Latest from Katie Barnfield

• Jan 25, 2023

  Amazon’s U.K. workers stage their first walk out

  

  From the BBC World Service: We hear from the Amazon workers in the UK who are staging their first strike in a dispute over pay and conditions. Plus, a German union says Ford is planning thousands of job cuts in Europe. What’s driving the group’s future strategy? And, Egypt is struggling with rising prices, a weak currency and a cash-strapped government. What impact is that having on day-to-day lives?

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• Jan 24, 2023

  Ticketmaster faces Senate grilling over Taylor Swift debacle

  

  The CEO of Live Nation, a live entertainment company bought by Ticketmaster over a decade ago, is facing a grilling on Capitol Hill over last year’s online sales debacle Taylor Swift concert tickets. This, as it reportedly faces a probe by the Department of Justice. There’s data today that orders from factories are down, which comes amid a spate of bad news for the sector. And, as part of our Econ Extra Credit series, we delve into how social media and algorithms promote a certain body image…and how that can translate into harm for some people. 

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• Jan 24, 2023

  Amazon now has a prescription drug service. Will it last?

  

  Amazon announced it will launch a new subscription drug service dubbed Amazon RxPass to complement its existing pharmaceutical products. The service, which will offer generic medications for $5 a month with Prime membership, will be the latest attempt by the online retail behemoth to make waves in the healthcare space. And, as part of our Econ Extra Credit series, we delve into the extreme fitness industry with Stephen Mayville, a Reno-based psychologist who studies muscle dysmorphia and steroid misuse. 

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• Jan 24, 2023

  Royal rent woe for Twitter

  

  From the BBC World Service: Twitter stands accused of skipping rent to King Charles III. The Crown Estate in the U.K., which manages property belonging to the reigning monarch, has filed court proceedings against the firm for arrears on its headquarters in London’s famous Piccadilly Circus. Plus, questions are being raised over Ticketmaster and whether it has a monopoly. We look at what U.S. regulators could maybe learn from Europe. And we hear more on those plans for a common currency in South America.

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• Jan 23, 2023

  Are some of the clouds lifting on gloomy recession forecasts?

  

  With the latest inflation report indicating a moderation in rising prices, some CEOs and economists are changing their tune on forecasts of a potential recession this year. Julia Coronado explains what’s driving optimism the near-term economic future may not be as bad as originally predicted. As Lunar New Year festivities kick off worldwide, China is having to balance celebrating one of the country’s most important holidays with a severe Covid situation. And, Chris Farrell talks about the potential benefits of the bigger Social Security checks that went out this month. 

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• Jan 23, 2023

  ‘Tis the season — for taxes

  

  The holiday season may be over, but another “season” is now upon us — the one to pay your taxes. The IRS’s window to submit tax returns is open from now until around April 15 for most people, and the agency is promising better service than in recent years when it experienced crippling delays. Renters nowadays are having to spend higher and higher proportions of their income on housing, which takes away from spending in other areas. And, some of the Federal Reserve’s highest-profile figures are publicly disagreeing about how much to hike interest rates in the near future. 

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• Jan 23, 2023

  Could a South American common currency rival the dollar?

  

  From the BBC World Service: We examine why Brazil and Argentina are exploring a common currency. Both countries have been wracked by economic demons – with Argentina in particular suffering one of the highest inflation rates in world. Plus, why Pakistan is facing power cuts. And we meet the Hongkongers celebrating Lunar New Year in the U.K.

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• Jan 20, 2023

  For most, owning a place is now pricier than renting

  

  A big swing in the housing market occurred over the last year: for the vast majority of people, it’s now cheaper to rent a place than to own it. According to a new report, that’s in big part due to rising mortgage rates, which have risen in tandem with the Fed’s rate hikes. Netflix’s CEO, Reed Hastings, is stepping down — he helped transform the company from a mail-order DVD service to a streaming behemoth. Christopher Low helps break down what’s behind the recent strength of bond yields. And, the Sundance Film Festival is back in person after two years of being virtual because of the pandemic. 

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• Jan 20, 2023

  College rankings under fire again, this time from Harvard Medical School

  

  Harvard Medical School, one of the top in the country, will stop submitting data to the U.S. News and World Report college ranking system. It’s another blow for the rankings, which has recently come under criticism from a number of high-profile schools for alleged flaws in the methodology. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, announced that it would lay off 12,000 workers, making it the latest tech giant to announce job cuts. And, the high-flying Davos summit wraps up today amid a mix of optimism and caution for coming year. 

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• Jan 20, 2023

  Digging for coal has to stop, says German activist

  

  From the BBC World Service: The fight over a controversial coal mine in Germany isn’t over according to one of the country’s best-known climate activists Luisa Neubauer. She tells us how mining cannot be justified, even in the context of an energy crisis in Europe triggered by Russia’s war with Ukraine. Plus, the demise of British Volt, once the UK’s great hope for the future of the auto industry. And millions are on the move in Asia for the Lunar New Year.

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