Wailin Wong
Stories
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World
Diving into diaspora bonds, and how they keep Israel afloat
Israel's war with Hamas is squeezing the country's finances. That's where diaspora bonds come in.
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World
War in the Middle East usually makes oil prices spike. Why isn't that happening now?
During the Yom Kippur war, embargoes drove oil prices up. But oil prices have actually gone down since the Oct. 7 attack. In a time of upheaval in the Middle East, we explore why prices are falling.
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World's oldest bond is gearing up for its 400th birthday. It's still paying interest
Hidden deep in an archive in New Jersey is the world's oldest living bond. It was originally issued to fund a dike in the Netherlands after a big flood.
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World
The story of an Indigenous woman in Colombia who fought back against Coca-Cola
The coca leaf has been a part of Andean culture for thousands of years. But when an indigenous woman used it in a drink she calls Coca Pola, her company entered into the crosshairs of Coca-Cola.
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How will generative AI — such as ChatGPT — affect the workplace?
New technologies often benefit highly paid, college-educated professionals — while putting others out of work. Research indicates generative AI could benefit middle-skill workers in surprising ways.
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National
This obscure program lets Americans donate to help pay off the national debt
The U.S. debt has led to plenty of partisan fights and ... charitable gifts. For decades, a government program has been collecting donations from Americans who want to help pay off the national debt.
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National
Do work requirements for SNAP assistance actually lead to economic self-sufficiency?
SNAP, a federal nutrition assistance program, will again require some recipients to work in order to receive aid. But new research raises questions about whether work requirements actually work.
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World
Encore: Examining the state of global shipping and what it might mean
During the pandemic, the cost to fill and transport a shipping container skyrocketed. Now, shipping rates have dropped by roughly 80% over the last six months.
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National
If the U.S. can't borrow more money, why not just mint a coin to fund the government?
The Indicator from Planet Money explores how a trillion-dollar platinum coin could get the country around the debt ceiling limit.
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National
The Fed has been raising interest rates — so why are savings interest rates low?
When the Federal Reserve hikes interest rates, the interest rate on your savings account usually follows in step. But recently, that logic hasn't held up.