KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 30 2020 (IPS) – Covid-19 threatens economic life the world over. The most urgent and important need is for governments, businesses and families to survive. Governments must revive economies and livelihoods to prevent Covid-19 recessions from becoming protracted depressions.

The Covid-19 crisis is clearly a ‘black swan event’, threatening both public health and livelihoods. Both the pandemic and containment efforts are not due to business operations and decisions, but nonetheless have compelling consequences for them.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram

Covid-19 contagion contractionary, costly
In East Asia and a few other societies, successful early precau…

Korea is one of the world’s top economies. Yet, behind the success, many feel alienated. Does the recent hit show Squid Game, reflect the underbelly of the society’s success? Credit: Ori Song/Unsplash

Seoul, Nov 16 2021 (IPS) – Immediately after its release, the Squid Game went viral, grabbing the attention of the world s entertainment stage. The grotesque and hyper-violent thriller has reportedly become Netflix s biggest show, the world s most-watched and the most-talked-about streaming entertainment. Is it a case of art imitating life?

The global rise of Korean entertainment is reminiscent of South Korea s rags-to-rich story. The once war-strick…