In The News

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...

Post-Pandemic World: Al Jazeera

Fahd Humayun March 30, 2020
Responses to crisis that resist fear, focusing on analysis and repair, will minimize damage. The liberal international order that emerged after World War II was “ gradually eroded by the combined forces of globalisation, poverty and the unresponsiveness of mainstream political parties to local discontent,” explains Fahd Humayun for Al Jazeera. Recent erosion of that order led to inequality,...

Global Financial System and the Abyss: Bloomberg

Molly Smith, Alex Harris and Matthew Boesler March 29, 2020
The United States, with more confirmed COVID-19 cases than other country in the world and a patchwork approach to testing and emergency closures, has not set a good example in slowing the disease's spread. On the other hand, the US Federal Reserve has led in preventing a global economic depression by applying massive, far-reaching and historic actions to ensure liquidity and stabilization....

Harvests at Risk With Squeezed Labor: Bloomberg

Mike Dorning, Edward Ludlow and Ainslie Chandler March 27, 2020
Governments’ go-to method for stopping the spread of COVID-19 is imposing travel limits on infected countries. Such limits could threaten food production in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. “American produce growers preparing to harvest crops are warning of a devastating impact on fruit and vegetables after the U.S. Embassy in Mexico announced a halt to visa interviews for seasonal farm...

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...

Limits on Medical Gear Exports: PIIE

Chad P. Brown March 25, 2020
Nations scramble for protective medical gear to prevent infections and a breakdown of health systems. Masks, gloves, gowns and ventilators are in short supply. The European Union announced export restrictions on some supplies, limiting EU sales to countries outside the bloc. “Europe’s actions could be self-defeating,” reports the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “They may disrupt...