new Persistent racial and ethnic disparities in access to affordable homeownership and rental opportunities have created the need to examine whether—and how—to change aspects of the complex and rapidly changing US housing finance system. This challenge, and the foundational questions it raises, will be the focus of a series of public lectures given by practitioners and scholars in conjunction with a class on housing finance and equity offered by MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. — harvard.edu, 37 min ago

new ..., “Modernise or Die” published in 2016, examined the UK construction industry's labour model and identified problems with its sustainability and productivity. The report highlighted issues such as a lack of training and development opportunities, a culture of low pay and long hours, and a reliance on migrant labour. It called for fundamental changes in the way the industry operates, including the adoption of more modern construction methods and increased investment in training and development to attract and retain a skilled workforce. The report also recommended greater collaboration between industry stakeholders to drive innovation and improve working conditions, as well as a shift in the industry's focus from short-term profits to long-term sustainability This ICE Northern Ireland Debate will have speakers for and against the motion:... — Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), 5h ago

new Agriculture is a low-productivity, highly precarious enterprise, with volatile remuneration. The rise in agricultural employment beginning in 2019-20 has reversed the process of structural transformation in which workers move out of low productivity agricultural employment to high productivity sectors like manufacturing. Mehrotra et al. (2014) find that the productivity and wage difference between the two sectors is much higher in India than other Asian economies, such that a regression to agriculture leads to increasing inequality which in turn affects economic growth. — The Wire, 8h ago

new Where land use policy contributes to deteriorating housing affordability, the resulting increase in inequality can be viewed as an outcome of public policy. Solving the housing affordability problem requires reforms that restore the competitive market for land in highly regulated markets and avoiding land use policies that worsen affordability where competitive land markets continue to exist. — newgeography.com, 8h ago

new Eventually, free trade began to flourish as countries saw high economic growth and reductions in poverty. Countries such China embraced free trade after decades of failing communism, including with America. Both sides benefited from free trade, benefits that gives American an extra $260 of extra spending a year, according to economists... — Mises Institute, 8h ago

new BritanniQ doesn’t usually like commenting on American domestic affairs; however, the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank — and the subsequent Silicon Valley Bailout — is worth reviewing (and in more length than usual) because it has much to say about an economic system that also prevails on this side of the Atlantic. To describe what happened, let us start with the very basics. To make money, a bank borrows short and lends long. It borrows short-term from the markets (through selling shares and bonds in itself) and from businesses and individuals (who effectively give the bank loans by depositing money with it). The bank then lends out these funds long-term to housebuilders, to businesses, and to the government, all of which will over time pay to the bank a higher rate of interest than the bank gives those who lend to it. Hey presto, a profitable business model!A bank is able lend out almost all the money depositors lend to it, because it knows that not all depositors will want their money back at the same time. A bank run is what happens when they do. Bank runs are often psychological: nobody wants to be the last person to ask for their money back, so as soon as one starts, even healthy banks can be rapidly dragged into insolvency. To prevent this, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures all US bank deposits up to a certain limit, meaning that people would always get back their money below that limit, even if the bank went bust. Above that limit (currently a whopping $250,000), deposits are still essentially loans to a bank and thus at risk of default like any other loan.In some ways, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was unusual. Many of its depositors were tech startups. Such companies are usually unprofitable for several years, and require significant injections of capital to get going. They get this from Venture Capitalists who invest in startups knowing that many will fail but that only a couple need to take off to make it all work (buying just 0.1% of Amazon in the mid nineties pays for a lot of failed investments, because that single tiny stake would now be worth a billion dollars). These startups then dump that Venture Capital money in a bank (oftentimes, it seems, in SVB) to live off for the coming years.The problems started because SVB used that money to invest US Treasuries (US sovereign debt bonds) and Mortgage Backed Securities (also a bond, but backed by the mortgage payments of ordinary people rather than the faith and credit of the US Treasury). These assets are usually super safe, but SVB bought at the peak of the market at high prices. When the Fed started increasing interest rates, the prices of these investments declined (another way of saying higher interest rates is lower bond prices), so the value of SVB’s investments (assets) dropped below its liabilities, forcing it to start liquidating (turning illiquid investments into liquid cash) some of these assets and trying to raise capital to cover the difference. A few savvy Venture Capitalists (perhaps led by Peter Theil) were spooked by this and started withdrawing their deposits and instructing the companies they’d invested in to do likewise. Word spread: the bank run was on.At this stage, the avowed libertarians of Silicon Valley demanded that the government — an unnecessary evil in the libertarian/objectivist book — help them. And not just help them make payroll or pay the bills, but give them all their money back. To be clear, there is only one good reason to bail out these people. A bank whose handsomely remunerated executives cannot even negotiate something as basic as a Fed tightening cycle without imploding isn’t worth the salt. More importantly, depositors knew the FDIC limit for fully guaranteed deposits and knew they could pay for excess deposit insurance, but didn’t, knowing the risk.In fact, as Sheila Bair, the former Chair of the FDIC, wrote in a concise and remarkably clear opinion column for the Financial Times, the only justification for bailing out depositors would be if not taking action posed systemic risks — i.e., the bank’s failure, or the financial losses suffered by these depositors, would cause a cascade of failures elsewhere, taking with them the healthy, well run institutions and the cautious, well meaning depositors, and thence the entire economy. Yet, as she points out, SVB represents “a minuscule part of the US’s $23tn banking system. Is that system really so fragile that it can’t absorb some small haircut on these banks’ uninsured deposits?” The argument that it was right and proper to bail out the depositors because we expect money back from a bank when we deposit it doesn’t hold water either.“The uninsured depositors of SVB are not a needy group. They are a “who’s who” of leading venture capitalists and their portfolio companies. Financially sophisticated, they apparently missed those prominent disclosures on the bank’s websites and teller windows that FDIC insurance is capped at $250,000. Some start-ups that banked at SVB argued they needed their uninsured deposits to make payroll. But under the FDIC’s normal procedures, they should have received a sizeable dividend this week to help with their cash flow needs.”Adam Tooze goes farther. “SVB’s depositors were in no regular sense, depositors. They are badly run and ill-advised businesses that for obscure reasons parked huge cash balances in a highly vulnerable bank.” They were bailed out because they “are very powerful, very rich and very influential people who own a narrative that makes them indispensable to one vision of America’s future.”And that’s the morally repugnant bottom line. When the Federal Reserve increases interest rates, everybody in the USA suffers (as they do in Britain when the Bank of England hikes rates). Share and bond prices drop, companies go out of business, mortgage payments rise, and people lose their jobs. Indeed, all this suffering is the entire point: central banks raise interest rates to reduce inflation, and the mechanism by which that works is that financial hardship crushes demand. Less demand for the same amount of labour and goods means reduced wages and prices, and thus lower inflation. But even as the working man is losing his job and paying more on his mortgage, his taxes are deployed to ensure that “very rich, very influential people” don’t have to feel their share of the pain.This is a bitter pill to swallow, but let’s call it what it is: corruption. That’s certainly what the IMF and our own bankers call it when judging an emerging economy whose government rewrites the rules on the fly and uses taxpayer funds to save favoured groups from the pain everybody else is suffering during economic hard times. So that’s what we should call it here. And guess what? The bailout of very rich, very influential people has done little to stabilise the banking sector, which was still under huge pressure at the time of writing. — Bournbrook Magazine, 9h ago

new According to a recent research study titled, "Surging Business Formation in the Pandemic: Causes and Consequences” by University of Maryland economist John Haltiwanger and Ryan Decker of the Federal Reserve, “Applications for new businesses surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. We find evidence that surging applications is associated with increased creation of employer businesses and related job and worker flows. Applications rose most in industries rooted in pandemic-era changes to work and lifestyles, with significant cross-industry restructuring. Surging applications were quickly followed by increased births of employer establishments with notable associated job creation, and establishment entry is positively correlated with business applications across industry and geography. — circuitinsight.com, 9h ago

new In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the need to address social and environmental challenges, and this has led to increased attention and action from individuals, businesses, and governments around the world. In addition, societal concerns including wealth inequality, poverty, and access to healthcare and education are gaining popularity. People are recognizing that these issues are interconnected and that addressing them requires a more holistic approach that takes into account both social and environmental factors. Furthermore, investors are increasingly looking to invest in climate-friendly and sustainable projects that address climate change, such as renewable energy, clean technology, sustainable agriculture, and green infrastructure, due to rise in climate change issues. These investments not only generate positive social and environmental impacts but can also offer attractive financial returns. Therefore, increase in awareness of the need to address social and environmental challenges is driving the growth of the impact investing market size. — Allied Market Research, 9h ago

new Lacalle alluded to the Austrian economic theory, which posits that central banks can’t set interest rates correctly. When the economy is not doing well, central banks set the rates artificially low in order to “stimulate” the economy. That allows companies to loosen fiscal discipline and makes credit available to projects that would be otherwise too risky to attract capital. When the economy “overheats”—the availability of credit outstrips the production capacity of the economy, resulting in inflation—the central bank raises rates, tightens credit, and the poorly performing risky projects go under. Because rate hikes take more than a year to fully manifest in the economy, central bankers tend to continue hiking for too long. Excessively high rates then cause the destruction of even viable businesses. Recession ensues. The central bank then tries to cushion the recession blow by dramatically cutting rates, thereby repeating the cycle. — ZeroHedge, 22h ago

new ...“The authors choose a robust, “gold standard” evaluation method for public health policies, something called a controlled interrupted timeseries analysis. This method capitalizes on the fact that Minimum Unit Pricing was introduced in Scotland but not England, and uses this to estimate what would have happened in Scotland had the policy not been introduced. The basic idea here is that you compare trends in alcohol-specific health outcomes before and after the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing. If changes happen in both countries, they cannot be caused by the policy which only affected Scotland, but Scotland-only changes are highly likely to be caused by Minimum Unit Pricing, given there were no other major alcohol-related changes that occurred in only one of the countries in the meantime. In this way, the authors’ analyses can discount alternative explanations for the changes in deaths and hospital admissions, for example changes in alcohol taxation, disposable incomes or beverage market developments.”... — sciencemediacentre.org, 1d ago

new Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon various estimates and assumptions including, without limitation, the expectations and beliefs of management, including that the Company can access financing, appropriate equipment and sufficient labour; assumed and future price of gold, silver and other metals; anticipated costs; ability to achieve goals; and assumptions related to the factors set forth below. While these factors and assumptions are considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of this document in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, these statements are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: risks inherent in mining, including, but not limited to risks to the environment, industrial accidents, catastrophic equipment failures, unusual or unexpected geological formations or unstable ground conditions, and natural phenomena such as earthquakes, flooding or unusually severe weather; uninsurable risks; global financial conditions and inflation; changes in the Company's share price, and volatility in the equity markets in general; volatility and fluctuations in metal and commodity prices; the threat associated with outbreaks of viruses and infectious diseases, including the COVID-19 virus; delays or the inability to obtain, retain or comply with permits; risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; health and safety risks; exploration, development or mining results not being consistent with the Company's expectations; unavailable or inaccessible infrastructure and risks related to ageing infrastructure; actual ore mined and/or metal recoveries varying from Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates, estimates of grade, tonnage, dilution, mine plans and metallurgical and other characteristics; risks associated with the estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves and the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, including, but not limited to, models relating thereto; ore processing efficiency; information technology and cybersecurity risks; potential for the allegation of fraud and corruption involving the Company, its customers, suppliers or employees, or the allegation of improper or discriminatory employment practices; regulatory investigations, enforcement, sanctions and/or related or other litigation; estimates of future production and operations; estimates of operating cost estimates; the potential for and effects of labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or shortages of labour or interruptions in production; risks related to the environmental regulation and environmental impact of the Company's operations and products and management thereof; exchange rate fluctuations; climate change; risks relating to attracting and retaining of highly skilled employees; compliance with environmental, health and safety laws; counterparty and credit risks and customer concentration; litigation; changes in laws, regulations or policies including, but not limited to, those related to mining regimes, permitting and approvals, environmental and tailings management, and labour; internal controls; challenges or defects in title; funding requirements and availability of financing; dilution; risks relating to dividends; risks associated with acquisitions and related integration efforts, including the ability to achieve anticipated benefits, unanticipated difficulties or expenditures relating to integration and diversion of management time on integration; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, production estimates and estimated economic return; uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; and other risks and uncertainties including but not limited to those described the Company's public disclosure documents which are available on SEDAR at... — prnewswire.com, 1d ago

new Basic income schemes have already been piloted in Finland, Canada, Los Angeles in the US, and Wales, among others. And many countries have dealt with the social protection gap in hard times by providing temporary cash transfers with no strings attached, as happened in response to COVID-19 in Japan, South Korea and the US. — phys.org, 1d ago

new Two major-party MPs have launched a cross-party push to put the focus on unacceptable levels of poverty in Australia as they call for an increase to the “inadequate” jobseeker payment. — the Guardian, 1d ago

new ...analysis of deaths reported between 2018 and early 2023.In that time, the rate of gun suicides was 5.6 per 100,000 population, on an age-adjusted basis, and varied from 1.1 in the District of Columbia and 1.4 in Massachusetts to 15.5 in Wyoming and 13.1 in Montana.In Maryland, bill sponsor Del. David Moon, a Democrat, during floor debate called the measure “similar to what we in Maryland do for gambling, where a problem gambler can put themselves on a list.”“A person who is having a moment of clarity and wishes to place themselves on a list to prevent themselves from being able to purchase a regulated firearm, handgun, may do so,” he added.Although House of Delegates Minority Leader Jason Buckel, a Republican, during the debate said, “I like the word ‘voluntary,’” he ultimately voted against the bill during its 96-36 passage. He did not respond to a request for comment. The measure now goes to the state Senate for consideration.As in other states, Maryland’s registry allows people to take themselves off the no-sell list without leaving a trace in the public record. In Utah, the minimum time on the list is 30 days; in Maryland, it would be three weeks.“You’re basically creating a mandatory waiting period for yourself,” Moon said in the debate.The self-registry is meant to draw bipartisan support by respecting the Second Amendment right to own a gun, said Frederick Vars, a University of Alabama School of Law professor who also has helped draft model legislation for Donna’s Law.“I’m hoping bills get introduced all over,” said Vars, adding that he’s working with legislative staffers to prepare bills in Alabama and Michigan. He helped draft model legislation that Brees then helped promote.About 100 people have signed the existing registries, he said, a drop in the bucket compared with studies he’s helped conduct showing 30 percent of adults and 46 percent of psychiatric patients want to enroll in such a registry, he said. Similar laws have been proposed in California and Louisiana, but so far, they haven’t advanced.In Texas, state Sen. Nathan Johnson, a Democrat from the Dallas area, proposed a bill based on Donna’s Law in 2021, and again this year after reading about the idea in The Wall Street Journal. He’s optimistic that because the registry would be voluntary, it eventually will get attention from the Republican-dominated legislature.“In Texas, there’s a tremendous political and cultural climate in support of gun owner rights,” Johnson said. “This doesn’t even create the appearance of infringing on those rights. We can prevent suicide and promote personal autonomy at the same time — everybody has the right to say, ‘I don’t want to own a gun.’”States also are trying other options with the stated intent of cutting rising rates of gun suicide.A Colorado bill that passed the state House this month would require a three-day waiting period for delivery of a firearm, noting that “establishing a waiting period for receipt of firearms can help prevent impulsive acts of firearm violence, including homicides and suicides.”In Hawaii, a bill passed by the state House and under consideration by the state Senate mentions suicide prevention as a goal of required firearms safety training. And a North Carolina bill with Democratic sponsors, introduced early this month in the state House, cites suicide as the primary reason for a red flag, or extreme risk protection order, to restrict a person’s access to firearms after a court finding that they’re a danger to themselves or others.The most effective methods of preventing gun suicide have been strict licensing requirements, said Joshua Horwitz, a public health professor at Johns Hopkins University focused on gun violence prevention, because the rules usually include waiting periods and the ability to screen for mental health issues. Gun safety legislation also plays an important role, he said.“Suicide is under-appreciated. It’s the biggest chunk of the gun violence problem,” said Horwitz. “We can’t stop all suicide, but if we make the means less lethal, we can save lives.”It’s too soon to say how effective Donna’s Law can be, he added.“It’s interesting. For some individuals, it could be the solution, but we need to know more,” Horwitz said.More mental health services also could help alleviate gun suicide rates, especially in the rural states most affected. But the return on investment would be much lower, said Thomas Wickizer, an emeritus professor of public health at the Ohio State University who has studied state firearm suicides and how the availability of mental health services can reduce them.He has concluded that restricting firearm access would be far more effective than mental health services alone.“For every firearm suicide death avoided, states would have to expend roughly $15 million to increase their mental health workforce,” Wickizer said. “Obviously, this is not practical.”Mental health services are more effective in preventing other types of suicide, he added.“Firearm suicide is impulsive and almost always lethal,” Wickizer said. “Other suicide methods are less lethal and afford the persons who do not die an opportunity to obtain help through the mental health services system.”... — Governing, 1d ago

new ...“Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase, with unequal historical and ongoing contributions arising from unsustainable energy use, land use and land-use change, lifestyles and patterns of consumption and production across regions, between and within countries, and among individuals,” the report adds, noting that the IPCC’s conclusions were made with “high confidence.”... — The Debrief, 1d ago

new By the end of May 2023, Nigeria will have a new president following February’s elections.Among his many duties, the person who takes over will be expected to appraise the nation’s performance and its commitment to protecting the environment. Nigeria is a signatory to many international conventions on environment-related treaties. Nigeria’s biological and physical environments – in particular, its forests, inland waters, and coastal waters – have inevitably been affected by its population growth. This rise in population has led to growing socio-economic needs. These include residential buildings and more physical infrastructure, such as roads, hospitals, and schools. More space is needed for people, at the cost of natural environments; and people’s activities have also contributed to pollution.The biggest threat to the environment in Nigeria is people’s lack of awareness and understanding of what they can do to keep it clean and healthy. A commitment to the environment should begin at the family level. It extends from there to the top. The incoming-president will have to initiate and drive progress on policies and plans that preserve the country’s natural resources.What’s under threatNigeria’s rapid urbanisation has taken a toll on the natural environment as cities and towns have expanded and become interconnected. These developments have also led to the fragmentation of the forests, making many species that depend on a wide geographic range susceptible to poaching. Animals could become threatened or extinct once their habitats are lost or fragmented.Nigeria’s inland waters (streams, rivers, and lagoons) and coastal environment are not faring well. Many people dump their waste into the waterways. The pollutants are then carried by large rivers into lagoons and, eventually, the sea. Plastic waste is the chief pollutant of Nigeria’s water bodies. No decisive action has been taken to manage the problem.Decades of oil exploration, too, have severely contaminated some of the country’s important rivers. The level of mining effluents in some of the country’s waterways is alarming. What needs to be doneThe country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan has set a number of targets.Environmental education: My research group conducted a study in which we discovered that Nigeria had not yet met the first target. This was that by 2020, at least 30% of Nigerians should be familiar with the idea of biological diversity.We recommended, that environmental education be made compulsory at all levels. Government agencies should use electronic and social media to educate the public about the need to protect natural ecosystems.Establishment of conservation areas: The sixth target of the environmental plan is that at least 10% of Nigeria’s territory should be conservation areas. This is vital in view of the country’s expanding population and encroachment into natural environments.To start with, the undisturbed forests, rivers, and streams, especially those that harbour threatened species, should be designated as conservation areas as soon as possible. Once a conservation area is established, encroachment will stop as these locations are normally off-limits to human habitation. Managing population growth and infrastructural development: Nigeria’s population exceeds those of countries with much larger land areas, such as Ethiopia, Tanzania and Angola. Population growth should therefore be a focus area for the new president. Housing policies should discourage indiscriminate building, especially in forested areas. Housing estates should be environmentally compliant. Each household should be required by law to plant and nurture at least one tree to maturity. This could help create green environments, reduce carbon buildup in the atmosphere, and create a cool environment.Funding: The next president will also need to make more budgetary allocations for environmental education and conservation projects. There are still many unexplored natural sites with threatened species in Nigeria. They need to be protected before they are lost.Laws: The plastic pollution bill hasn’t been passed. It needs to be sent back to the National Assembly as soon as possible for quick passage. Single-use plastics should be banned for tourists in all protected areas, parks, and beaches. Nigeria can’t afford to be complacent. Several African nations have passed laws prohibiting plastic pollution and are enforcing them to varying degrees.Specialists: To drive this agenda, the nation needs to employ professional zoologists, botanists and environmental scientists in the ministries, departments, and agencies of government that are responsible for protecting natural environments. There are two constraints to this happening. First, many young Nigerians find some of these courses less appealing. Second, career prospects are low: some of the available positions are filled by people who aren’t natural scientists. Enrolment in environment-related programmes (especially in fee-paying private universities) should be encouraged with incentives such as scholarships and career opportunities. Four of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals have an environmental emphasis, which is not surprising, given that, as humans, we are only as healthy as our environment. Thus, the next president of Nigeria should give environmental protection as much care as he does the economy and the security of lives and properties. — Financial Nigeria International Limited, 2d ago

new The transformation of the global economy needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 would be universal and significant, requiring $9.2 trillion in annual average spending on physical assets, $3.5 trillion more than today. To put it in comparable terms, that increase is equivalent to half of global corporate profits and one-quarter of total tax revenue in 2020. Accounting for expected increases in spending, as incomes and populations grow, as well as for currently legislated transition policies, the required increase in spending would be lower, but still about $1 trillion. Spending would be front-loaded—the next decade will be decisive—and the impact uneven across countries and sectors. The transition is also exposed to risks, including that of energy supply volatility. At the same time, it is rich in opportunity. The transition would prevent the buildup of physical climate risks and reduce the odds of initiating the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. It would also bring growth opportunities, as decarbonization creates efficiencies and opens markets for low-emissions products and services. Our research is not a projection or prediction and does not claim to be exhaustive. It is the simulation of one hypothetical and relatively orderly pathway toward 1.5°C using the Net Zero 2050 scenario from the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS). — EMSNow - The global source for the electronics manufacturing services industry, 1d ago

new Perhaps, in learning to be kinder during covid-19, we picked up a habit that didn’t just fall away when lockdowns ended and masks disappeared. Overall, the report’s authors suggested, the increase in benevolence is likely to support higher happiness levels. And it has the potential to create a “virtuous circle,” making it more likely—hopefully—that we’ll keep being nice to each other in the future. — Quartz, 1d ago

new ...“Now is not the time for despair. We must fight to stop every fraction of a degree increase in global warming. Scientists and economists are clear that the technological solutions and economic case have never been more compelling. Rather than throwing lifelines to dodgy nuclear and unproven carbon capture schemes, the government should grasp the renewable energy system that will bring cleaner air, green jobs and cheaper and more secure supply. — Greenpeace UK, 1d ago

new The desire for rock and pop music is also being fueled by the large youth population in developing nations and the growing impact of Western culture in these nations' economies. The K-pop events market is expanding rapidly due to the popularity of numerous genres as well as rising stars in the world of music. The rise in youth employment, particularly among women, is increasing consumer disposable income, which is anticipated to be one of the key drivers of the K-pop event sector. — alliedmarketresearch.com, 1d ago

new Throughout the next few decades, the world’s population and urbanization is projected to increase significantly, driving the need for new residential and commercial buildings, The demand for concrete surface retarders is anticipated to rise in tandem with the expansion of the construction industry. Many building developers use concrete surface retarders to create an exposed concrete surface for aesthetic as well as practical purposes. The aesthetic applications include creating a beautiful exterior of a building as well as creating beautiful floors. Moreover, its practical applications include making the surface resistant to slipping. Exposed concrete surfaces are beneficial in areas such as pool decks, patios, driveways, walkways, and other outdoor public spaces, as well as indoor spaces. In addition, a slip resistant surface is also required in manufacturing facilities. Furthermore, the UN predicts that by 2050, the world’s population is projected to experience growth from its projected 8 billion in 2023 to more than 9.7 billion. If current demographic trends continue, there will be 11 billion people on Earth by the year 2100. Furthermore, the UN also projects that about 68% of the world’s population will be residing in urban areas, up from 55% in 2018. Most of the estimated growth in urbanization is expected to come from Asia and Africa. As a result, there is growth in the building construction sector of these regions. For instance, in October 2021, the governments of Dubai and India reached an agreement to construct various institutional and infrastructural buildings including college, hospital, logistic center, multipurpose hospital, industrial park, and various other infrastructure. Furthermore, there is a significant increase in the number of small and large retail stores, with developments in economic situation of the general population. For instance, IKEA is planning to open 30 stores in India by the year 2028. In addition, DLF and other groups are investing millions of dollars in the development of commercial building complexes. Similar trends can be seen in other parts of the world, especially the countries that are still expanding at a significant rate such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and others. In addition, there is a growing population of people who are becoming homeless as a result of rising unemployment and rising real estate prices. As a result, numerous governments across the world, including those of China, South Korea, Canada, UK, and others have developed policies to provide affordable housing. In affordable housing and infrastructure developments, concrete surface retarders are widely used for achieving a strong joint between two separate pours of the concrete. Such developments and expansion of the building construction industry is anticipated to fuel the concrete surface retarders market. — Allied Market Research, 1d ago

new Owing to the shortage of infant formula, many parents faced hitherto unheard-of difficulties since the COVID-19 outbreak began. According to a Department of Psychological Sciences online study of more than 300 American childcare providers, the pandemic had a negative effect on baby infant formula market. Lack of product knowledge and high prices made it more difficult for the industry to expand during the pandemic. However, as limitations are gradually loosened, distribution routes for infant formula have become more resilient and sales of the product has gradually resumed to its pre-pandemic levels, particularly in emerging economies. — Allied Market Research, 1d ago

new Contemplating the social and cultural factors affecting India’s forex market, lack of education is a lingering social factor that greatly impacts forex trading. With a steep increase in children forced not to study or having been denied basic education for various reasons, unemployment increases. Subsequently, the common folks are forced not to spend much money, which impacts forex trading. Women not being permitted to socialize themselves, pursue higher education, and become professionals is an added social factor affecting the forex market in India. — CoinNewsSpan, 1d ago

new Proponents of these policies argue that they can help promote economic stability, prevent inflation, and encourage economic growth in developing countries. On the other hand, opponents of these policies believe they can lead to economic imbalances, exacerbate inequality, and cause financial hardship for individuals and businesses in developing countries. Additionally, some economists question the efficacy of these policies, citing research that suggests that high-interest rates do not always lead to increased economic growth or development. Ultimately, it is difficult to determine which side is right and what the full implications of these policies are for developing countries. — TIME BUSINESS NEWS, 1d ago

new It’s far too early to pinpoint the reasons behind the increase, and there are signs that murder rates have begun to slow, the report said. But the data doesn’t support a narrative of an explosion of random crimes concentrated solely in America’s big cities. During the pandemic lockdowns of 2020, crime increased the most in poor communities where gun violence was already high. — PCMA, 1d ago

new Bergland’s report recommended action to stabilize farm numbers, as a way to maintain vitality in the farm sector and vibrancy of rural communities. Otherwise, “we will see continuing growth in farm sizes, further declines in farm numbers, greater economic vulnerabilities among our larger producers and mounting resource-use problems,” said the report, which was mostly ignored. — Successful Farming, 1d ago

new Diverse women from a variety of geographical locations, socioeconomic positions, religious preferences, and political orientations have been especially prominent in the bourgeoning democratic counter-revolution. The February 2023 poll of the Israel Democracy Institute shows that there is a considerable gender gap in attitudes towards proposals to reduce checks and balances and concentrate power in executive hands. A full 45 percent of women oppose the introduction of an override clause that would enable the Knesset to defy a court order by a simple majority in contrast to 34.5% of men (only 19.6% of women would support such a move, as opposed to 33.5% of men). — timesofisrael.com, 1d ago

new The figure Desmond holds in his head is $177bn. That’s the annual cost of taking those millions of people in America living below the poverty line – without a secure roof over their head or enough to eat or keep warm and access healthcare – and getting them above it. The figure is less than 1% of GDP. Americans throw away more than that amount of food each year. If the top 1% paid just the taxes they owe, he shows, it would close that $177bn gap at a stroke. And that would benefit everyone. An expanded safety net, rent control, secure tenancy, a rise in minimum wage, would create more stable families; it would reduce crime and addiction; it would increase opportunity and create a far more educated workforce. “How many nurses and engineers and scientists and visionaries does poverty deny us?”... — the Guardian, 1d ago

new To a great degree, New Delhi has successfully arrested terrorism and separatism in Kashmir; however, the region’s conflict-marred education system needs serious intervention. The declining education environment needs to be tackled with targeted measures to economically and ideologically transform the conflict-driven society towards greater integration and assimilation with the Union of India. The administration of the Lieutenant Governor should prioritise the education sector to make it more market-oriented and increase avenues for the skill development of the youth. The UT should make specialised colleges for fields where industrial experts impart subject-specific education according to regional needs. For example, as tourism is the mainstay of the economy in Kashmir, the government should prioritise establishing a centre of excellence in tourism and hotel management education with private partnerships. Similarly, a college should offer a comprehensive degree on sustainable economy and developmental economics, appointing industry experts and reputed economists from across India as visiting professors. These initiatives will enhance the employability quotient of the youth in the private sector all over India and relieve the pressure on government jobs. — ORF, 1d ago

new ...of state laws related to source-of-income discrimination in the housing market.Despite perennial cost concerns about the Housing Choice Voucher program and other aspects of the social safety net, Congress has only prevented the program from keeping up with rising costs once — during the budget sequestration of 2013, says Peggy Bailey, vice president for housing and income security at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Both Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the chair and vice chair of the Senate Appropriations committee, respectively, have shown support for the program in the past, Bailey says. While there’s good reason to believe that bipartisan support for the program would prevent it from being eliminated or scaled back dramatically, Bailey says, even small cuts to a single year’s budget could compound over time and leave more people vulnerable to homelessness.“People often think that housing assistance is an entitlement, and it’s not,” Bailey says. “Only 1 in 4 households that are currently eligible for the program receive rental assistance. And we know that incomes, while they may increase a little, they don’t keep up with rent costs. So whatever we do today that continues to prevent three-fourths of people who are eligible from getting assistance, and would increase that, only makes the affordable housing crisis worse.”... — Governing, 1d ago

new It would save money as well as lives to go upstream and identify communities that are at high risk, that have no healthy food but where liquor stores and fast-food restaurants are around every corner, Chau says. The health-care system will bear increased costs if they don’t invest more in education, prevention and early intervention, as will the insured.The nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) has assisted equity projects in several regions, including the work in Orange County. “As equity is becoming more and more at the center, we’re seeing a rise in requests to IHI for help with quality and systems improvement — equity-focused work is systems work and complex adaptive change work,” says Niñon Lewis, IHI’s vice president.Other California jurisdictions have contacted Advance OC about their own maps, and Kalvoda is open to helping projects outside the state. “This can be a hundred percent replicable,” she says. “We can give them our tools, the coding behind many of our tools, or even put them together remotely.”Chau doesn’t necessarily find it encouraging when he hears more people are qualifying for Medicaid. “That's a sad thing, because it speaks to the fact that our communities are getting poorer and poorer — we should celebrate when people no longer qualify for Medicaid because they are doing better socially and economically.”... — Governing, 1d ago

new Adolescents globally have been negatively affected by the covid-19 pandemic through multiple pathways. As well as the effects of contracting the disease (either themselves or a family member), adolescents have experienced increased household poverty, closure of schools and other key services, mobility restrictions, and social isolation, which can manifest in symptoms such as depression and anxiety with longer term effects on wellbeing. — The BMJ, 2d ago

new ..., which include or could include (among other effects) disruption in global commodity and other markets, increased prices for energy, supply shortages and supplier financial risk; increased labor costs and the ability to attract and retain skilled labor to manufacture our products; the potential negative impacts of higher interest rates and other actions taken by the federal government in response to economic volatility and inflationary pressures, including the impact on our customers' and end users' access to capital and credit to fund purchases; our ability to raise capital, including to grow our business, pursue strategic investments, and take advantage of financing or other opportunities that we believe to be in the best interests of the Company and our shareholders due to the significant additional indebtedness we incurred during 2022; the cyclical nature of our industry and changes in consumer confidence; special risks from our sales to U.S. and other governmental entities through prime contractors; changes in fuel and other transportation costs, insurance costs and weather conditions; changes in government regulations, including environmental and health and safety regulations; failure to comply with domestic and foreign anti-corruption laws; competition in our industry and our ability to attract or retain customers; our ability to develop or acquire proprietary products and technology; assertions against us relating to intellectual property rights; changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates; changes in the tax regimes and related government policies and regulations in the countries in which we operate; the effects of regulations relating to conflict minerals; the catastrophic loss of one of our manufacturing facilities; environmental and health and safety liabilities and requirements; loss of the services of our key executives; product warranty or product liability claims in excess of our insurance coverage; potential recalls of components or parts manufactured for us by suppliers or potential recalls of defective products; an inability to acquire insurance at commercially reasonable rates; a disruption in, or breach in security of, our information technology systems or any violation of data protection laws; and those other risks referenced herein, and those risks discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those risks discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended... — prnewswire.com, 2d ago

new In his keynote address to the conference, Jamie Hepburn, MSP, the Minister for Further Education, Higher Education, and Science, discussed the importance of the tech sector to the Scottish economy. He said it is currently worth over £5 billion Gross Value Added. It's predicted to become the second-fastest growing sector in Scotland over the next six years, increasing at one and a half times faster than the overall economy. But he said gender and pay gaps persist: "In Scotland, the proportion of women in digital technology roles is approximately 23%. Research has also shown that across the regions of the UK, Scotland has the biggest expected salary gender gap of nearly £20,000 between women and men in digital technology roles. "Tackling gender inequality across different areas of the education, learning and skills landscape is of the utmost importance to us." He also spoke about high confidence in the sector, with 76% of employers forecasting increased demand for staff. However, he said: "We also know there remains a significant gap between the number of opportunities available in the tech sector and the number of people with the right skills to take up these opportunities." The minister highlighted positive initiatives in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation for Scotland over the next decade. He left the delegates with the message that the government understands the importance of working together across industry, policy, and education to bridge the skills gap. — bcs.org, 2d ago

new ...“The desire for fair wages is now an argument made in all sectors — not just blue-collar ones,” she said. “Massive pay disparities in white-collar jobs, an awareness of how historical discrimination has given rise to these disparities, coupled with increasing transparency in that discrepancy, probably plays a role.”... — reworked.co, 2d ago

new ...“The scientific advances that have been assessed throughout this IPCC 6th assessment cycle, and now synthesised in the new Synthesis report, have resulted in a better understanding of what the future will look like, depending on the choices we make today and this decade. It is clearer now more than ever that with every increment of warming, the risks, impact and related losses and damages escalate substantially across all regions and sectors, more so for the most vulnerable communities. Choices made in this decade will determine the extent to which current and future generations will experience a hotter and different world. We now have clear understanding that there are multiple feasible, effective, low-cost technological options, available now, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the changing climate. These when coupled with tried and tested policy measures that can achieve deep emissions reductions, provided that they scaled up and applied widely across all regions and sectors.”... — sciencemediacentre.org, 2d ago

new U.S. social work arose out of the Progressive Era, a period from the 1890s to 1920s in which the country experienced rapid social reform. During this time, a huge wave of immigrants arrived in the U.S. in search of new opportunities. As factories and new industries sprang up, those seeking employment flocked to cities. But the influx of people stretched city resources thin. Overcrowding, poverty and poor working conditions were on the rise. — University of Chicago News, 2d ago

new Thankfully, solving climate change does not entail such massive reorganization, because if it did, we would never solve it, as the world’s population, especially low-income individuals, will not tolerate such reorganization and reduction in living standards. The solution to climate depends on faster technological innovation so we can do what we do now and massively more of it, but on a vastly cleaner basis. — itif.org, 2d ago

new ...“Recreational legalization was now 10 years ago. There have been a lot of anecdotes about weed and other substances ‘leading’ to homelessness, or vice versa. It might be true that individuals on the street could have co-occurring substance use issues. But there are myriad other factors that might have an even bigger impact on the issue, like the housing crisis, volatility in the economy, jobs coming and going, etc. Coupled with Colorado being a great place to live creates the potential for people not to have a roof over their heads. But in my opinion, I choose not to spend time on the ‘why’ of the matter and instead want to focus on what I’m going to do about it. The Street Medicine work is my little part in working on that goal.” – Scott Harpin... — cuanschutz.edu, 2d ago

new It's time to reimagine the future of infrastructure—a future in which infrastructure meets human needs and aspirations while allowing nature to thrive. We live in a world where 770 million people lack access to electricity; 2 billion people do not have safe drinking water—including between 9 million to 45 million Americans a year; 3.6 billion people live without adequate sanitation services; and, in the United States, 43% of public roadways are in poor or mediocre condition. Improving access to reliable and sustainable infrastructure is essential—both in the US and around the world. Poorly designed infrastructure can cause significant harm to biodiversity, our climate, and the natural environment we rely upon for critical services. It can destroy habitats; block migratory corridors for wildlife; cause wildlife mortality from vehicle strikes and electrocution; degrade vital natural resources; deplete nonrenewable resources such as sand and minerals used for construction; and increase pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Poor planning also creates risks to the built infrastructure itself. Projects are more likely to fail or increase significantly in cost when they don't take social concerns and ecological and climate factors into account. WWF is working to ensure a future in which natural infrastructure—the intact ecosystems we all rely on for important benefits like clean water and air—is conserved and the infrastructure we build meets societal needs, all while maintaining or restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services and avoiding or minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. — World Wildlife Fund, 2d ago

new Depending on the nation and industry, COVID-19 has had varying effects on international trade. Spain and Thailand are two examples of nations that have been severely affected by the pandemic. The demand for the goods and services produced by other nations with significant export dependence, like China and Germany, has decreased. In the meantime, the pandemic has increased demand for some industries, including e-commerce and digital services, which have grown. The significance of international collaboration in trade and health policy has also been highlighted by the pandemic. Governments and international organizations have collaborated to ease the flow of necessities like medical supplies and vaccines as well as to avoid trade restrictions and protectionist policies. The crisis has made it clear that there is a need for greater collaboration and coordination in tackling global issues, such as those pertaining to trade, sustainability, and health. — Foundico.com, 2d ago

new Public health initiatives, though, also have important economic repercussions. While lockdowns and business closures have been effective in lowering infection rates, they have had a negative effect on businesses and employees. Due to the drastic job losses and decreased economic activity brought on by these policies, there is now more poverty and inequality. — Foundico.com, 2d ago

new ...“Nevertheless, the rapid growth in housing lending by non-banks, and data limitations over the full scope of non-bank financing activity, call for ongoing vigilance by regulators and policymakers. Further, as has been recognised by international and domestic policy authorities, the closure of data gaps relating to non-bank lending remains an important priority to ensure that the associated risks to financial stability are well understood.”... — mortgagebusiness.com.au, 2d ago