In The News

Wage Transparency: New Frame

Carlos Amato February 1, 2020
Wage inequality thrives on secrecy. Members of society have some insights: some positions pay minimum wage, teacher and government salaries are public information, and annual reports disclose CEO salaries and benefits. It’s no coincidence that Norway, Sweden and Finland are societies with greater equality and “every taxpayer’s annual income and tax payments are transparent,” explains Carlos Amato...

WHO Calls Global Emergency on Coronavirus: BBC

January 31, 2020
The World Health Organization declared a global emergency on the new coronavirus. “The concern is that it could spread to countries with weaker health systems,” reports BBC News. Low-income nations lack public health personnel and resources to identify and contain the fast-spreading virus. Public health officials identified the disease in Wuhan, China, in early January, and it quickly spread....

Trump, Bolton and Pressure on Ukraine: NY Times

Maggie Haberman and Michael S. Schmidt January 31, 2020
US Senators have finished questioning house managers and the defense team in the impeachment trial of Donald Trump. Democrats called for witnesses, especially John Bolton after other witnesses described him as angry about attempts to investigate a political rival of Trump. Bolton, a far-right Republican, wrote a book to be published in March and describes Trump asking for help with his campaign...

Invisible Brexit: Politico

Ryan Heath January 31, 2020
After more than three years of wrangling, Britain leaves the European Union with a transition period that ends this year. Most Europeans, weary of Brexit, hope to proceed with minimal disruptions. For many years, communities and families made plans based on a united European Union that included the United Kingdom, and the issue sharply divided the UK since a June 2026 referendum. In December 2019...

“Public Charge” Immigration Rule: Politico

Susannah Luthi January 30, 2020
US officials have expressed a preference for wealthy immigrants, and the poor can expect challenges in obtaining green cards that allow permanent residency and work. The US Supreme Court voted 5 to 4, allowing “the controversial immigration rules go forward even as lower courts wrestle with multiple legal challenges against them,” reports Susannah Luthi for Politico. “The policy in question would...

US and EU Argue on Carbon Tax: Financial Times

Gillian Tett, Chris Giles and James Politi January 30, 2020
The European Union’s new tax plan on carbon imports may exacerbate transatlantic tensions. The Green Deal plan comes at the heels of France delaying imposition of a digital services tax, resisted by the Trump administration. According to Wilbur Ross, US commerce secretary, the United States could retaliate with tariffs if it finds the new carbon tax stems from trade protectionism. From the EU...

East Africa Locust Outbreak: Al Jazeera

January 29, 2020
Clouds of locusts are ruining crops and livelihoods in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. “The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated one swarm in Kenya at around 2,400 square kilometres (about 930 square miles) - an area almost the size of Moscow - meaning it could contain up to 200 billion locusts,” reports Al Jazeera, adding that experts worry about food security in a region...