Search

The article discusses the strategy of warehouse-club retailer Sam's Club to break away from low-income consumers who patronize its parent company Wal-Mart Stores Inc. According to the article, Sam's Club planned to carry items such as organic food and brand-name clothing that appeal to wealthier consumers. The article presents comments from Sam's Club chief executive Roaslind Brewer. The article also discusses the success of warehouse-club retailer Costco Wholesale Corp.

The article discusses the expansion of operations of international spirits companies such as London, England, firm Diageo PLC in Africa during the early 21st century. The article also examines competition between Diageo and alcoholic beverage firm Pernod Ricard in Kenya, the targeting of low-income customers via radio advertising and billboards for cheaper liquor, and alcoholism in Africa. The article presents comments from Kenyan merchant Leonard Odhiambo.

The article discusses data-driven experimental programs that test methods administered by what are called randomistas for assisting poor people in saving money and improving their quality of life in the U.S. and abroad. According to the article, several studies conducted by economists from the Yale University Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) program, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), and European research centers designed programs such as livestock grants, short-term cash, and health services that resulted in increased savings.

The article discusses increases in stock prices of retail stores, focusing on how low oil prices have impacted the ability of low-income consumers to spend money in stores. Other topics include the valuation of stocks from retail chains including Target, Costco Wholesale, and Wal-Mart Stores, comparison of current valuations with analysts' expectations, and information on some retail stores that haven't been able to capitalize on the situation.

The article discusses the Lifeline program, a U.S. federally funded domestic assistance program which provides low-income individuals with monies to purchase wireless phone services. Particular focus is given to efforts by the Federal Communications Commission to expand regulations of the program in order to require wireless providers to seek verification from subscribers regarding their eligibility for Lifeline funds.

The article examines how health officials in India are working to prevent the spread of a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis (TB) and Indian government officials' plan to distribute treatment for the disease for free. Topics include how widespread poverty in the country make it an ideal breeding ground for the disease, how countries like the U.S. and South Africa are working to improve their TB drugs in order to treat the new strain, and the World Health Organization's praise for India's plan.

The article focuses on increased sales of low-cost Chinese smartphones. It states that Chinese manufacturer Huawei Technologies Co. is the world's second-largest maker of telecom-network equipment but has had difficulties selling its products in the U.S. due to security concerns by the U.S. government. It mentions that Huawei smartphones are targeted at lower-income American consumers. It comments that Huawei's market share in the year ended September 30, 2011 doubled to 2.4 percent from 2010.

The article discusses wireless-service-provider Sprint Nextel Corp.'s participation in a U.S. federal program that pays it a subsidy in exchange for offering discounted or no-cost cell-phone plans to people who meet government poverty guidelines. Sprint earns a small profit on the basic plans, and additional profits when customers need to buy minutes that exceed the plans' monthly limits.

The article argues that economic development and a cleaner environment are not incompatible. In the author's view a global climate policy adopted by the European Union will cost $250 billion annually in lost economic output, while having little positive effect on the environment. He believes that $250 billion would be far better spent on research and development into cleaner energy, aid for the world's poor, and ways of adapting to global warming.

The article argues that developed Western economies need to make sacrifices in order to both safeguard the environment and promote economic development among the world's poor. Moreover, the author believes actions taken today should not endanger the well-being of future generations. He says that emissions need to be reduced, but that rich nations should first cut back on emissions related to discretionary activities before developing nations are asked to limit their emissions.

The article discusses a shopping habit that has emerged among some low-income Americans. They shop close to midnight on the first of each month, because at midnight the U.S. government electronically replenishes their benefit accounts. Retailers Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Kroger Co. are among firms that have observed this behavior, which seems to reflect a degree of financial distress among the poor.

The article discusses the popularity in rural India of entertainment accessed via cellphone. In villages where residents have neither television nor radio, cellphone service providers such as Reliance Communications Ltd. and Bharti Airtel Ltd. offer numbers consumers can dial to hear music, sports information, and other content of interest.

The article discusses flaws in charitable giving and offers suggestions for improvement. In the author's view philanthropic institutions and private donors need to be more generous, and they must also place greater emphasis on helping those genuinely in need such as poor and disabled persons. He also calls for greater public accountability and more multi-year funding.

The article discusses efforts by firms in India and abroad to develop products tailored specifically to the needs of poor people. A $2200 car from Tata Motors and a $43 water-purification system from Hindustan Unilever represent a reversal of the usual order of events, in which companies focus mainly on creating products for people in developed nations.

The article reports on Pope Francis' strong disapproval of the living conditions of poor people in Nairobi, Kenya whose sacred right to jobs, lands, and housing are being affected by new forms of colonialism in rich countries.

The article reports that New York mayor, Bill de Blasio is focused on introducing an initiative to improve health-care access for low-income, uninsured immigrant population by connecting them to primary and preventive health-care services.

This article discusses a poverty incentive program called the "Pathway to Rewards" in Chicago, Illinois, which awards points for doing things right such as going to work and going to school. Reward banquets are held where residents gather to cash in points for prizes including bicycles, DVD players, PlayStation video game consoles. The creators of the program hope that reaching for incentives will help poor families learn to improve their lives.

Reports on the gap between the rich and poor in Latin America. Analysis of the Latin American economy; Difficulty of poor people to move up in society; Lack of emphasis on education; Way that mobility is hampered, reducing the overall competitiveness of the country; Effect of political instability; Details of the economic stability in Mexico; Desire of Latin Americans to live in the United States.

The article reports that U.S. mortgage finance company Fannie Mae will launch a program to make it easier for low-income borrowers get a mortgage, opening access to mortgage to working class and multigenerational households.

The article discusses highlights of an online panel discussion about food deserts, the access of low-income families to healthy foods, the promotion of healthier food choices to the public, and the reduction of obesity rates in the U.S.

The article reports on the popularity of a clinic in New Delhi, India where burn victims receive free treatment using an ointment developed by a candy maker named Jawahar.

The article reports that in his first policy speech Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that his government would focus on aiding the rural poor in India through development such as bringing electricity, broadband, and education to villages as of June 2014.

The author argues that the boom in the U.S. domestic oil and gas industry as of 2014 benefits low-income workers, and that efforts to ban practices like fracking cause greater inequality.

The article discusses the reported differences between the antipoverty proposals of U.S. President Barack Obama's administration and Republican leaders such as American Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representative Paul Ryan as of 2014, focusing on tax credits and assistance for low-wage workers.

An adaptation is presented of the 2014 annual letter from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which discusses three myths about poor countries.

The author argues that the U.S. government has been waging a war against poor people for many decades, focusing on several anti-poor policies which impose cuts in food stamps and eliminate emergency unemployment compensation benefits, and it mentions a debate over raising the federal minimum wage.

The article reports on poverty in the U.S. as of October 2013 and mentions 15 percent of Americans live in deep poverty which is below the established poverty line of an annual income of $23,492 for a family of four, according to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. The article notes unemployment, welfare reform, and a weak economy have contributed to the increased numbers of poor people and those in deep poverty.

The article argues that U.S. President Barack Obama's economic policies are neglectful in terms of meeting the needs of poor people in America as of August 2013, focusing on the nation's minimum wage rate, a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, and the American dream.

The article discusses a study from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University that disclosed between 2007 and 2011 the number of people categorized as very low-income renters grew by 2.5 million, while the number of rental units affordable by them declined by 100,000.

The author looks at out-migration from California, as of 2013, saying that many lower-income families are leaving the state for economic reasons and expressing the view that this reflects the failure of liberal state economic policies to address their needs.

The article examines how a failure to resolve the U.S. fiscal cliff, a set of tax increases and spending reductions scheduled for 2013, could result in increased federal taxes for low-income married couples and households with families.

The article discusses the projected impact of the 2012 U.S. fiscal cliff on taxpayers of various income brackets, noting increases on low-income families. Topics include changes to the alternative minimum tax (AMT), the ending of certain unemployment benefits, and a reduction in the child tax credit.

This section offers world news briefs as of November 2011 including one on the position of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the assaults by Serb crowds in Kosovo, one on the increase in the number of poor citizens in China, and one on the firing of rockets from Lebanon to Israel.

The author criticizes the implementation of the death tax in the U.S. for its pro-rich but anti-poor provision, which encourages rich people to engage in overconsumption.

The article reports on growing concerns about new limits on debit-card fee caps which could push poorer people in the U.S. out of the banking system.

The article reports that the people who participated in the protest to oust Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak came from different social classes, including Islamic scholars, the rich and the poor.

The article reports that Michigan head of human services Maura Corrigan is looking to speed up the process for funding indigent burials for the poor.

The author reflects on an article in "Le Monde," which featured the lives of three people living in the tunnels of Las Vegas, Nevada

The article deals with the concern raised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the failure of several states to properly implement the food-stamp programs for low-income families and individuals in 2009, as more people currently experience hunger. In a letter dated November 20 issued by the USDA to state administrators, it is said that the program was handled by many states in a way that made the enrollment system more complex. Missouri was cited as the most successful state in delivering such aid to almost 100% eligible individuals.

The article reports on the growth of the microfinance industry in India in the year ending March 31, 2009. The growth was primarily driven by private equity and bank funding. Microfinance involves lending small amounts of money to groups of poor individuals with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship and trade. It notes an increasing interest among mainstream banks in channeling funds into microfinance banks instead of giving them directly to poor people.

The article reports on the mining agreement worth 7 billion U.S. dollars signed by the military government of Guinea with an unnamed Chinese firm. According to Mahmoud Thiam, Guinea's Mines Minister, the Chinese company will be a strategic partner in all mining projects in the nation. Guinea is said to be the world's largest producer of bauxite, the raw material used in making aluminum. Thiam added that the mining projects will help the poor people in the nation.

The article focuses on the significance of the consideration of the reauthorization of the Opportunity Scholarship Program by Illinois Senator Richard Durbin to low-income families in the District of Columbia. Under the school voucher program, 1,700 disadvantaged children will be able to opt out of the district's public schools and attend a private school instead. Based on a Department of Education evaluation, the narrowing of the black-white learning gap is due to minority students.

The article reports an appeal made by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that the Summer Olympic Games in 2016 be held in Rio de Janeiro so the event can be experienced by his country's poor. The appeal is cited as an effort by the populist president to enhance Brazil's bid for the Olympic Games. High praise was received by Brazil in an International Olympic Committee report on technical qualities.

The article discusses the implications of U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' proposed health care reform bill for consumers. Under the proposed bill, insurers are required to sell policies to people regardless of pre-existing conditions. There is a plan to expand Medicaid to cover people making up 33% of the federal poverty level. Particular focus is given to exemptions from the mandate for individuals to have insurance.

The author focuses on the existence of the right to health care belief in Great Britain. He cites the tendency of the belief to reduce moral imagination. He claims that the population is made poor by the government-run health care system. Satisfying the demand for equality means providing the people with the same quality of care.

The author reflects on the marriage crisis in the U.S. She discusses an article in the "Atlantic" magazine by performer and writer Sandra Tsing Loh about her own infidelity and separation from her husband. She claims that marital breakdown is concentrated among low-income and black couples. She offers statistical information about break-up and divorce.

The author discusses the need for the U.S. to help the world's poor by helping people of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. She states that the country does not have security, infrastructure or resources to address its problems. She notes that only the international community as well as the government can bring real order to the country. She hopes that the U.S. will continue supporting the World Food Programme in its effort to provide more assistance to the orphans, the sick and those torn from their homes.

The article reports on the economic-stimulus agreement in the U.S. which expands federal aid to several programs aimed at the poor and jobless, health care, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other programs. Final negotiations between the U.S. House and Senate removed some of the more aggressive expansions such as an option to let states open their Medicaid programs to the unemployed. According to Sharon Parrot of the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the package targets relief to those hurting the most in the recession.

The article reports that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, leader of the ruling Congress party, have pledged government action to sustain growth and protect the poor in India. It states that Singh suggested the response to the gathering economic trouble would be aggressive. According to Gandhi, liberalization would be accompanied by sensible but not heavy-handed regulation. It notes that six state elections will be held by the end of 2008 and a national parliamentary vote is expected in 2009.

The article presents the author's views on the prosperity gospel. The author is convinced that capitalism provides the only reliable mechanism for lifting large number of people out of poverty. He says that if one is concerned for the poor, one will adopt a preferential option for capitalism. The prosperity gospel, he says, intends material betterment for individuals and aggregate economic growth. In any evaluation of the prosperity gospel, he suggests that one must recognized that capitalism's promise to elevate the poor is attainable.