Latest from Jonathan Frewin

• May 5, 2021

  Something kind of like normal is coming to the New York metro area

  

  Restaurants, offices, retail stores, theaters, museums, barber shops, gyms and amusement parks can open at full capacity and without curfews on May 19. Plus, an update on vaccine passports and the likelihood they become necessary for international travel. And, pilots in India, where COVID cases are surging, are threatening to stop flying unless they get vaccines.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload
• May 5, 2021

  Trump’s views make it to social media, one way or another

  

  Today, Facebook’s Oversight Board will announce whether or not former President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts will be reinstated. In the meantime, Trump has launched a new blog as a workaround. Plus, Cinco de Mayo is one of the biggest days of the year for avocado sales in the U.S. But how have avocados in grocery stores fared over the course of the pandemic? And, 60 years ago this month, the birth of pop art.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload
• May 5, 2021

  Air India pilots say vaccinate us or we won’t fly

  

  From the BBC World Service: A pilots’ union accuses airline management of not supporting staff who have been transporting stranded Indians to safety. Also, G-7 foreign ministers search for solutions to uneven COVID vaccine distribution. Plus, European companies threaten to stop buying Brazil’s agricultural products over a controversial property law. And, Pandora, the world’s biggest jewelry company, is switching to lab-created diamonds.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload
• May 4, 2021

  When billionaires divorce, it can alter philanthropy

  

  Bill and Melinda Gates are getting divorced after 27 years of marriage. What does that mean for the next phase of their philanthropic pursuits? Plus, consumer spending and consumer saving during a time of increasing demand and supply shortages. And, the intensive human labor that goes into artificial intelligence.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload
• May 4, 2021

  More evidence of an uneven economic recovery

  

  Yesterday Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell shared some new data that confirms “those least able to bear the burden have been the hardest hit” by the economic downturn. Plus, Lyft and Uber leave behind plans for self-driving cars for now. And, a growing number of Republican-led states have passed legislation this year to restrict the rights of transgender people. In the past, state laws targeting LGBTQ rights have been met with boycotts, and eventually failed. The economic response this time has been more muted so far.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload
• May 4, 2021

  Myanmar coup has virtually shut down its health care system

  

  From the BBC World Service: Myanmar’s hospitals and clinics are largely state run. With doctors striking in protest over the military takeover, most health facilities are closed or being occupied by soldiers. Plus, could new trade agreements with Britain help India better battle future health crises? And, foreign ministers from the G-7 nations meet in person in London.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload
• May 3, 2021

  The high-stakes video game battle you don’t get to play

  

  Apple goes to federal court today over its App Store. The plaintiff is Epic Games, maker of the popular video game “Fornite.” Plus, a preview of the April jobs report which comes out later this week. And, in Vienna, nearly 3 out of 5 residents live in social housing, and many say that’s one reason the Austrian capital consistently ranks high in quality of life.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload
• May 3, 2021

  Figuring out the structure of infrastructure

  

  The White House is now reaching out to Republicans in an effort to meet and negotiate on an infrastructure package. Plus, companies that developed COVID vaccines are reporting profits and sales this week. And, in the latest installment from our “Vanishing America” series, remember hobby shops.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload
• May 3, 2021

  India’s top court orders government to supply oxygen to Delhi hospitals

  

  From the BBC World Service: The Indian Supreme Court has given instructions to help the capital city cope with the COVID crisis. It comes as the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer has blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not ordering shots promptly enough. Plus, the European Commission outlines proposals to allow foreign travelers who have had an EU-recognized vaccine this summer. And, Brazil’s COVID immunization drive is moving slowly.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload
• Apr 30, 2021

  “This-just-got-real” inflation

  

  The prices of some things you buy at the supermarket are going up as recovery from the pandemic gathers steam. Plus, European competition regulators accuse Apple of using its clout to distort competition among music streaming platforms on its App Store. And, what we can learn about expanding retirement savings among workers from a program in Oregon.

  Read MoreSaveShareDownload