Poverty rates in 2020: The data tells a mixed story for those who are most vulnerable

9/14/21 7:00PM

A matter of measurement

‍It seems a safe bet that the number of Americans living in poverty would have gone up in 2020, considering all that happened, but the latest data from the US Census Bureau reveals that it's not actually that clear.

The official poverty rate, the threshold of which is about $13,000 in income per individual, did rise last year, to 11.4%. But that measure doesn't account for potential income from various government programs, including stimulus checks (and food and housing assistance). Once those are included, in what's known as the Supplemental Poverty Measure, the rate actually fell last year, to 9.1%.

Optimists and pessimists can probably spin these numbers any way they want. The good news is the stimulus last year seemed to help. The bad news is that the relief stimulus won't last forever.

The global situation is even more sobering, with years of progress in the reduction of extreme poverty likely to have reversed last year.

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Starbucks sells control of China business for $4 billion

Starbucks disclosed on Monday evening in a regulatory filing that it will sell control of its ailing China business to Boyu Capital for about $4 billion.

Under the agreement, Boyu will own a 60% stake in the China segment, which will become a joint venture between Boyu and Starbucks. The coffee chain will retain a 40% interest in the entity and will continue to own and license the brand and intellectual property.

Bloomberg reported earlier this year that the company was looking to sell its China segment. The American coffee giant has struggled to succeed in China, its second-largest market after the US.

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This month’s 137,000-barrel-a-day boost is a little more modest than some expected.

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China, the world’s largest carbon polluter, has pledged to cut emissions for the first time

President Xi Jinping has announced that China is aiming to slash carbon emissions by up to 10% in the next decade.

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John Wayne Airport in Orange County tops the list of North America’s favorite airports

Despite a record year of passenger numbers, flight cancellations, and delays, a new survey has revealed that flyers have been increasingly satisfied about their experiences in North American airports.

According to this year’s North America Airport Satisfaction Study from data analysts at J.D. Power, overall passenger satisfaction scores were up 10 points (on a 1,000-point scale), largely from “improvements in food, beverage and retail and ease of travel through the airport.” The annual survey measures overall traveler satisfaction across the region’s airports in seven categories (in order of importance): ease of travel, level of trust, terminal facilities, airport staff, airport departure experience, food and retail, and airport arrival experience.

Here are the region’s favorites:

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More than 40% of American adults now report being online “almost constantly”

While a new survey showed Japan has the greatest share of perpetually online people, there was a significant number reporting not using the internet at all.

Poverty rates in 2020: The data tells a mixed story for those who are most vulnerable

More World

Starbucks sells control of China business for $4 billion

John Wayne Airport in Orange County tops the list of North America’s favorite airports

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