The Finnish Government has moved ahead with plans to trial a Basic Income Scheme on 2,000 random citizens to study the impact on employment. Under the scheme, recipients receive a basic income of $US600 per month. Prime Minister Sipila wants to see if the measure can boost employment and simplify the welfare benefits system. “The Continue Reading →
Global interest spiked this week in an Act of the New Zealand parliament granting personhood to the Te Urewera National Park. The actual wording of the act is that “Te Urewera is a legal entity and has the same legal rights, powers, duties and responsibilities as a person.” This means that legal action can be Continue Reading →
Many Swedish retailers stopped accepting cash this month as the next step in the nation’s move to become a cashless society. Writing in CounterCurrents this week, Brett Scott reports that European nations are backing the banks in a call to accelerate the elimination of cash. Scott quotes various politicians and bank executives as evidence that the Continue Reading →
The US Department of Justice has announced it will phase out corporate operation of federal prisons after A director General’s reports revealed ongoing abuse and failures of the system. This will not affect State penitentiaries or prisons run by other federal policies. Recent reports reveal that California has built one university and 22 prisons in Continue Reading →
Australian cabaret troupe, Hot Brown Honey, has played to full houses and rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this week. Mixing burlesque with comedy shot through with a powerful political message the show has been described as “gleefully challenging stereotypes of sex and race with a full grin, bared chest and raised middle finger.” Continue Reading →
The Catholic Herald this week openly criticized Pope Francis’ statements that we must not equate Terrorism with Islam. It is the most recent in a series of high profile criticisms of the Pope by Catholic commentators. Pope Francis told reporters last week that we must not mention terrorism by Islamists without reference to Christian terrorism. Continue Reading →