By SIMON CONSTABLE
Holland has a New Year’s request: stop calling it Holland.
Holland refers to a region of the Netherlands, but the name itself has frequently been used to refer to the whole country. Now, through an effort led by the country’s board of tourism, the country’s government has decided that “all official government communications and promotions” will reference “the Netherlands” exclusively. Read more here.
By SIMON CONSTABLE
It was an ambitious goal when it was set in 2010: triple the percentage of female board directors on corporate boards by 2020. But as this new year dawned, more than three out of every ten directors—30.6%, to be exact—at the 250 largest publicly traded firms in the UK are women. The goal now? Keep up the effort without a highly publicized campaign. Read more here.
By SIMON CONSTABLE
Starting January 1, there are new laws in California that have all the look of outright war on the media.
While President Donald Trump has from day one as a candidate consistently hurled abuse at the press, what California has done makes Trump look like a rank amateur in the field. Read more here.
By SIMON CONSTABLE
Going green is gaining ground on Wall Street.
Surging interest in bonds intended to encourage sustainability means investors likely will hear the term “green bonds” used more often. While similar to traditional bonds, these fixed-income securities are different in at least one important way: Funds raised via green bonds must get used for projects that benefit the environment. For example, the cash could finance the purchase of solar panels to power office buildings. Read more here.
By SIMON CONSTABLE
Expect more violence in the middle east following the assassination of Iran’s most prominent and proficient General.
The killing is likely to provoke a significant response from the Islamic Republic towards U.S. interests and could mean more interruptions of oil supplies. Read more here.
