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Top Ten most popular articles on Pharmafile.com this week

The search for a COVID-19 treatment has ramped up this week, with two new studies detailing the efficacy of Gilead’s antiviral therapy remdesivir in the treatment of patients hospitalised with coronavirus, while researchers in America have been studying famotidine, the active ingredient in Pepcid, as a potential drug to help alleviate symptoms of the virus.




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Pharmafile.com's weekly COVID-19 news round-up

Vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 continue to dominate the news, as two studies reveal "positive" data for Gilead's remdesivir in hospitalised coronavirus patients while Lonza and Moderna have entered an agreement to mass produce a vaccine.




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Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden at the Compliance Week Keynote Address

"The current financial crisis requires a well-coordinated, proactive law enforcement response that draws on all the resources of the federal government. The appropriate role of the Department of Justice in responding to this crisis is clear: We will be relentless in our investigation of corporate wrongdoing, and will not hesitate to bring charges, where appropriate, for criminal misconduct on the part of businesses and business executives."




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week National Observance and Candlelight Ceremony

"These days of reflection are an important opportunity for us to come together in support of victims, to give voice to their suffering and to light the way toward a hopeful future," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Service Awards Ceremony

"Today, we’ve come together, from as far as Omaha and Albuquerque, Portland and Philadelphia, to recognize men and women who have found their calling in the service of others," said Attorney General Holder.




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Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler Speaks at the 2010 Compliance Week Conference

I want to commend Compliance Week for putting together an impressive series of panels and presentations on some of the most cutting edge issues in corporate compliance today.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at National Indian Nations Conference During Week of Justice Department Events with Tribal Country

Attorney General Eric Holder served as the keynote speaker at the 12th National Indian Nations Conference in Palm Springs, Calif., during a week of outreach events organized by the Department of Justice that brought together tribal leaders and youth, law enforcement officers, lawyers and judges, policy experts and health and social services providers, and representatives from federal, state, local and tribal governments.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Increases Transparency with Launch of FOIA.gov Website, Commemorates Sunshine Week

The Department of Justice marked the start of Sunshine Week today with the launch of FOIA.gov, the “flagship initiative” of the department’s Open Government Plan and one of the most significant contributions yet toward making this the most transparent administration in history.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at the Justice Department’s Sunshine Week Celebration

"Sunshine Week is an important week for those of us who believe that government works best when the country knows what its government is doing. It is an opportunity to thank the many people inside and outside of government who have gotten us here, think about where we have to go next, and recommit ourselves to the goal of ensuring that government is open and transparent."




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week National Observance and Candlelight Ceremony

"Tonight, as we join together to commemorate this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, it is clear that we are also bound by our common goals, by our shared concerns, and by our collective resolve to do more to protect those at risk and in need – and to support every person, every family, and every community now struggling to overcome the devastating effects of crime."




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Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at the D.C. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Ceremony

"The Defending Childhood initiative seeks to redefine how the Justice Department responds to children who experience violence, witness violence, or suffer ongoing negative ramifications from violence. We hope to harness resources from across the Department - and across other federal agencies and state, local, and tribal partners – to first, prevent exposure to violence when possible; second to mitigate the negative impact of violence when it does occur; and third, to develop knowledge and spread awareness that will ultimately improve our homes, cities, towns, and communities."




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at U.S. Department of Justice Sunshine Week Celebration

"Today and throughout the week, we have an important opportunity to showcase and celebrate the progress that’s been made here at the Department – and all across the federal government – in realizing the promise of the Freedom of Information Act," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Police Week 24th Annual Candlelight Vigil

"Tonight’s ceremony commemorates another year that has been distinguished by extraordinary achievements – but that has also, sadly, been marked by great tragedy," said Attorney General Holder.




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Federal Agencies Convene Week-Long Intertribal Youth Summit

More than 200 American Indian and Alaska Native youth and adult leaders from 53 tribal communities across the country have convened at the 2012 National Intertribal Youth Summit.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole Speaks at the 2012 Red Ribbon Week Ceremony

"Like Special Agent Kiki Camarena, one person can and does make a difference. By joining me in wearing a red ribbon and gathering here today, and by celebrating Red Ribbon Week, you are helping make that difference," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.




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Justice Department Supports Week of Public Safety Events in Indian Country

U.S. Department of Justice Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West today addressed tribal leaders, law enforcement officers, lawyers and judges, policy experts and health and social services providers, and representatives from federal, state, local and tribal governments following a week of public safety events at the 13th National Indian Nations Conference in Agua Caliente, Calif.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Office of Information Policy Director Melanie Ann Pustay Speaks at the U.S. Department of Justice Sunshine Week Celebration

"While there is more work to be done and further improvements to be made, Sunshine Week is an opportunity to reflect upon our accomplishments thus far and to share the lessons we have learned as we continue to focus on our shared mission of strengthening FOIA administration across the government," said Director Pustay.




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Four Individuals Sentenced This Week for Trafficking Identities of Puerto Rican U.S. Citizens

Four individuals were sentenced this week for their respective roles in trafficking the identities and corresponding identity documents of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Statement by Attorney General Holder on Weekend Shootings in Kansas

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement Monday regarding the tragic shootings in Kansas yesterday.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at an Interfaith Service of Unity and Hope Honoring the Victims of Last Week’s Tragic Shootings

A few days ago, many of you observed the beginning of Passover, marking the start of a long and difficult journey from tyranny and persecution toward freedom in the Promised Land. Today, this community begins its own journey of healing. And although the road ahead will not be easy, I promise you that I, and millions of others throughout our nation, will be here to walk alongside you – not only today, but always. We will never stop fighting for justice. And we will never forget the names, or the stories, of those we lost.




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UNPA’s Israelsen: ‘We’ve had a good six weeks, but consumers have used some of their last spending power to buy supplements’

While dietary supplement sales have surged in recent months, the extent of the economic damage caused by the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 could lead to some very tough quarters as families and businesses start to run out of money.




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What's open and closed this busy weekend: Beaches, parks and trails in Southern California

City and county trails reopen this weekend. Almost every day, the rules change in the beaches and parks of Southern California. Here's the latest.




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Hershey Felder salutes Irving Berlin, plus 13 other must-sees on Mother's Day weekend

Celebrate Mother's Day with a livestream of the musical bio-drama "Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin"




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A phase two trial and a June goal: This week's updates on the race for a coronavirus vaccine

Experts caution that even promising early results don’t guarantee that vaccines will be widely available anytime soon.




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First antigen test to be approved for Japan as soon as next week




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Coronavirus: Week of May 3 to May 9, Maruti Suzuki to restart in Haryana




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Weekly Current Affairs Quiz: 23 March to 29 March 2020

The week's updated quizzes cover topics such as Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, COVID-19 policy tracker, Hantavirus and new RBI measures among others. 




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Do extremely preterm infants need retinopathy of prematurity screening earlier than 31 weeks postmenstrual age?




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Figure of the week: Poverty and health care SDG projections in sub-Saharan Africa

On January 8, the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings released its annual Foresight Africa publication. This year’s special edition focuses on six key priorities for the next decade. The first chapter, Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: The state of play and policy options, highlights recent progress and challenges facing the continent in achieving Agenda 2030. In his essay,…

       




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Figures of the week: The costs of financing Africa’s response to COVID-19

Last month’s edition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s biannual Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa, which discusses economic developments and prospects for the region, pays special attention to the financial channels through which COVID-19 has—and will—impact the economic growth of the region. Notably, the authors of the report reduced their GDP growth estimates from…

       




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Was Saudi King Salman too sick to attend this week’s Arab League summit?

King Salman failed to show at the Arab League summit this week in Mauritania, allegedly for health reasons. The king’s health has been a question since his accession to the throne last year.

       
 
 




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Charts of the Week: Jobs, rent, and businesses during coronavirus

As the economic impact of the spreading coronavirus crisis continues to unfold, how will workers, businesses, and renters cope? Here are a few items from recent research and analysis from Brookings experts on COVID-19. How long will temporary layoffs remain temporary? Ryan Nunn and Jana Parsons examine how the number of both temporary and permanent…

       




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Charts of the Week: COVID-19 and workers

In this week's Charts of the Week, more data and analysis about how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the workforce. For more on Brookings experts' response to coronavirus, visit our resource page. IMMIGRANTS' VITAL ROLE IN COVID-19 RESPONSE Note: In the U.S., physicians are computed as belonging to the categories physicians, surgeons, and physician assistants,…

       




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Charts of the Week: People and places during coronavirus

In Charts of the Week this week, a few items related to U.S. populations, people, and places related to the coronavirus pandemic. City growth is SLOWING Population growth in U.S. metro areas is slowing. William Frey observes that “as urban population disperses, smaller metropolitan areas, suburban counties, and populations residing outside of metropolitan areas are…

       




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Charts of the Week: Coronavirus’s impacts on learning, employment, and deaths of Black Americans

In this week's edition of Charts of the Week, a look at some of the impacts that the coronavirus pandemic is having on various policy areas, including education, jobs, and racial inequality. Learn more from Brookings scholars about the global response to coronavirus (COVID-19). Learning inequality during COVID-19 Worldwide nearly 190 countries have closed schools,…

       




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Charts of the Week: COVID-19’s impact on different groups in America

In Charts of the Week this week, more insights into how COVID-19 is having an impact on different groups in America. Learn more from Brookings scholars about the global response to coronavirus (COVID-19). COVID-19 spreading to suburban, whiter, and more Republican-leaning areas Bill Frey discusses how “new counties showing a high prevalence of COVID-19 cases…

       




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Charts of the Week: Chinese tech, social distancing, aid to states

In this week's Charts of the Week, a mix of charts from recent Brookings research, including China's technology, social distancing, and aid to states. Growing demand for China’s global surveillance technology In a new paper from the Global China Initiative, part of a release focused on China's growing technological prowess worldwide, Sheena Chestnut Greitens notes…

       




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Charts of the Week: Housing affordability, COVID-19 effects

In Charts of the Week this week, housing affordability and some new COVID-19 related research. How to lower costs of apartment building to make them more affordable to build In the first piece in a series on how improved design and construction decisions can lower the cost of building multifamily housing, Hannah Hoyt and Jenny…

       




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Figures of the week: The costs of financing Africa’s response to COVID-19

Last month’s edition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s biannual Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa, which discusses economic developments and prospects for the region, pays special attention to the financial channels through which COVID-19 has—and will—impact the economic growth of the region. Notably, the authors of the report reduced their GDP growth estimates from…

       




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This Week in Economic Numbers: State and Local Edition


This week will bring a cornucopia of new data, an econo-nerd's dream. Unfortunately for some of us nerds, there won't be any releases on state and local government finances. (The Census Bureau generally has to wait for all states to report and, as you can imagine, some states are laggards.)

However, there will still be a lot in this week's numbers for those who follow state and local government finances, pay into state and local coffers, or consume predominantly state and local public services like education, roads, and health care. Here are a few trends worth watching:

First, Tuesday's March S&P/Case Shiller house price indexes will be important for states whose fortunes are tied to real estate, especially in the West and Southwest. Macroeconomic forecasters are predicting home prices will decline slightly compared to one year ago but continue to increase month-to-month, suggesting that perhaps the market has hit bottom.

That would be good news for the housing sector. However, research from Federal Reserve Board economists Byron Lutz, Raven Molloy, and Hui Shan suggests that any boon to state and local revenues would be minor. They calculate the housing bust per se generated only a $22 billion drop in taxes over three years, equivalent to roughly 3 percent of annual state and local revenues excluding federal funds.

Meanwhile, the latest Census data suggest that state taxes are growing, but at a pace that is slower than usual. More worrisome, the pace appears to be moderating. In recent weeks, California, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island have all reported taxes coming in below projections. Also, local property taxes are likely to remain in the doldrums for some time. They tend to respond to house price changes with a delay and thus just started showing the effects of the housing bust in late 2010. Property taxes recently turned positive again, but these gains are anemic by historical standards and likely caused by rate hikes in some jurisdictions rather than improving property values.

Next up this week are Bureau of Economic Analysis revisions to first quarter GDP. Macroeconomists will be attuned to how the revisions compare to advance estimates and what this portends for the recovery. They might also take note of whether these governments are detracting from growth - as they have done by an average of 0.2 percentage points in each quarter since 2008 - or contributing to it as usual. State and local watchers will be more focused on state and local spending, which unlike previous downturns, has declined in real per capita terms and not yet recovered.

That leads us to the biggest number to watch this week - Friday's jobs report. State and local employment is already down by 665,000 jobs or about 3.5 percent from its pre-recession peak. Recent trends suggest that cuts may be abating, but this total masks differences across subsectors - state education has been adding jobs while losses continue in all other subsectors, especially at the local level.

Ongoing state and local job losses also distinguish this recession from previous downturns in the modern era. This may be in keeping with the depths of this Great Recession. However, it's hard to imagine state and local residents aren't feeling the pinch of higher property tax burdens or lower services. To take one example, Governor Jerry Brown has proposed closing California's $16 billion budget gap by converting state employees to a four day work week and closing state parks. From a macro perspective, the fiscal tightening may be over. But that doesn't mean state and local governments aren't still a real drag.

Authors

Publication: Real Clear Markets
Image Source: © Daniel Shanken / Reuters
      
 
 




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Figures of the week: The costs of financing Africa’s response to COVID-19

Last month’s edition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s biannual Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa, which discusses economic developments and prospects for the region, pays special attention to the financial channels through which COVID-19 has—and will—impact the economic growth of the region. Notably, the authors of the report reduced their GDP growth estimates from…

       




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Figures of the week: The costs of financing Africa’s response to COVID-19

Last month’s edition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s biannual Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa, which discusses economic developments and prospects for the region, pays special attention to the financial channels through which COVID-19 has—and will—impact the economic growth of the region. Notably, the authors of the report reduced their GDP growth estimates from…

       




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What drove oil prices through the floor this week?

The coronavirus pandemic has sent crude oil prices plummeting, so much so that the price for West Texas Intermediate oil dropped below zero dollars earlier this week. In this special edition of the podcast, Samantha Gross joins David Dollar to explain the factors influencing recent changes in demand for oil and the long-term effects the…

       




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Figure of the week: Might a few outlier economies explain Africa’s abnormally high inequality?


On Thursday, July 7, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised its economic outlook for South Africa. Despite “considerable economic and social progress” since 1994, the IMF report cited high income inequality, among other factors, in its projection of slow growth and increased unemployment in the medium term. Earlier this year, in the Brookings Africa Growth Initiative’s Foresight Africa 2016, we explored this pressing problem—high income inequality—across the continent. The initial takeaway was that sub-Saharan Africa has greater in-country income inequality than other developing countries around the world. However, after separating seven outlier economies—Angola, the Central African Republic, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Comoros, and South Africa—we noted that income inequality, measured by the Gini coefficient, in the rest of the region actually mirrors the rest of the developing world, which currently stands at 0.39. All seven outlier economies have Gini coefficients above 0.55, a level reached by only four other countries worldwide: Suriname, Haiti, Colombia, and Honduras. 

It is important to explore precisely why this disparity exists. Notably, sub-Saharan Africa is not only an outlier in income inequality, but also in the relationship between economic growth and poverty reduction. Generally, in the developing world, every 1 percent of growth reduces poverty 4 percent. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, every 1 percent of growth only reduces poverty by 3 percent. In Foresight Africa 2016, Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Haroon Bhorat suggests that this disparity may be because of the commodity booms that have sustained growth periods in African economies, which bring extraordinary returns to capital but limited job growth. Alternatively, these commodity booms may have accompanied a fall in manufacturing output; growth is thus concentrated in the low-productivity services sector. In any case, this graph forces us to consider exactly what type of structural transformation is necessary for continued economic growth and acknowledge that inequality in sub-Saharan Africa might require different solutions in different countries.

For a more in-depth discussion on this issue, see Foresight Africa 2016 and Bhorat’s discussion of African inequality in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Omid Abrishamchian contributed to this post.

Authors

  • Mariama Sow
      
 
 




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Figure of the week: Annual Nelson Mandela lecture focuses on the potential of Africa’s youth


On Monday, July 18, 2016, the world celebrated Nelson Mandela International Day, a day recognizing the former president of South Africa’s commitment to fostering peace and freedom. Every year the Nelson Mandela Foundation hosts a lecture, inviting prominent individuals to discuss significant social issues affecting the African continent. For this year’s lecture, Bill Gates was selected to speak on the theme of “Living Together” in front of a packed stadium in Pretoria. Gates focused on a topic Mandela returned to repeatedly throughout his life—the power of the youth. In the words of Gates, “…young people are better than old at driving innovation because they are not locked in by the limits of the past… we must clear away the obstacles standing in young people’s way so that they can seize all of their potential.”

Unfortunately, South Africa, the second-largest economy on the continent, has the highest youth unemployment rate at 54 percent, as seen in the figure below. Surprisingly, according to the figure the highest rates of youth unemployment lie in the upper-middle-income countries as classified by GNI per capita. Additionally, these unemployment rates might be depressed due to the fact that unemployment refers to people looking for jobs, and many of Africa’s youth are forced into the informal sector after giving up on their search for employment.

Although youth unemployment in Africa is often seen as a growing challenge, a number of experts interpret the large youth population as an opportunity, as long as the youth have access to the economic opportunities through which they can channel their energy into progress. As Africa’s youth is predicted to grow exponentially, achieving broad-based economic growth and development will rely on breaking down the barriers to economic opportunity, by investing in human capital (through education) and in improving business environments. 

Figure 2.3. Youth unemployment will continue to be a growing challenge in 2016

Interestingly, GDP and income classification have little correlation with youth unemployment rates. For example, South Africa, which has the second-largest economy on the continent and is considered an upper-middle-income country based on its GNI per capita, has the highest youth unemployment rate at nearly 54 percent. Meanwhile, the Liberian economy, which is nearly 200 times smaller than South Africa’s, has a youth unemployment rate 10 times smaller. Youth unemployment is measured as the share of the labor force (ages 15-24) without work but available for and seeking employment. Estimates may be low in some low-income countries like Liberia because many young people cannot afford not to work to seek employment and as a result, end up in low-paying jobs.

Source: Youth unemployment figures from World Development Indicators and GDP data from the World Bank databank.

See the Brookings Africa Growth Initiative’s Foresight Africa 2016 report, from which the figure below comes, for more highlights on the growing challenge of youth unemployment in Africa. In addition, earlier this month the Brookings Institution hosted an Africa Policy Dialogue on the Hill on jobs in Africa, alluding to the shortcomings of the educational systems and the importance of infrastructure and electricity to support business and attract investment. For a summary of the conversation, see here.

Tor Syvrud contributed to this post.

Authors

  • Amy Copley
      
 
 




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Charts of the Week: Housing affordability, COVID-19 effects

In Charts of the Week this week, housing affordability and some new COVID-19 related research. How to lower costs of apartment building to make them more affordable to build In the first piece in a series on how improved design and construction decisions can lower the cost of building multifamily housing, Hannah Hoyt and Jenny…

       




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Figures of the week: The costs of financing Africa’s response to COVID-19

Last month’s edition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s biannual Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa, which discusses economic developments and prospects for the region, pays special attention to the financial channels through which COVID-19 has—and will—impact the economic growth of the region. Notably, the authors of the report reduced their GDP growth estimates from…

       




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Figure of the week: Taxing mobile transactions in Kenya

This week, the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings published a new policy brief, “Taxing mobile phone transactions in Africa: Lessons from Kenya.” The brief discusses the limited ability of increased tax rates on mobile money transactions and mobile phone airtime to raise a significant amount of new tax revenue. According to the brief, these taxes…

       




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Figures of the week: Perceptions of COVID-19 in South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria

On March 17, GeoPoll released the results of their survey deployed to determine perceptions and understanding of COVID-19 in South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria. South Africa currently has the highest number of diagnosed cases of the virus of any African country, and, while the number of diagnosed cases is currently low in Nigeria and Kenya,…

       




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Figure of the week: Illicit financial flows in Africa remain high, but constant as a share of GDP

This month, the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings published a policy brief examining trends in illicit financial flows (IFFs) from Africa between 1980 and 2018, which are estimated to total approximately $1.3 trillion. A serious detriment to financial and economic development on the continent, illicit financial flows are defined as “the illegal movement of money…