by Paul Gregory The  New York Times’s Vast Mexico Bribery Case Hushed Up by Wal-Mart After Top-Level Struggle suggests that Wal-Mart violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The smoking gun: Seven years ago, Wal-Mart de Mexico hired two outside lawyers for $8.5 million to “facilitate” store permits. The lawyers were effective:  “Legal and bureaucratic obstacles melted away after payments were made to minor officials who could thwart...

by Adam Smith World leaders, business executives, bankers, journalists and other influential policy makers recently met in Davos Switzerland to discuss the most pressing economic and political issues of the day. During this year’s gathering, there was mutual agreement that soft economic conditions are forcing countries to rethink how they can become more competitive in order to attract new businesses that will create more jobs and also...