Pope Francis and the challenge of the modern world in 2020

11/27/2020

Two crises back to back in 2010 and 2020 putting the working class, middle class and poor further behind each ten years. Pope Francis calls this a challenge for the modern world in his new book "Let us Dream- The Path To a Better Future." He says "we cannot return to the false securities of the political and economic systems before the pandemic, we need economies that give access to all of the fruits of creation, to the basic needs of life, land lodging and labor."

Linked Articles

A Humble Pope, Challenging the World

New York Times 09/18/2015

Jim Yardley, Jim, Yardley

NYTimes.com 11/27/2020

Pope Francis

How the Coronavirus test in the U.S. got delayed for 3 crucial weeks in February letting the pandemic spread quickly

08/21/2020

Three lost weeks in February starting February 9 when the FDA realized its third component of the test to test mutated virus had failed in use by labs but continued to persist in doing this on its own. Private labs of well known medical companies and university teaching hospitals were ready to develop and use their own tests with lightning speed and yet the FDA required its approval stalling that effort. FDA and HHS failure in the crisis led to the quick spread of the virus in Feb- March making any use of test and contact trace for containment ineffective. a crucial window of time was lost!

Linked Articles

FDA’s Authority to Regulate Lab Tests Is Curtailed

WSJ 08/21/2020

Thomas M. Burton

WSJ 08/18/2020

Stephanie Armour, Brianna Abbott, Thomas M. Burton, Betsy Mc Kay

Macron's role in setting up the nonrepayable $390 billion common funding for the European Recovery Fund

07/31/2020

Macron's effort to persuade Merkel and Germans of the need for common funding for European recovery and his persistence at negotiations with the Dutch and Swedes to secure 390 billion euros of funding aid has earned him increasing popularity in France. It also brings Spain, Italy, Greece and eastern European nations closer together with France and Germany as they fight the pandemic.

Linked Articles

Macron's popularity climbs after signing EU pandemic stimulus, reshuffling gov't

France 24 07/30/2020

DW.COM 07/21/2020

Bernd Riegert

How the WHO failed as early warning system in the coronavirus after being a model during the leadership of Dr. Brundtland in 2003 SARS

05/21/2020

The contrast could not be greater between the World Health Organization today and the WHO under Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, a three time prime minister of Norway between 1981 and 1996 with great experience and a record of handling difficult issues of climate change and sustainable development.

Linked Articles

A Failed Deception: The Early Days of the Coronavirus Outbreak in Wuhan - DER SPIEGEL

SPIEGEL ONLINE 05/20/2020

Veronika Hackenbroch, Bernhard Zand, Der Spiegel

Hindustan Times 05/19/2020

How underreporting of coronavirus in China and in U.S. led to a false sense of security and unpreparedness

05/09/2020

The databases failed to be anywhere near the true estimates of infected people, researchers and experts say, and western nations lack of experience with such a virus led to complacency, unpreparedness, till it was too late.

Linked Articles

How a Johns Hopkins Professor and Her Chinese Students Tracked Coronavirus

WSJ 05/09/2020

Jon Hilsenrath, Jon Kamp

NYTimes.com 05/07/2020

Benedict Carey, James Glanz

East Gemany's struggle to find its own identity after young people leave and a sense of nostalgia for the economic security under the GDR

11/14/2019

By 2019 East Germany's search for identity is in full swing as it struggles with a nostalgia for the past before integration with west Germany, and following a departure of young people going west that leaves behind a rapidly aging society with less economic security. The promise of integration appears to be failed when seen as culture and identity, economic security.

Linked Articles

Germans still don’t agree on what reunification meant

The Economist 11/02/2019

11/05/2019

Oliver Moody, Berlin

Economic losses of 3% in GDP per head with Brexit and 8% with no-deal Brexit leaving Britons poorer

12/01/2018

As the Brexit option becomes clear as a hit to ordinary Britons and the British economy prime minister Theresa May takes her deal to the British parliament for a vote. Most opinion says it will be rejected, if not rejected outright by Conservatives and Labour MP's. A second vote may be taken. The Opposition Labour Party prepares for a new election with a divided government.

Linked Articles

How to make yourself poorer

The Economist 11/30/2018

The Economist 11/30/2018

Goldman Sachs and the Trump administration- Steven Mnuchin at Treasury and Gary Cohen at the National Economic Council

12/09/2016

Bank stocks are up with the election of Donald Trump, Goldman Sachs share price up 34%, with the push back against regulation of banks following the 2008 financial crisis.

Linked Articles

Goldman Sachs No. 2 Seen as a Top Economic Adviser to Trump

The New York Times 12/09/2016

Nathaniel Popper, Michael J. De La Merced, Maggie Haberman

WSJ 11/29/2016

Anupreeta Das, Rachel Louise Ensign

Why initiating Brexit by invoking the Lisbon Treaty's Article 50 could go into 2017, or even past 2020 into new general elections- (1) the pro stay vote in Ireland and Scotland

08/16/2016

Theresa May, Britain's prime minister, is deeply committed to the idea of the union of England with Scotland and Ireland. Invoking Article 50 of Lisbon Treaty, a step necessary for Brexit, would also lead to Scotland's ruling Scottish National Party to initiate plans for a second referendum for Scottish independence, as Scotland votd to remain in the European Union. The issue of Ireland and Northern Ireland's vote to remain in the EU would also lead to serious repercussions. In short it will be hard to separate the leave vote in England from the stay vote in Scotland and Ireland, as it will be difficult for most British people to imagine a England without a British identity. If the referendum had asked the second question "Do you still vote leave if this means the end of Britain or the United Kingdom?" the vote could have turned out differently for nationalist voters.

Linked Articles

Wait and see: Theresa May is in no hurry on Brexit | Europe | DW.COM | 15.08.2016

DW.COM 08/15/2016

Bernd Riegert / Db

DW.COM 07/25/2016

The Trump campaign organizational and advertising effort financing falling way behind Hillary Clinton in April 2016, and behind Mitt Romney at this stage in April 2016

04/20/2016

Linked Articles

Trump’s Campaign Spending on the Rise

Wall Street Journal 04/22/2016

Rebecca Ballhaus, Rebecca, Ballhaus, Beth Reinhard, Beth, Reinhard

New York Times 04/20/2016

Holas Confessore, Holas, Confessore

Donald Trump's proposal for 45% tariff on China's exports to the U.S.- how a policy of bringing jobs home could lead to the loss of 1 million U.S. jobs

03/08/2016

By damaging the international trading system including with allies such a Canada, Britain, France and Germany, the result of a downward spiral through higher tariffs in other countries, could end up costing the U.S. 1 million jobs. Under such a system the U.S. would lose many of the advantages of its booming tech sector, its tech driven global advantages in many industries, without signifcant gains in low cost imports such as clothing which would simply migrate to other countries such as India. The problem of worker wage stagnation in the U.S., and loss of jobs in certain sectors, is very real, but this is the wrong way to tackle the problem. China is already moving towards a consumer driven economy. Economists show that trade with Mexico would be seriously hurt both ways, creating more pressure of migrants at the border under such proposals as a 45% tariff and its indirect effect on Mexico, when the actual fact is that net migration from Mexico is the lowest it has ben in decades. Politics can do strange things as when two senators Smoot and Hawley from agricultural states Utah and Oregon, at the head of important committees in the U.S. Congress pushed and passed legislation for a 60% tariff in 1930 for the industrial sector they had no idea about. When Smoot and Hawley lost reelection in 1932 they left behind a lot of damage, especially for the farmers and workers they thought they were fighting for.

Linked Articles

How Trump’s Hard Line on Trade Could Backfire

Wall Street Journal 03/25/2016

Bob Davis, Bob, Davis

Wall Street Journal 03/08/2016

Holman W. Jenkins Jr., Holman, W., Jenkins, Jr.

Criticism of the $8.3 million Dec. 2015 'comfort women' agreement between Japanese prime minister Abe and South Korean prime minister Lee

12/29/2015

Linked Articles

South Korean and Japanese Leaders Feel Backlash From ‘Comfort Women’ Deal

New York Times 12/29/2015

Jonathan Soble, Jonathan, Soble, Choe Sang Hun, Choe, Sang Hun

New York Times 12/30/2015

The Editorial Board, The, Editorial, Board