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Jonathan Frewin

Latest from Jonathan Frewin

  • Plant Protection Society founder Nicolas Talliu with plants saved from the trash.
    John Laurenson

    And we’ve got the story of one French landscape gardener who saves and sells abandoned plants. Plus, have lumber prices hit their peak? Also, awaiting new analysis from the Federal Reserve on economic recovery, inflation and interest rates. And, the U.S. and EU set aside disputes over aircraft subsidies for now to focus their attention on China.

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  • A view of the Federal Reserve building in Washington, D.C.
    Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images

    The Federal Reserve is not expected to raise interest rates. But it turns out some of the Fed’s peers around the world are starting to put away their pandemic relief tools. Also, a major heat wave hitting the West and Southwest means the air conditioners are on and the power grids are stressed. And, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says the food situation there is difficult and that shortages are possible.

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  • European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is visiting EU member countries to formally sign off on their national COVID recovery plans.
    Jaime Reina/AFP via Getty Images

    From the BBC World Service: Spain is set to be one of the biggest beneficiaries from European Union funding, and it’s planning labor reforms to tackle the seasonal nature of its tourism sector. Plus, digital sex crimes in South Korea have increased along with advances in spy camera technology. And, despite being Africa’s most powerful economy, Nigeria has many firms that struggle to access a regular electricity supply.

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  • That's because the quality of vehicles has only improved over time, and because people didn't drive as much during the pandemic.
    Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

    If it hasn’t rusted through, has good tires and an airbag, why trade? The quality of cars these days and, yes, the pandemic, have something to do with an aging car fleet in the U.S. Plus, more data on increasing prices equals more anticipation for what the Federal Reserve will say about its forecasts for interest rates. And, the systemic failure to equitably invest in Black entrepreneurs in the U.S., how that’s changing and whether the wave of commitments by corporations and venture capitalists over the last year represents a temporary blip or a lasting shift in how money is allocated.

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  • The law says that workers have the right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions and that it’s illegal to retaliate against them for raising safety concerns. It requires companies to allow workers to form safety committees.
    Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

    One answer is giving rank-and-file employees, those not in management roles, a strong voice at the table. New York’s “Hero ACT” requires just that. It will require companies with more than 10 employees to implement a series of safety protocols to help prevent transmission of airborne diseases. Plus, today is the day California ends most of its pandemic restrictions. And, a report this week from the New York Federal Reserve found that people are finding it easier to obtain credit now compared with a year ago.

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  • Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the garden of 10 Downing Street, after agreeing to the broad terms of a free trade deal between the U.K. and Australia, on June 15, 2021 in London, England.
    Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images

    From the BBC World Service: People in Britain will be able to buy tariff-free beef from Australia, though farmers in the U.K. are worried about being undercut on price. Plus, India faces protests against the dominance of e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart-backed Flipkart. And, research is underway in New Zealand to see if protective masks and gowns can be decontaminated and used again.

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  • Where people moved to and from during 2020
    Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images

    There’s new data on the changing views of where people want to live and work, given the experience of the pandemic year. The trends are those we’ve heard anecdotally: smaller cities, bigger houses. Plus, preparing for the Fed meeting on policy and interest rates this week. And, the latest in our “Vanishing America” series: fabric stores going out of business.

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  • In some states, it’s the 1st week without an extra $300 in jobless benefits
    courtneyk via Getty Images

    The benefits expired in Alaska, Iowa, Mississippi and Missouri on Saturday. Will this drive more applicants to jobs that have remained unfilled? We speak with a couple of economists who explain how it’s more complicated than that. Plus, in a closely watched case, a federal judge has ruled that a health care company can order its employees to get COVID vaccinations. And, changing rules for tax-protected retirement accounts.

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  • The G-7 climate change action plan aims to rival China's "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative.
    Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images

    From the BBC World Service: G-7 leaders say the pledge will offer lower-income countries a new source of infrastructure finance and an alternative to Chinese loans from the “Belt and Road” initiative. Plus, after hosting the G-7 summit, we hear about plans in Cornwall to extract lithium for electric car batteries from underground hot springs. And, WhatsApp says it will resist attempts by governments to weaken end-to-end encryption of messages.

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  • Senator Joe Manchin
    Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

    With the main talks on fixing infrastructure at an impasse, a side group of 10 Democrats and Republicans in the Senate say they’ve come up with a deal, although details are scant and it’s unclear if others key players will embrace this. Plus, among the things that have gotten more expensive over the past year and last several months: food away from home. We look at the rise in restaurant prices. And, decisions from the G-7 summit on getting more vaccine doses to the countries that need them.

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