In The News

When China Sneezes: Project Syndicate

Stephen S. Roach February 26, 2020
Cases of the new coronavirus, confirmed in more than 30 countries, strikes when the global economy is already vulnerable and many countries struggle with debt, stagnant growth, reduced industrial output and job creation. COVID-19 has triggered an unexpected disruption to supply and demand. China is at the center of global value chains, explains Stephen S. Roach, an economist based at Yale...

What Happens If a Pandemic Hits? TechCrunch

John Evans February 25, 2020
The World Health Organization monitors the coronavirus as a group of epidemics and suggests it has the potential to become a global pandemic. Declaration of a pandemic would not mean closed borders, a shutdown of air travel or mass quarantines and drastic containment efforts could be counterproductive, argues Jon Evans for TechCrunch. “The focus will switch from containment to mitigation: slowing...

Global Spread of COVID-19: Spiegel

Veronika Hackenbroch and Fritz Schaap February 20, 2020
Thirty countries report confirmed coronavirus cases. Global public health experts suggest that case counts are low and express concern about the spread to less developed countries with dense populations and deep trade connections with China. For example, battling COVID-19 would be a challenge in Africa with shortages of health personnel, testing facilities, protective equipment, and...

Handling Coronavirus and No Zero Risk: USA Today

John Bacon February 18, 2020
The world has more than 70,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19. All but a few hundred are in China. The emergence and rapid spread of the new coronavirus, in the same family as the common cold, has alarmed public health officials. Authorities apply a range of controls: Quarantines separate those exposed until confirmation, isolation separates confirmed cases, lockdowns contain all in affected regions...

Coronavirus and Job Losses in China: SCMP

Sidney Leng February 13, 2020
The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in China has climbed to more than 60,000 cases with more than 1,300 dead. Chinese authorities early on took steps to curtail crowds, resulting in an economic slowdown and “firms faced with tough decision whether to reduce staff levels and wages to be able to survive,” reports Sidney Leng for the South China Morning Post. Restaurants, hotels, retail stores...

Not by Bullying: Times of India

Nayan Chanda February 11, 2020
The World Health Organization reports more than 40,000 cases of the new coronavirus with 1000 deaths, exceeding the 2003 SARS death toll. Public health responses vary around the world, and China now relies on those to assess its ties with other nations. For example, China has chastised the United States and other countries for imposing travel bans that incite panic and isolate the Chinese economy...

PFAS Contaminated Water and Food: Guardian

Tom Perkins February 8, 2020
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a group of about 5,000 manmade fluorinated chemicals, widely used to produce waterproof and stain-resistant textiles. These chemicals, which don’t break down naturally, are known as “forever chemicals.” But they are also water soluble, polluting soil and nearby drinking-water sources.” It is estimated that PFAS are in 99% of Americans’ blood, and...