In The News

Trump Threatens to Withhold Funding for WHO: NYT

Michael D. Shear April 8, 2020
Critics have blasted Donald Trump’s delay in recognizing COVID-19 as a crisis and failing to implement strong public health measures early on. In a press conference, he directed a similar charge against the World Health Organization and raised the threat of withholding US funding from the global group. The US contribution represents about 10 percent of the WHO budget. “They called it wrong,” the...

Lockdown Disrupts Agri Supply Chains: Dawn

Mohammad Hussain Khan April 7, 2020
Wheat is ready for harvest in Pakistan, but the areas are in lockdown since March 22 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Many farmers anticipate governments to extend lockdowns. At the same time, they anticipate price pressure for the crops. Sharecroppers face particular challenges. “Whilst a grower has multiple income generation options, a sharecropper depends on one crop or livestock to keep his...

Global Pandemic Strategy: Project Syndicate

Josep Borrell April 5, 2020
The world confronts a common enemy in COVID-19, and choices made today will shape individual communities and the world in the months and years ahead, explains Josep Borrell for Project Syndicate. A natural instinct is to fend for one’s self. “Going it alone all but guarantees that the fight will last longer, and that the human and economic costs will be far higher,” he writes. “Although the enemy...

The Greatest Test: UN News

April 1, 2020
The United Nations urges the world to unite as COVID-19 spreads throughout communities, forcing people to isolate, ruining economic activity and livelihoods. Long-term effects could be dire, and Secretary-General António Guterres calls for shared responsibility. “This human crisis demands coordinated, decisive, inclusive and innovative policy action from the world’s leading economies – and...

Time to Make a Face Mask: New York Times

Farhad Manjoo March 31, 2020
Advice on face masks has evolved throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. East Asians have long worn such masks, protecting against flu viruses since 1918 and then SARS in 2003. But US health experts suggested the masks were unnecessary. “The world is running out of face masks for health care workers, which is one reason American officials, including the surgeon general, have warned members of the...

Who Is Caring for “Invisible” Carers? Rappler

Vin Aranas March 26, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic exposes devastating inequality. More than half of all workers hold jobs that cannot be done remote from home. Even in wealthy countries like the United States, half of the residents lack savings to manage an unexpected $500 expense. “While it is true that anyone can be exposed, not everyone has the means to protect themselves, the opportunity to practice social distancing...

US Coronavirus Conflict With China: The Hill

Stephen S. Roach and Daniel L. Arbess March 25, 2020
COVID-19, a threat to social and economic activity, requires a global solution, explain Stephen Roach and Daniel Arbess. Scapegoating is “stressing the U.S.-China relationship, inhibiting collaboration and enabling China to fill the global leadership void,” the two write. Collaborative research and ending the trade war, especially on medical supplies, could save US lives. China’s strict...