Lets start the day with some relatively good news. The proportion of the global population living in extreme (absolute) poverty has dropped significantly since 1990. And, as Jostein Hauge (UCambridge) has made clear, China over the period has contributed over half of that improvement. Certainly too many still live in extreme poverty, and being above the poverty line doesn't make you comfortable, but this remains (qualified) good news. #poverty #politics #inequality h/t LinkedIn

Demonstrating that actions have consequences... in 2025 while world-wide international travel grew by around 4%, international visitors to the USA dropped by 4%. And we can be sure that this trend will have continued into 2026 (although it might be ameliorated by the FIFA World Cup?). If we think of tourism as a form of export (service) industry, then its another sign of the growing pivot away from the economy of the USA. #USPol #economics #tourism h/t FT