families’ Lives
A World Bank clip that highlights the importance of access to clean water and sanitation services in enhancing human development outcomes of the poorest in Cambodia.
How serious is the UK about tackling climate change?
This Newsnight clip calls into question the government's commitment to cutting carbon emissions.