Hong Kong and Switzerland top the rankings of a new index released today that presents the state of human freedom in the world. The U.S. performance is worrisome and shows that the United States can no longer claim to be the leading bastion of liberty in the world. The Human Freedom Index (HFI) is the most comprehensive measure of freedom ever created for a large number of countries around the globe.

Unexpected news came from Scandinavia last week. Sweden will have lower corporate tax rate than Slovakia! Last Thursday Swedish government announced its intention to lower tax rate from 26,3% to 22% in order to „strengthen climate for investments and growth“ in the country. Well,  even Scandinavian socialism is not what it used to be. Truly shocking news from Southern Europe: Greece will need a third bailout.  According to the country’s representative in the negotiations of…

In Spain it will be hot after the summer. Judgment day will be on September 12. Did you sell grandfather’s gold teeth in Italy? We are treating depression by delivering news about bad situation our neighbours are in. The heat is slowing down the pace of society, but if you think it will slow down the pace of the crisis in the Eurozone, you’d better check if you don’t have sunstroke. Even though the news…

Monsieur Bastiat would be surprised how close to reality is his well-known essay “Petition of the Manufacturers of Candles…” In this paper manufacturers of candles and everything connected with lighting have complained, via a petition, of the intolerable and predatory competition of the Sun. In which they claim to inundate the national market with the light at an unbelievable low price and from their point of view this ruins a whole industry. They require the Members…

As Wen Jiabao walks into the press conference room, lights focus on him and the applause accompanies his steps. Then, with his voice slightly cracking he said: “Journalist friends, this will be my last National People’s Congress press conference“. Wen Jiabao is the sixth serving prime minister of the People’s republic of China and ranks third out of a nine member Politburo of the Communist Party of China, the real power organ of the world’s…