Latest from Jonathan Frewin

• Aug 10, 2022

  Sri Lanka’s electricity prices could soar by as much as 264%

  

  From the BBC World Service: Major electricity price hikes are adding pressure for people in Sri Lanka who are already struggling to afford the basics. The country has seen more anti-government protests amid an ongoing economic crisis. Plus, Germany plans to raise income tax thresholds and child benefits to try to help struggling households. And, how can you get deliveries if you don’t have a formal address? The Gambia in west Africa is rolling out a new digital system.

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• Aug 9, 2022

  Numbers say more is less when it comes to U.S. productivity

  

  We try to explain, with some help from Jeffrey Cleveland of Payden & Rygel. The U.S. is sending another $1 billion dollars in military aid to Ukraine. A variety of factors are weakening Russia’s grip on the crypto mining industry.

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• Aug 9, 2022

  How funding to address climate change can also help vulnerable communities

  

  Some of the provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act put a focus on how climate change can affect at-risk communities – specifically, environmental inequity. Also, while we might be done with supply chain problems, it appears those problems aren’t done with us.

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• Aug 9, 2022

  Heaviest rain in decades in Seoul highlights infrastructure challenges

  

  From the BBC World Service: At least eight people died after torrential downpours in the South Korean capital, with some trapped in subterranean apartments, which are frequently occupied by lower-income households. Plus, fears are growing of a worsening energy crisis in Cuba after vital fuel-storage tanks were destroyed by a fire in the port city of Matanzas. And, fed-up homeowners in China have decided to move into their unfinished tower blocks after developers halted work.

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• Aug 8, 2022

  Consumers are saving less but still borrowing, and banks have noticed

  

  Consumers are still spending money and taking out loans, normally good signs for the economy. The catch: They’re saving less, and banks are preparing to deal with more loan delinquency in the coming months as things get more expensive. We take a look at today’s increasingly “weird” economy with Julia Coronado, president and founder of MacroPolicy Perspectives. Chinese exports grew in the past months, according to new data, partly because things are coming back to normal after COVID lockdowns. And, Amazon bought iRobot, the company that makes the Roomba line of robotic vacuums, to boost its smart home offerings.

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• Aug 8, 2022

  Senate Democrats passed their spending bill. What didn’t make the final cut?

  

  Democrats passed their marquee climate and spending package late yesterday, a victory for the Biden administration as it seeks to reinvigorate its domestic agenda. We look at what provisions didn’t make the final cut, including a proposal to close the so-called “carried-interest tax loophole.” A new study finds that children with friends of different income levels saw a notable reduction in poverty rates later in life. Also, Amazon last week bought iRobot, the company that makes the Roomba line of robotic vacuums, in an effort to expand its smart home offerings.

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• Aug 8, 2022

  Kenya’s presidential election features talk of dynasties, hustlers and the rising cost of living

  

  From the BBC World Service: Whoever wins in Kenya will take on economic challenges including record inflation, drought and mounting national debt. Plus, Colombia’s new president, Gustavo Petro, pledges a raft of reforms and says he wants to reduce Colombia’s reliance on coal. It’s one of the largest exporters in the world. And, the stress, hunger and poverty facing people in Afghanistan, as foreign funds that once paid for its public health system have been frozen since the Taliban seized power.

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• Aug 5, 2022

  Holy hiring! U.S. economy adds 528,000 jobs in July

  

  The U.S. economy added 528,000 jobs in July, according to the latest jobs report, far outpacing expectations. We dig into what that means amid high inflation and whether this dampens fears of a recession. More on the reasons why the labor market will likely stay hot for the foreseeable future, including Baby Boomer retirements and declining immigration. Also, China has imposed sanctions on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after her visit to Taiwan. 

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• Aug 5, 2022

  The CHIPS Act isn’t just about semiconductors. It also funds science.

  

  The CHIPS and Science Act puts aside tens of billions of dollars in funding for the National Science Foundation, the nation’s government research agency. We talked to the NSF’s director, Sethuraman Panchanathan, about what the money means and how it would contribute to American scientific advancement in coming years. Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a key swing vote in the party, announced yesterday that she would support the party’s “Inflation Reduction Act” tax and climate bill. A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Equifax, which acknowledged that some users’ credit scores were miscalculated due to a “coding issue.”

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• Aug 5, 2022

  China plans sanctions on Nancy Pelosi and her family after Taiwan visit

  

  From the BBC World Service: The Chinese Foreign Ministry described Speaker Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan as an “egregious provocation” and that it ignored China’s “serious concerns”. Plus, three more grain ships have sailed from Ukraine, bound for Turkey, Ireland and the U.K. And, medical recruitment is a global challenge for hospitals.

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