DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Brazil Must Do More to Stop Foreign Bribery, OECD Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Mengqi Sun | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A São Paulo skyline. Among other things, the OECD working group highlighted shortcomings in Brazil’s statute of limitations system, which has allowed some defendants to go free. Photo: nelson almeida/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesBrazil has made progress in combating foreign bribery schemes over the last nine years, but still has a way to go in successfully charging individuals, an international antibribery watchdog said. In a report published Thursday, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions commended the Brazilian government for progress implementing new legislation against corporate bribery and taking enforcement actions against large-scale foreign bribery schemes since its last evaluation in 2014.

Persons: nelson almeida Organizations: OECD, Agence France, Getty, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Bribery, Business Locations: Paulo, Brazil

☆ Opinion | Beyond ‘Deaths of Despair’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( David Wallace-Wells | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Those million extra deaths exceed even the nearly 700,000 who die each year from cardiovascular disease, the country’s biggest killer. In 2021, the researchers found, extra mortality accounted for nearly one in every three American deaths. “The United States is failing at a fundamental mission — keeping people alive,” The Washington Post recently concluded, in a remarkable series on the country’s mortality crisis. But by almost every other measure the United States is lagging its peers, often catastrophically. It’s not quite right to call all this simply “despair,” even if social anomie plays a role.

Persons: Matthews, “, Jimmy Carter, ”, Covid, It’s, Deaton, America ” Organizations: Washington Post, European Union, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development Locations: Bor, United States, Virginia, Louisiana, Kansas, States, Netherlands, Sweden, America

☆ The US needs to hike taxes or slash social programs to rein in the soaring deficit, but probably won't do either, Paul Krugman says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US needs to rein in its $1.5 trillion budget deficit, Nobel economist Paul Krugman said. Policymakers can do that either by hiking taxes or slashing spending on social programs. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe US needs to deal with its soaring budget deficit, but the only options available for it to do so mean that it probably won't, according to Nobel laureate Paul Krugman. That's because the two paths to getting the deficit under control are: slash spending on social programs, or raise taxes. Meanwhile, the government can narrow the deficit by dialing back some of its welfare programs, like Social Security, or by raising taxes.

Persons: Paul Krugman, —, That's, Krugman, Krugman doesn't, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Service, New York Times, Social Security, Organization for Economic Co

☆ OECD publishes treaty that would replace national digital taxes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ian Langsdon/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published a multilateral treaty on Wednesday that would replace a hodge-podge of national digital services taxes if ratified by enough countries. If ratified, the treaty requires that countries that have, or are planning, national digital services taxes drop them. Washington is particularly sensitive to that issue as many of such taxes were put in place to target big U.S. digital companies such as Google, Amazon and Apple. To enter into force, the 30 countries home to at least 60% of the affected multinational companies have to ratify the treaty, which means that the U.S. has to be on board. OECD head of tax Manal Corwin said failure to ratify the text could lead to "grave consequences" and not only because it could trigger a proliferation in the use of digital services taxes and trade retaliation.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Mathias Cormann, Ian Langsdon, Corwin, Leigh Thomas, Mark Potter Organizations: Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, Rights, Economic Cooperation, Apple, OECD, Thomson Locations: OECD's, Paris, France, United States, U.S, Washington

☆ The British pound just had its worst month for a year — and strategists expect a further fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. dollar bills, British GDP and Euro currency bank notes are pictured on September 27, 2022 in Bath, England. Matt Cardy | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesLONDON — The British pound suffered its worst month against the U.S. dollar for a year in September, and strategists show little optimism for the rest of the year, as growth expectations weaken once again. Sterling fell 3.75% against the dollar through the month, logging a decline not seen since the end of last summer. The pound also slid 1.26% against the euro last month, notching its weakest performance since December 2022. Exchange rates have been impacted over the past two years by interest rate expectations, with higher rates generally making a currency more attractive for foreign investment.

Persons: Matt Cardy, Sterling, Liz Truss, Jane Foley, Foley, Jim McCormick, CNBC's Organizations: Getty, U.S, Bank of England, U.S ., Rabobank, CNBC, European Central Bank, of England, Citi, Federal Reserve, ECB, Organization for Economic Co, Development Locations: Bath, England, U.S, Germany

☆ China's economic situation isn't as dire as it seems, and policymakers in Beijing were just expecting too much, economist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China's economy isn't doing as bad as it seems, according to economist Nancy Qian. But Beijing has been disappointed due to outsized expectations for economic growth. Though it's weighed down by a bloated property sector and looming demographic problems, China's economic growth actually clocked in at 6.3% year-over-year over the second quarter, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. That's the second-highest projected growth rate among countries tracked by the OECD, with the US, by comparison, slated to grow just 2.2% this year. AdvertisementAdvertisement"But is China's economy really in dire straits?

Persons: Nancy Qian, it's, That's, Qian Organizations: Service, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, OECD, Northwestern University, Northwester's, Research Lab, China Econ, Syndicate, Japan Locations: Beijing, Wall, Silicon, China, Italy, Spain, Sweden

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — If you listen to the African leaders addressing the U.N. General Assembly this year, the message is emphatic and unanimous: The continent is done being a victim of a post-World War II order. It is a global power in itself and must be partnered with — not sidelined. There’s also a new boldness that comes with the African Union’s G20 seat. With the largest bloc of countries at the United Nations, it is understandable that African leaders increasingly demand a bigger voice in multilateral institutions, said Murithi Mutiga, program director for Africa at the Crisis Group. As African leaders spoke glowingly about the continent as a force on the global stage, some at home said the leaders must begin by delivering the dividends of democracy to their people.

Persons: —, There’s, William Ruto, Nana Akufo, Addo, Africa’s, Cyril Ramaphosa of, ”, Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, Murithi Mutiga, Rashid Abdi, Horn of, ” Abdi, Felix, Antoine Tshisekedi, Filipe Nyusi, Nyusi, Ibrahim Mayaki, Mayaki, Grace Agbu, Mamadi Doumbouya Organizations: General Assembly, Kenyan, United Nations, Crisis, African Development Bank, Gulf, Slave Trade, SEAT, Economic Cooperation, Development, Democratic, Africa Center, ” Locations: ABUJA, Nigeria, Africa, Russia, Ukraine, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Horn of Africa, Nairobi, Europe, United States, Paris, Democratic Republic of, Congo, New York, Nigeria’s, Abuja, “, ”

☆ These are the countries with the shortest and longest workweeks—and where the U.S. stands
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Ece Yildirim | In Ecedyildirim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Here are the 5 countries with the shortest average workweeks, according to data from the International Labor Organization:Vanuatu: 24.7 hours average per week per employed person24.7 hours average per week per employed person Kiribati: 27.3 hours average per week per employed person27.3 hours average per week per employed person Mozambique: 28.6 hours average per week per employed person28.6 hours average per week per employed person Rwanda: 28.8 hours average per week per employed person28.8 hours average per week per employed person Austria: 29.5 hours average per week per employed personThese are the 5 countries with the longest workweeks, according to the ILO:United Arab Emirates: 52.6 hours average per week per employed person52.6 hours average per week per employed person Gambia: 50.8 hours average per week per employed person50.8 hours average per week per employed person Bhutan: 50.7 hours average per week per employed person50.7 hours average per week per employed person Lesotho: 49.8 hours average per week per employed person49.8 hours average per week per employed person Congo: 48.6 hours average per week per employed personIt is important to note that the distribution of these hours is not necessarily even. In the UAE, 46% of those employed work for more than 49 hours a week, which is considered the 'excessive working limit' by the ILO. In comparison, only 8% of those employed in Austria work over the excessive working limit. In a survey conducted by the Randstad Workmonitor, 43% of Americans said they felt compelled to be available to their employers outside of regular work hours. In a separate survey, Morning Consult reported that 51% of Americans support slower employee response time outside of work hours, which is the norm in the European workplace.

Organizations: International Labor Organization, ILO, United, Union worker's, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, CNBC Locations: Vanuatu, Kiribati, Mozambique, Rwanda, Austria, United Arab Emirates, Gambia, Bhutan, Lesotho, Congo, UAE, South Korea, China, Russia, India, United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Norway

☆ Shipping giant Maersk unveils 'trendsetter' green vessel as it aims to be carbon neutral by 2040
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Evergreen and other shipping firms have ordered similar vessels, though they have less ambitious carbon neutrality targets than Maersk. Shipping accounts for around 3% of global carbon emissions, an amount comparable to major polluting countries. Denmark's Minister of Industry Morten Bodskov said this is because it is a global industry. In June, a group of 20 nations supported a plan for a levy on shipping industry emissions. "I'm worried about the rhetoric that energy transition is a downside and not really a great opportunity," he added.

Persons: Moller, Vincent Clerc, Clerc, Morten Bodskov, Bodskov, Maersk's, I'm Organizations: Maersk, DENMARK — Shipping, CNBC, Evergreen, Maersk . Shipping, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development Locations: Copenhagen, DENMARK, China, Argentina, Brazil

Instead, it will explore the technology developed by Dual Fluid Energy Inc. to address the need for cleaner sources of energy. Much of the country's electricity comes from hydropower and diesel plants, according to the Rwanda Energy Group, and only about 68% of people have access to electricity. The CEO of the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, Fidel Ndahayo, said the deal is part of a strategy of partnerships with startup companies developing small modular nuclear reactor technologies. “The Dual Fluid technology has nuclear safety design features that make it accident-free," Ndahayo asserted in the statement. “Living near a nuclear energy plant is like living near a nuclear bomb which can explode and cause more damages," The New Times reported.

Persons: Götz Ruprecht, ”, Juan Matthews, Matthews, Fidel Ndahayo, Ndahayo, ” Ndahayo, Frank Habineza, ___ Anna Organizations: Dual Fluid Energy Inc, Rwanda Energy Group, Fluid Energy, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development's Nuclear Energy Agency, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Energy, Dalton Nuclear, University of Manchester, New Times, Africa Climate Summit, Rwanda Atomic Energy Board Locations: KIGALI, Rwanda, Canada, Africa, Russia, Nairobi, Kenya

The earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday night hit near Marrakesh, a popular tourist destination, sending both residents and visitors scrambling for safety. “We didn’t know if we had to stand up, to sit down, to run,” Mr. Ait Chari said. Ms. Lorang and hundreds of others found refuge in a courtyard, where some brought out rugs and blankets to sleep. “It was very chaotic.”Mr. Ait Chari, the tour guide, said he was supposed to pick up more clients on Sunday but was unsure flights would be maintained. Many people were still in shock, he said, but there had also been “great solidarity,” as residents cleared roads.

Persons: “, Jen Lorang, ” Ms, Lorang, “ I’ve, Mr, Ait, ”, Jean, Baptiste Guinet Organizations: Big, ”, UNESCO, Heritage, Tourism, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development Locations: Morocco, Marrakesh, Ait Chari, Massachusetts, Seattle, San Francisco, ” Morocco, Agadir, ”, Taroudant

As the death toll from the powerful earthquake in Morocco rose on Saturday, questions mounted about the vulnerability of buildings in the seismically active North African country. Moroccan architects said that the hardest-hit areas were rural zones with many earthen houses that were unable to withstand the shaking. “Given the state of the buildings in the country, this death toll was kind of expected,” said Anass Amazirh, an architect in the northern city of Casablanca. Image Rescue workers searching for survivors in a collapsed house in Moulay Brahim, in Morocco’s Al Haouz Province, on Saturday. “These more extreme risks occur regularly in other countries,” the report said, “and Morocco cannot avoid taking them into account.”

Persons: “, ”, Anass Amazirh, Omar Farkhani, Fadel Senna, Mr, Farkhani, Al Hoceima, Al, Haouz, Amazirh Organizations: Morocco’s, of Architects, ., Agence France, Moroccan, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development Locations: Marrakesh, Morocco, Moroccan, Casablanca, Al Haouz, Moulay Brahim, Morocco’s Al Haouz Province, Al, Al Hoceima, “

NEW DELHI (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday urged the Group of 20 top economic powers, which are responsible for more than 80% of the emissions that cause global warming, to use their weekend summit to send a strong message on climate change. Climate ministers of the G20 nations ended their last meeting for the year in July without resolving major disagreements on climate policies. Guterres called on big emitters to make additional efforts to cut emissions and rich countries to meet the climate finance commitments made already. Energy analysts say its crucial that G20 leaders act on the U.N. chief's suggestions. And have it now,” said Madhura Joshi, energy analyst at the climate think tank E3G.

Persons: — U.N, António Guterres, Guterres, ” Guterres, ”, Madhura Joshi, Joshi Organizations: DELHI, Group, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Nations, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, Energy, AP Locations: Paris, New Delhi, Ukraine, ”

☆ ‘MeToo’ for mothers: Australian inquiry hears troubling accounts of birth trauma
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

NSWParliament/YouTubeWhat is birth trauma? Amy Dawes founded the Australasian Birth Trauma Association (ABTA) after sustaining life-altering injuries during the forceps delivery of her first child in 2015. Amy Dawes, founder of the Australasian Birth Trauma Association, with her two children ages 9 and 6. In fact, we are breaking mothers.”Fiona Reid, a clinical midwife with decades of experience, said birth trauma was not only affecting others but also midwives. Reid said birth trauma will never be eliminated – “it’s an impossible request.”But she said attention should focus on eliminating preventable birth trauma and raising standards so the measure of success isn’t merely survival.

Persons: Naomi Bowden, Stella’s stillbirth, ”, ‘, Bowden, ” Hannah Dahlen, Dahlen, ” Dahlen, Dr Hannan Dahlen, “, ” “, Jared Watts, Carly Griffin, New South Wales Carly Griffin, I’m, ’ ”, Jessica Holliday, New South Wales Jessica Holliday, ” Holliday, ” Amanda Macaulay's, Amanda Macaulay, she’d, Emma Hurst, Amy Dawes, there’s, ” Dawes, Fiona Reid, –, Reid, ” Reid, ” Fiona Reid, “ I’ve, they’re, I’ve, isn’t Organizations: Australia CNN, “, Western Sydney University, Royal Australian, New Zealand College of Obstetricians, OB, BMI, CNN, NSW, Trauma, Organization for Economic Co, Development, World Health Organization, WHO, Australian Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Australian, New South Wales, Americas, Europe, Asia, NSW

"Further progress is likely to become more difficult as base effects fade, and supply-constraints could drive global energy and food prices higher again." Brent crude prices have risen 27% since mid-year and U.S. crude is up 30%, with U.S. retail pump prices already up almost 10% so far since June. Oil and inflation expectationsReuters GraphicsSLOWING DESCENTAnd alongside creeping worries about rising debt supply, the long end of bond markets has been rattled again by the oil price jump. And this has been a far bigger influence on the inflation trajectory than oil prices per se. Yet, restive crude prices will still cloud a messy and tricky battle with inflation expectations just as policy tightening cycles near an end.

Persons: Brent that's, Christian Keller, Akash Utsav, Andrew Goodwin, there's, George H.W, Jamie Freed Organizations: Brent, UBS, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, Barclays, Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of England, U.S, Treasury, Oxford, Monetary Fund, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Russia, tailwind, U.S, Europe, Britain, West, George H.W . Bush

☆ How China became the king of new nuclear power, and how the U.S. is trying to stage a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

That is two and a half times more nuclear reactors under construction than any other country. China was just getting started as the United States nuclear industry began to take a back seat. Power follows demand, so the new nuclear reactors tend to be built where fast-developing economies need power to fuel their growth. For the United States to win the export business, it must prove it can put steel in the ground in the United States. "We and our close nuclear energy allies are at what I think is just the start of a fierce competition for supremacy in global nuclear energy export markets," Kotek said.

Persons: Jacopo Buongiorno, Kenneth Luongo, Luongo, John F, Kotek, they've, Buongiorno, Westinghouse, Trump, Biden Organizations: Plant, China National Nuclear Corporation, China Huaneng, Changjiang, China News Service, Getty, International Atomic Energy Agency, United, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, CNBC, Partnership for Global Security, World Nuclear Association, Chicago Tribune, Tribune, Service, IAEA, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, OECD, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Nuclear Energy Institute, International Energy Agency, France, Visual China, Georgia Power, Westinghouse Locations: China, Changjiang Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province, India, Turkey, United States, Georgia, Byron , Illinois, France, Russia, HUIZHOU, CHINA, Huizhou, Guangdong Province of China, Europe, Eastern Europe, U.S

☆ New Zealand plans digital services tax for multinationals from 2025
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 29 (Reuters) - New Zealand said on Tuesday it would introduce legislation for a digital services tax on large multinational companies from 2025 after talks for a global rollout did not reach consensus at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). But the proposal was pushed back last month after countries with digital services taxes, with the exception of Canada, agreed to hold off applying them for at least another year. The proposed digital services tax will target multinational businesses that earn income from New Zealand users of social media platforms, search engines, and online marketplaces. The tax would be payable by businesses that make over 750 million euros ($812 million) a year from global digital services and over NZ$3.5 million a year from digital services provided to New Zealand users. The tax would be applied at 3% on gross taxable New Zealand digital services revenue, a similar rate adopted by comparable countries like France and the United Kingdom.

Persons: David Gray, Grant Robertson, Renju Jose, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, Apple, Finance, Kiwis, NZ, Thomson Locations: Wellington, New Zealand, Canada, Zealand, France, United Kingdom, Sydney

☆ EU officials say sanctions against Russia have had 'hard tangible effects,' and that the country's future is bleak
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sanctions on Russia have had a withering effect on Moscow's economy, the European Union said. That's one of the main reasons why Russia's economic future looks "bleak," according to one official. Despite Putin's show of defiance, scholars say Russia is in a far worse state than the Kremlin has let on. The European Union imposed 11 rounds of sanctions against Russia starting shortly after it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Russia's energy revenue tumbled 45% over the first quarter of this year after the EU oil ban took effect.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Borrell Organizations: European Union, Kremlin, Service, Union, Russia, EU, European Commission, Organization, Economic Co Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Moscow, Europe

☆ 9 European countries where workers get more than a month of paid vacation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Jennifer Liu | In Jljenniferliu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Nationally, the average American gets 10 vacation days — all public holidays like Memorial Day and Thanksgiving — after a year of service. Several countries offer even more by law, giving workers more than a month of business days in vacation time per year. Here are nine European countries that give workers more than a month of paid vacations a year, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development:France: 30 days of paid vacation per yearUnited Kingdom: 28 days of paid vacation per yearAustria: 25 days of paid vacation per yearDenmark: 25 days of paid vacation per yearFinland: 25 days of paid vacation per yearNorway: 25 days of paid vacation per yearSpain: 25 days of paid vacation per yearSweden: 25 days of paid vacation per yearPortugal: 22 days of paid vacation per yearGiven the culture of rest prioritized around Europe, many workers get even more days off from their company. While Swedes are guaranteed 25 paid vacation days by law, her employer adds a few extra days to bring her up to 30 paid vacation days a year. In Norway, Lene Vindenes, 28, gets 25 paid vacation days per year, and her company requires her to take three weeks of vacation during the summer between June and August.

Persons: Kimberly Sorce, Lene Vindenes, Warren Buffett Organizations: European, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development Locations: U.S, Europe, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, New Jersey

☆ AI is going to eliminate way more jobs than anyone realizes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Emil Skandul | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

We didn't see the internet coming, but AI is within viewThe adoption of groundbreaking technology is often hard to predict. The World Economic Forum estimated 83 million jobs worldwide would be lost over the next five years because of AI, with 69 million jobs created — that leaves 14 million jobs that will cease to exist during that timeframe. In the US, the knowledge-worker class is estimated to be nearly 100 million workers, one out of three Americans. The small and large compounding effects of productivity growth across many industries are central to the growth trajectory and the long-run effects of AI. This is an alarmingly trivial amount for an economy of $25 trillion GDP and over 150 million workers.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Joseph Schumpeter, Bill Gates, David Letterman, Paul Krugman, Erik Brynjolfsson, —, Brynjolfsson, Robert Solow, Robert Gordon, provocatively, It's, Gordon, David Autor, Maria Flynn, Flynn, –, Georgia –, Emil Skandul, Tony Blair Organizations: McKinsey, Newsweek, Stanford University, Microsoft, Amazon, Cisco, Economic, International Labor Organization, Organization for Economic Co, Development, MIT, Congressional, Office, Department of Labor, Tony Blair Institute Locations: Washington, Singapore, New York, Georgia

☆ China has a case of 'economic long COVID' - and won't use the only cure for growth, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China is suffering from "economic long COVID," Adam Posen wrote in Foreign Affairs. Like other authoritarian regimes, China's economic development is following a predictable pattern, he noted. "Low appetite for illiquid investment and low responsiveness to supportive macroeconomic policies: that, in a nutshell, is economic long COVID," he wrote. Despite the West's growing tensions with Beijing, China's economic woes aren't necessarily good news for its rivals either, Posen said. "When another global recession hits, China's growth will not help revive demand abroad as it did last time.

Persons: Adam Posen, Peterson, —, Goldman Sachs, It's, Xi, COVID, Posen, there's Organizations: Foreign Affairs, Service, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Bank of America, Monetary Fund, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, China's Communist Party Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, Beijing, Posen

☆ Are U.S. seniors among the developed world's poorest? It depends on your point of view
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Peopleimages | E+ | Getty ImagesIs old-age income poverty too high? Consider this thought exercise: What is a tolerable poverty rate among American seniors? This ranks the U.S. behind 30 other countries in the 38-member bloc, which collectively has an average poverty rate of 13.1%. That old-age income poverty rate has declined by over two-thirds in the past five decades, according to the Congressional Research Service. Researchers seem to agree that a looming Social Security funding shortfall is perhaps the most pressing issue facing U.S. seniors.

Persons: Andrew Reilly, Reilly, Mitchell, David Blanchett, —, Zhe Li, Joseph Dalaker, hurtling, Olivia Mitchell, Blanchett Organizations: Organization for Economic Co, U.S, Employment, Labour, Social Affairs, Social Security, OECD, Security, Census, Congressional Research Service, CRS, Prudential Financial, Social, Insurance Trust Fund, Olivia Mitchell University of Pennsylvania, Pension Research, Social Security Administration Locations: U.S, Mexico, that's, PGIM, American

☆ Global tax loss: Countries could lose trillions in revenue to tax havens in next decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The estimated $4.7 trillion shortfall is based on an analysis of aggregated data for 47 countries from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. All in, the report’s authors estimate that $4.7 trillion is roughly equivalent to a year’s worth of public health spending worldwide. The outlook for systemic global tax reformWhile the Tax Justice Network was initially hopeful that OECD tax reform efforts that started a decade ago might reduce global tax abuse, those efforts have hit multiple roadblocks and implementation delays. Now, TJN backs proposals to move authority for global tax rulemaking from the OECD to the United Nations. “The key to ending cross-border tax abuse is to deliver on a UN tax convention and to create a global tax body under UN auspices,” the report’s authors contend.

Persons: TJN, ”, Alex Cobham, Cobham, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Tax Justice Network, of Tax, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, OECD, Apple, Senate Finance, Democratic, Tax, Network, United Nations, UN Locations: New York, United Kingdom, Singapore, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Ireland, United States

☆ AI is supposed to make our jobs easier. These workers disagree
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“In the next few years, the main impact of AI on work will be to help people do their jobs more efficiently,” Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said in a blog post recently. Big Tech companies are now rushing to jump on the AI bandwagon, pledging significant investments into new AI-powered tools that promise to streamline work. News outlet CNET had to issue “substantial” corrections earlier this year after experimenting with using an AI tool to write stories. Others like Clarke, the publisher, have tried to combat the fallout from the rise of AI by relying on more AI. “You listen to these AI experts, they go on about how these things are going to do amazing breakthroughs in different fields,” Clarke said.

Persons: hasn’t, Neil Clarke’s, Clarke, “, ” Clarke, “ It’s, ChatGPT, Bill Gates, it’s, Shakked, Neil Clarke, Lisa R, Clarke Mathias Cormann, ” Cormann, ’ Ivana Saula, Saula, ” Saula, ”, Gizmodo Organizations: CNN, Microsoft, Big Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT’s Department of Economics, Clarkesworld Magazine, Organization for Economic Co, Development, “ Workers, International Association of Machinists, Aerospace Workers, ” Workers, CNET, Star Locations: Shakked Noy, MIT’s, newsrooms

Moscow’s withdrawal from the wartime deal on Monday threatens to push up food prices for consumers worldwide and could tip millions of people into hunger. The White House said the deal had been “critical” to bringing down food prices around the globe, which spiked after Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. Tensions between the two countries heightened on Wednesday, limiting the possibility that the deal to export critical commodities across the Black Sea will be restarted. Wheat prices are still down more than 50% from their all-time high in March 2022. The Black Sea deal — originally brokered by Turkey and the United Nations a year ago — has ensured the safe passage of ships carrying grain from Ukrainian ports.

Persons: “, ” Adam Hodge, Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia “, —, Vladimir Putin, — CNN’s Katharina Krebs Organizations: New, New York CNN, US National Security Council, Russian Defense Ministry, Wednesday, United Nations, Organization for Economic Co Locations: New York, Europe, Ukraine, Russia, Odesa’s, Turkey, Istanbul, Kyiv, Moscow

Search resuls for: "Organization for Economic Co"

25 mentions found