1 US first quarter growth revised upwards (BBC) The
US economy grew faster than previously estimated in the first quarter of the
year, according to official figures. The Commerce Department said gross
domestic product (GDP) grew at an annual pace of 1.1% in the quarter, up from
an earlier estimate of 0.8%. The upwards revision was helped by stronger export
sales.
However, growth in consumer spending was revised
down to 1.5%, the slowest pace since the first quarter of 2014. That weaker
number was a reflection of slowing spending in service sectors such as health
care and weak consumer spending during a harsh winter in many regions of the
US.
The upward revision is a positive sign for growth in
the current quarter, but there are concerns that the impact of the UK's
decision to leave the European Union could send shockwaves through the US
economy, slowing growth in the autumn. Economists currently expect second
quarter growth in 2016 to be close to 2.4%
2 Generation EU (San Francisco Chronicle) In
interviews after Brexit, Brits in their 20s and 30s described disagreements
between euroskeptic parents and their more internationally minded children. The
more passionate disagreements led to angry phone calls, accusatory text
messages and — in one or two cases — parents and children who haven't spoken
since the EU referendum results became known.
The reasons for the family feuds are as diverse as
the families themselves, but for many young supporters of the
"remain" camp, it's the prospect of seeing their parents shut the
gates to Europe that galls, particularly as Britain's baby boomers prepare to
bequeath their children a national debt of more than 1.6 trillion pounds ($2.1
trillion.)
Surveys show a notable division between Britain's
young and old on Brexit; an Ipsos MORI survey showed 64 percent of those aged
18 to 35 favored the "remain" side, with 60 percent of those aged 55
and over backing Brexit.
3 Overpopulated or underdeveloped? (Carla
Kweifio-Okai & Josh Holder in The Guardian) Global population hit 7.3
billion midway through 2015, an increase of 2 billion since 1990. It will
continue to climb steadily, according to forecasters, reaching 8.5 billion in
2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 11.2 billion in 2100.
But there is more to the population story than
unprecedented numbers. The rate of growth is continuing to slow – the overall
growth rate has been falling since the 1970s – and demographics are shifting. Globally,
women are having fewer children than ever before
“The number of births has peaked, or has levelled
off globally,” says John Wilmoth, director of the population division in the
UN’s department of economic and social affairs. “Some countries still have
increasing numbers of births but for the world as a whole, we’re not adding
people to the population through births. We’re mostly adding to the population
because people are living longer.”
Even if global fertility rates were to drastically
reduce to replacement levels, populations would continue to grow for some time
due to what experts refer to as the population momentum – the increasing number
of people surviving to reproductive age and beyond. In 2015 global life
expectancy rose to 71.4 years, a five-year increase since 2000.
More than half of global population growth between
now and 2050 is expected to take place in Africa. The most notable growth is
expected in Nigeria, where the population is estimated to surpass that of the
US by 2050, making it the third largest nation on earth.
Fertility is projected to decline in Africa too, but
the pace with which this happens will have important implications for
development. There are a number of factors that can play a role in a country’s
fertility rates, including its investment in education, the availability of
family planning services, the status of women’s rights and the prevalence of
early and forced marriage.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) argues that
addressing these key issues is fundamental to slowing population growth.
“Population dynamics are not destiny,” the UNFPA’s population matters report
says. “Change is possible through a set of policies which respect human rights
and freedoms and contribute to a reduction in fertility, notably access to
sexual and reproductive healthcare, education beyond the primary level, and the
empowerment of women.”
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