Latest from Jo Critcher

• Feb 23, 2023

  Strikes and other labor actions went up a lot last year

  

  The number of strikes and other forms of labor organization — such as forming unions — increased sharply in 2022 from 2021. We look into how the strong job market could have contributed to the momentum behind workers. The stock market has been turbulent as of late, reflecting broader unease over the question of “how is the economy doing?” We check in with KPMG Chief Economist Diane Swonk, who says it’s likely a mix of good and bad. And, a look at a program at the University of Michigan’s School of Business to transform students’ interest in management into a real passion. 

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• Feb 23, 2023

  So far, Russia sanctions get a C+ for effectiveness

  

  Nearly a year on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the sanctions regime imposed on Vladimir Putin’s regime by the West and its allies looks to be less effective than initially hoped. According to Brooke Harrington, a professor at Dartmouth, that’s been due in part to the difficulty of sanctioning assets that are being held in the nebulous world of international offshore wealth management. And, a look at what the potential ramifications of a U.S. debt default could be if the federal government fails to raise the nation’s debt ceiling. 

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• Feb 23, 2023

  What’s at stake in Nigeria’s upcoming elections?

  

  From the BBC World Service: It’s the last day of campaigning in Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa. With the country going through economic turmoil, BBC presenter Alan Kasujja is in the capital city Lagos with elections being held on Saturday. Plus a year in to the Ukraine war BBC’s Leanna Byrne investigates the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy.

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• Feb 22, 2023

  A year on, Germany has cut its dependence on Russian gas

  

  Germany’s energy situation is much different than it was nearly a year ago when Russia invaded Ukraine — the country has effectively cut itself off from dependence on Russian natural gas. We look into the successful rapid transition. United Airlines announced the launch of a $100 million fund to back companies working on developing green jet fuel. Susan Schmidt, Head of Public Equity at the State of Wisconsin Investment Fund, walks us through yesterday’s market turmoil. And, the BBC reports on a Hong Kong scheme to give each resident a hefty stimulus payment. 

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• Feb 22, 2023

  United said it’s reducing fees. Will other carriers follow?

  

  One of the world’s largest airlines, United, said it will ease fees for parents wanting to sit with their children aged 12 and under. This, as the Biden administration pushes to crack down on “junk fees” in a variety of industries. A look into why markets are looking turbulent again, which has something to do with the threat of a recession on the horizon. And, a look at the Supreme Court cases that could redefine the internet in the coming months.

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• Feb 22, 2023

  How bad weather is causing empty supermarket shelves

  

  From the BBC World Service: Bad weather in North Africa means less fruit and vegetables are finding their way into supermarkets in the U.K. and Ireland. Social media is full of pictures of empty shelves in economies dependent on imports. But we hear how the situation has also been exacerbated by supermarkets’ hard-nosed approach to negotiating supply deals with farmers. Plus, why Hong Kong is handing citizens $600 each. And, as we continue our look at the wider impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, we speak to businesses in Russia facing a skills shortages caused by conscription.

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• Feb 21, 2023

  There are few options for mothers in prison

  

  For incarcerated women, there are few options for where to send their children when serving their sentences — many lack family members who could take them in, and foster care carries the risk of losing custody. Hear how some groups in Minnesota are forming an alternative foster care system. We check in with Dr. David Kelley, Chief Market Strategist at JP Morgan Funds, about the markets picture underneath the good recent economic data. The Supreme Court is set to take up cases this term that could shape the tech landscape for the foreseeable future. And, in earthquake-torn Turkey and Syria, aid groups are disbursing U.S. dollar-denominated cash donations to victims.

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• Feb 21, 2023

  Big cases for Big Tech at the Supreme Court

  

  The Supreme Court will hear a case today challenging a liability shield that’s helped protect tech companies from what users post on their platforms. Many argue this protection helped build the modern internet — and wonder what will happen if it’s struck down. The BBC looks at the results of one of the world’s largest four-day workweek experiments, which was conducted in the UK over a period of six months. And, some personal finance tips for people making big life changes from CBS News’ Jill Schlesinger. 

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• Feb 21, 2023

  Who in Britain is for a four-day week?

  

  From the BBC World Service: How would you like to get all your pay for working 80% of the time? We take a look at one of the world’s biggest pilots of the four-day work week. Nearly all the businesses that took part want to carry on. Plus, as President Putin makes a major address to mark the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we take a look at the human toll. Millions of people fled to other countries and some of them have been setting up businesses. And finally, more heads are rolling in Spain after $250m was spent on trains too wide to fit through tunnels.

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• Feb 20, 2023

  President Biden visited Ukraine. What was on the agenda?

  

  President Biden arrived in Kyiv this morning on a surprise visit to wartime Ukraine. Hear about what was on the agenda, including fresh arms deliveries and other forms of assistance. The BBC investigates alleged sexual assault on Kenyan tea farms that supply some of the world’s largest brands. And, a look at how abortion funds and clinics in the South are sending services across state lines into communities where the practice became illegal after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.  Please be advised content featured in this podcast includes a story about sexual abuse that listeners may find difficult to hear or inappropriate for younger audiences.

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