Podcast appearances and mentions of Tim Phillips

If we focus on the cutting edge of AI implementation, we're also focusing on a small set of technologically advanced countries. How will AI affect work in the rest of the world, what should those countries do to prepare, and how can they make best use of the technology? Giovanni Melina of the IMF is one of the authors of two papers that calculates both the exposure of jobs to AI around the world, and the readiness of those countries to meet the challenge of using AI effectively at work.  He talks to Tim Phillips about the extent of the exposure to AI in emerging markets and developing countries, whether those countries have the infrastructure to implement applications of the technology, and the policies that would be most effective to increase their preparedness. 

This month, Tim Phillips is joined by regular guests Aastha Gupta and Scott Livingstone to delve into the intricacies of the global tech trade. They unravel the complexities of supply chains, the strategic importance of rare earth elements, and the geopolitical tensions shaping today's trade landscape.Semiconductors may be the new oil, but what about the old oil? They also talk about OPEC, peak oil demand and revenue, and the status of petrodollars presently and in the years to come. Lastly, the mix of good and bad: what to make of Middle East politics and the potential for further trade tussles?Please check out and subscribe to our channels on: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/natwest-trade-links/id1819914204Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22tvckJbiWWRbqcCnyFsICThis episode was recorded on 1 July 2025.

 In the second of special series recorded live at the PSE-CEPR Policy Forum 2025, we are asking, how good is AI at doing real-world job task? And how can we measure their capability without resorting to technical benchmarks that may not mean much in the workplace? Since we all became aware of large language models, LLMs scientists have been attempting to evaluate how good they are at performing expert tasks. The results of those tests can show us whether LLMs  can be useful complements to our work, or even replacements for us, as many fear. But setting or grading a test to decide whether an LLM can do a problem-solving job task, rather than solve an abstract problem, isn't easy to do.  Maria del Rio-Chanona, a computer scientist at UCL, tells Tim Phillips about her innovative work-in-progress, in which she asks an LLM to set a tricky workplace exam, then tells another LLM to take the test – which a third LLM evaluates.

Many developed countries are creating immigration policies designed specifically to attract the most talented migrants. We often assume that when those skilled and educated citizens migrate from low-income countries in search of high-paying opportunities, it causes a “brain drain” in their home countries, delaying or hobbling development. A new article in the journal Science puts that assumption to the test and finds that there is also the possibility of a brain gain at home, as investments in education, remittances, and the contribution of the diaspora to investment and changing norms can more the compensate for the loss of skills.  Cátia Batista of Nova School of Business and Economics and Caroline Theoharides of Amherst College are two of the authors of the article, and they tell Tim Phillips about what the potential for brain gains, but also the policies that are needed to make sure this happens. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/migration-urbanisation/why-brain-drain-incomplete-story-migration

Recorded live at the PSE-CEPR Policy Forum 2025.  This year the annual Paris School of Economics-PSE Policy Forum is organized around three themes: artificial intelligence and labour reallocation, working conditions and remote work, and inequality in the workplace. In short, what's work going to look like in the future?  Our series of podcasts, recorded live at the event, starts with David Autor's work on the impact of AI on jobs. Rather than speculate about how soon AI will destroy work, David's research focuses on which tasks AI will automate, and what that means in terms of the expertise needed to do these jobs in the future. He tells Tim Phillips that some jobs will become more expert and some less – but the employment effects of AI may be the opposite of what many people expect. 

In the second of our special episodes recorded at the 5th annual STEG conference, Lucas Conwell of UCL talks to Tim Phillips about how the private minibus networks, such a distinctive feature of urban transit in developing country cities, can improve their service when there is little room for public investment or regulation.  If you have ever tried them, they can seem chaotic, but would require large or small policy tweaks to make them work efficiently, and what would those tweaks be? Lucas has mapped both the service and the opinions of passengers for Cape Town's public transit minibuses, and discovered that minimal intervention could improve services, increase security, and decrease wait times. Read the full show notes: https://voxdev.org/topic/infrastructure/minibuses-major-gains-rethinking-urban-transit-developing-countries Find out more about STEG at https://steg.cepr.org

This week on VoxDev talks we have two special episodes recorded at the 5th annual STEG conference. STEG is a research initiative that aims to provide a better understanding of structural change, productivity, and growth in low- and middle-income countries.  For many economies in the Global South, fossil fuel extraction has been both a blessing and a curse. Nowhere more so than Nigeria, where oil production generates huge revenues, but also creates an environmental and social burden for the people who live in oil producing regions. Arinze Nwokolo of Lagos Business School has investigated one aspect of this burden: how gas flaring that occurs as part of the oil production process affects local agriculture. He talks to Tim Phillips about the dramatic impact it has on agricultural productivity, and how the policy alternatives can change those outcomes. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/energy-environment/gas-flaring-threatens-agriculture-and-livelihoods-nigeria Find out more about STEG at https://steg.cepr.org

The Bank for International Settlements Annual Economic Report has just dropped, and there's a markedly less positive tone than last year, when it was celebrating imminent soft landings in the global economy. It warns of a deteriorating outlook for growth, coupled with vulnerabilities in the global financial system.  So, what exactly is the BIS worried about, how can policy and regulation respond, and should central banks start worrying about the next systemic crisis? Gaston Gelos and Frank Smets are Deputy Heads of the Monetary and Economic Department at the BIS and are also two of the authors who put together the report. They talk to Tim Phillips about why last year's optimism has disappeared, and how monetary and fiscal policy can adjust to cope with a new era of uncertainty and fragmentation. 

The always-entertaining Ed Bassett and Tim Phillips stop by to discuss Phoenix Stage Company's production of the play SEX by Mae West.

Whether you are looking at the link from education to economic growth, household earnings or individual happiness, there's no doubt that a better-educated population is good news. But how can policy improve education in a cost-effective way? You might assume that a good route would be to improve the management of schools, but existing research is not conclusive, and often top-down attempts to improve management meets opposition from administrators. An experiment in Brazil has evaluated a program to improve management using existing resources in Rio de Janeiro. Tiago Cavalcanti, of University of Cambridge, Sao Paulo School of Economics & CEPR, and Felipe Puccioni of the Court of Accounts of Rio de Janeiro came up with the experiment, and they tell Tim Phillips about why universal education doesn't necessarily mean universal learning – and how they became celebrities on national television when their successful project hit the headlines.

*Pre-order my new book here: https://geni.us/AtlasOfUFOs * I am joined for this Breakdown by first time guest, Pavel Ibarra, host of the Psicoactivo podcast which is very much worth checking out over on youtube, link below, we discussed a lot of news, including: Tim Phillips' Interviews and Reactions Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp's UFO Footage The Buga Sphere Controversy Underground Bases and Military Involvement New Whistleblowers coming forward soon? Comparing Whistleblowers: Grush and Brown James Fox's Archival Project Impact of Alien-Themed Media Listener Questions Challenges in UFO Disclosure Closing Thoughts and Future Content Check out Pavel's show: https://www.youtube.com/@psicoactivopodcast Get in touch with the show: https://www.thatufopodcast.com/contact Twitter: @UFOUAPAM Facebook, YouTube & Instagram: "That UFO Podcast" YouTube: ⁠⁠YouTube.com/c/ThatUFOPodcast⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠UFOUAPAM@gmail.com All podcast links & associated links: ⁠⁠Linktr.ee/ufouapam⁠ https://www.thatufopodcast.com/ Don't forget to subscribe, like and leave a review of the show Enjoy folks, Andy

In October 2024, Prabowo Subianto became president of Indonesia. He inherits the “Golden Indonesia” vision: By the time the country celebrates 100 years of independence in 2045, it aims to be one of the five largest economies in the world. But if Indonesia remains dependent on commodity exports like palm oil, coal, natural gas, and rubber, does it risk getting stuck in the “middle income trap” – too wealthy to compete with low-wage nations, but without the human capital or technology to become a HIC? Chatib Basri is an economist and former finance minister of Indonesia. He tells Tim Phillips about the industrial policies needed to accelerate Indonesia's economy and diversify its exports, and the challenges if Indonesia does not accelerate its growth. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/macroeconomics-growth/going-economic-growth-lessons-indonesia Also on VoxDev: Is improving tax administration more effective than raising tax rates?  https://voxdev.org/topic/public-economics/improving-tax-administration-more-effective-raising-tax-rates-evidence

Pedestrianised areas, car-free streets, or low traffic neighbourhoods are increasingly visible in major cities. Whether in London, Paris, New York or Barcelona, these changes are always controversial – but does the loud criticism that we often hear in social media or newspapers really represent the views of voters who are affected by these policies? Elisabet Viladecans-Marsal of the Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona Institute of Economics and CEPR spoke to Tim Phillips about whether Barcelona's car-free “Superblocks” were vote-winners or vote-losers for the city's mayor. Photo: Cataleirxs

If you've been dismayed at the changes to your mile earn rates on your credit cards, we have you covered with credit card strategies to spend smarter. Hosted by Michelle Martin with guest Tim Phillips, Founder of TimTalksMoney, this episode unpacks recent cuts to high miles-per-dollar credit cards and what savvy Singaporeans can do now. We ask: is the ultra-pricey Amex Platinum worth it or just hype? Plus, we explore Grab and Sea Limited and what investors are talking about with the two tech titans. Discover hidden credit card pitfalls, smarter strategies, and why investors are watching these tech giants closely. If you are chasing points and gains, this episode is for you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following a recent "bombshell" report by the Wall Street Journal revealing the Pentagon's secretive disinformation efforts involving UFOs since the Cold War, controversy has erupted over the extent of the long-running deception, whether the new "revelations" are actually just more disinfo, and what this means in terms of investigation of "real" UAP incidents.  This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we wade into the controversy, along with an examination of recent statements by the Deputy Director of the DoD's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office regarding its uncovering of evidence of the DoD's deception over the years, as well as the cases involving mysterious "black triangles " that still baffle AARO officials.  Have you had a UFO/UAP sighting? Please consider reporting your sighting to the UAP Sightings Reporting System, a public resource for information about sightings of aerial phenomena. The story doesn't end here... become an X Subscriber and get access to even more weekly content and monthly specials. Want to advertise/sponsor The Micah Hanks Program? We have partnered with the AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. If you would like to advertise with The Micah Hanks Program, all you have to do is click the link below to get started: AdvertiseCast: Advertise with The Micah Hanks Program Show Notes Below are links to stories and other content featured in this episode: Cosmic Summit 2025: Use offer code “UAP” for in-person passes, and “3CAMS” for $50 Virtual Passes NEWS: Israel Says It Attacked Headquarters of Powerful Iranian Military Unit  Satellite images show damage to Iran missile sites  Massive Stealth Flying Wing Emerges At Secretive Chinese Base AUDIO: An Astronaut on the Moon Who's a Soldier  U.S. Army Secretary Refers to Astronaut “On the Moon Who's a Soldier,” UFO DISINFO: BOMBSHELL: Pentagon created fake UFO evidence, promoted false alien stories  Mick West on Black Triangles: “Optical Illusions” or Real Craft?  WITNESS “BJ”: UAPSRS Case No. 145 BECOME AN X SUBSCRIBER AND GET EVEN MORE GREAT PODCASTS AND MONTHLY SPECIALS FROM MICAH HANKS. Sign up today and get access to the entire back catalog of The Micah Hanks Program, as well as “classic” episodes, weekly “additional editions” of the subscriber-only X Podcast, the monthly Enigmas specials, and much more. Like us on Facebook Follow @MicahHanks on X. Keep up with Micah and his work at micahhanks.com.

**There is some mild background noise in the first 14 mins which ive cleaned up that goes away, apologies folks** Pre-order Atlas of UFOs: https://geni.us/AtlasOfUFOs I am joined by former Deputy Director of the All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) Timothy Phillips, to discuss: Tims Career Assignment to AARO and Initial Impressions AARO Organizational Structure and Mission Challenges in UAP Investigations Working with Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Challenges in Proving or Disproving UAP Claims Investigating Claims and Disinformation Whistleblowers and Congressional Inquiries Black Triangles and National Security Dimensionality and the Supernatural Future of AARO and Public Reporting Listener Questions Get in touch with the show: https://www.thatufopodcast.com/contact Twitter: @UFOUAPAM Facebook, YouTube & Instagram: "That UFO Podcast" YouTube: ⁠⁠YouTube.com/c/ThatUFOPodcast⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠UFOUAPAM@gmail.com All podcast links & associated links: ⁠⁠Linktr.ee/ufouapam⁠ https://www.thatufopodcast.com/ Don't forget to subscribe, like and leave a review of the show Enjoy folks, Andy

What's the point of having a job? Clearly, to make money for ourselves and our families. But is it possible for us to discover some bigger purpose or meaning at work. And, if we do, who benefits? That's the idea that a multinational organisation had when it called in a team of economists to analyse its internal programme called “Find your Purpose” (FYP). The resulting RCT set out to measure whether FYP changed how employees behaved at work, whether it helped them enjoy their jobs, and whether it increased profits too. Oriana Bandiera of London School of Economics and CEPR was one of those economists. She tells Tim Phillips how she took the programme and found her purpose, why FYP increased the quit rate but improved productivity, and why employees who took the programme stopped worrying about their work-life balance. 

This week on End Credits, we're thinking about our elders. This is a multi-generational show today as we mark the special occasion this weekend and then get an early jump on an October holiday with a new movie. What holiday? Why Grandmother's Day, of course! We're reviewing Nonnas on Netflix and talking about movies focused on fatherhood!! This Wednesday, June 11, at 3 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Tim Phillips will discuss: Father's Day Movies. This weekend is the annual celebration of fathers everywhere, and much fishing equipment, car accessories and neck ties will be spread in their name. But what about the movies? Yes, there have been many movies that celebrate fathers and fatherhood, and so we will use the occasion of Father's Day to celebrate those movies whether that's an adoptive father to a demon or the World's Greatest Dad! REVIEW: Nonnas (2025). We've talked about fathers, now let's talk about grandmothers! Or rather, Nonnas. It's based on the true story of a Staten Island restaurateur who used his inheritance to create an eatery dedicated to the fine, home Italian cooking of his mother, his grandmother and nonnas everywhere using real nonnas as the kitchen staff. Vince Vaughn leads an all-star cast of nonnas including Lorraine Bracco, Susan Sarandon and Talia Shire, but can they cook up something delightful and delicious movie-wise speaking? End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 3 pm.

Tim Phillips returns with regular NatWest guests Aastha Gupta and Scott Livingstone to talk trade. This time, they focus on the super big questions: how is the very nature of trade evolving and whether the era of globalisation is nearing an end?They also discuss:• Trade Patterns: Trade volumes, particularly in services and digital trade, are still increasing, but supply chains are becoming more regional and complex.• Regional trade blocs: How the world is shifting from a single regime to a multi-polar, bloc-based system influenced by political alignment and strategic interests.• Security concerns and the weather in Helsinki.• Plus, what wrong-footed them last-time: the free trade agreement signed between the UK and India.To read Aastha's latest Trade Tracker, click here: https://www.natwest.com/corporates/insights/finance/trade-tracker-uk-trade-deals-in-focus.html This episode was recorded on 2 June 2025All details correct at time of recording.For any terms used please refer to this glossary https://www.natwest.com/corporates/insights/markets/glossary.htmlPlease view our full disclaimer here: https://www.natwest.com/corporates/disclaimer.html

It was almost business as usual at the Education World Forum in London last month. At the world's largest annual gathering of education and skills ministers, this year's theme was & "Building stronger, bolder, better education together." But the context was far from routine. The conference took place against a backdrop of global funding cuts to education programmes—the Institute for Economics and Peace estimates that more than 35 million children around the world depend on foreign aid for their basic education. How can policy be strong, bold, or better in the face of these cuts? Ben Piper, Director of Global Education at the Gates Foundation and a panellist on the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (GEEAP), was at the conference, meeting education ministers and discussing these problems with them. He tells Tim Phillips that, at a time when funding is scarce, foundational learning projects deliver cost-effective results for policymakers, and huge benefits for children. Read the full show notes here: https://voxdev.org/topic/education/why-we-need-invest-foundational-learning

Does the public take more notice of the opinions of male or female economists? We know that female experts, whether in science, politics or the media, suffer from an authority gap: their expertise is often not given as much weight by the public as opinions held by less qualified men. But does the gap persist for the very highest achievers? And, if it closes or even reverses for them, what lessons are there for other female experts?  Sarah Smith of the University of Bristol and CEPR recently conducted an experiment about which expert economists are most likely to influence public opinion. She tells Tim Phillips about a signal that reverses the authority gap, and how this insight can help other female economists to communicate their expertise. 

Connecticut lawmaker reads banned book aloud in the legislative chamber. Ryan Schmelz has the latest on the Big Beautiful Bill. The list of banned new born baby names. Miami Dade Public Schools has a course called “Preparing for Student Success” which consists of topics asking why are you heterosexual? Tim Phillips on America getting a calculator for the Big Beautiful Bill. Two party system is a failure.

From Brazil, we bring good news for poverty reduction: Brazil's formerly sky-high wage inequality is not quite so sky-high anymore. From 1995 to 2015 Brazil became a more equal society, a trend that contrasts with rising inequality during that time in high-income countries. A soon-to-be-published article in the Journal of Economic Literature reviews the research that estimates the reduction, discovers the factors that have contributed to it and the mechanisms that have driven it. Alysson Portella of Insper tells Tim Phillips why there is no silver bullet that policymakers can use to reduce inequality, and why both implementing and evaluating policies in Brazil can be even more challenging than in other countries. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/macroeconomics-growth/understanding-brazils-falling-income-inequality

What if trade policy wasn't really about trade at all? What if it was about revenge, power, and punishment, tariffs as tantrums and diplomacy as drama? You won't find the Grievance Doctrine in economics textbooks, but there is one book that explains what it is, what its policies are, and the way it is currently being implemented. Richard Baldwin of IMD Business School in Lausanne, the founder and the Editor-in-Chief of VoxEU is also the author of “The Great Trade Hack”. In it, he sets out the way the Grievance Doctrine has been weaponised by this US administration, how the rest of the world could respond, and what might happen next. Richard joins Tim Phillips to explain the thinking that guides policy one of the most extraordinary periods in the history of trade – and why the rest of world will do just fine without the US as an ally. Download The Great Trade Hack.

In our 7:30 half hour, we talk to Nestpoint Director of Government Affairs & Global Strategies Tim Phillips, who addresses the United States' evolving relationship with Syria.

In our second hour, we discuss international politics with Howard Gutman and Tim Phillips -- and we get an impromptu conversation with Richmond Mayor Danny Avula about the latest water trouble in the city.

On today's show, we delve into another Richmond water fiasco, discuss international relations, and address the latest news regarding transgender participation in female sports. Our guests are Howard Gutman, Tim Phillips, Danny Avula, Michael Phillips, Bentley Chan, and Jeff Monosso. Enjoy!

We talk about AI a lot here at Embedded Computing Design, and that's a huge understatement. What we don't talk about often is the power required to keep the data centers going, specifically the data centers that form the backbone of all this AI activity. When you talk to experts in this space, they'll tell you that the amount of power needed, specifically the power density, is staggering. One of those experts, Tim Phillips, President, CEO, and Founder of Empower Semiconductor, joined me on this week's Embedded Executives podcast. He gave some insight into what we need to do to handle the power (and associated heat) issue.

“Humans are not rational beings with emotions. In fact, we're just the opposite. We're emotionally based beings who can only think rationally when we feel that our identities, as we see them, are understood and valued by others.”Those words from neuroscientist Bob Deutch triggered a lightbulb moment in the mind of Tim Phillips, a veteran peacebuilder and educator.  Over the past twelve years, Phillips has worked with neuroscientists and psychologists to integrate brain science into research and practice at Beyond Conflict, the peacebuilding organization that he founded in 1991 and where he serves as CEO. In this conversation, we focus on Beyond Conflict's research on dehumanization. If you perceive another person or group as less than human, it's much easier to justify violence against that group or person. Dehumanizing rhetoric – like describing people as animals or vermin – is often a precursor to violence.  But Phillips says if we can identify signs of dehumanization early on, we can make changes to decrease the likelihood of violent conflict. Phillips and host Jamil Simon also discuss the difference between fear and disgust – both motivators of conflict that are each processed differently in the brain and require different interventions. Plus, how Beyond Conflict has applied this research to create media interventions in Nigeria and the United States. And, how journalists can utilize knowledge of how the brain works to reach more people and avoid incitement. This episode was originally published in April 2024.LEARN MOREWatch the video “America's Divided Mind” by Beyond ConflictRead key takeaways from Beyond Conflict's research on dehumanizationRead Beyond Conflict's Decoding Dehumanization policy brief Listen to our episode with psychologist Donna Hicks: “Dignity: A new way to look at conflict”Watch “How to Grow Peace Journalism” webinars from the George Washington University Media and Peacebuilding Project. Presentations from Making Peace Visible host Jamil Simon, education director Steven Youngblood, and  producer Andrea Muraskin in this video..  ABOUT THE SHOW The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. Our associate producer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.orgSupport our work Connect on social:Instagram @makingpeacevisibleLinkedIn @makingpeacevisibleBluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!

China's growth as an economic superpower has been based in a large part on its increasing ability to design and manufacture sophisticated, hi-tech goods. But, until recently, it was far from a superpower when it came to creating new knowledge and cutting-edge academic research. Luc Laeven of the ECB and CEPR and his co-authors recently published an analysis of the research output in top journals from Chinese academics over the last two decades, and the results are startling: in many areas of science, China is now clearly the world leader. Luc talks to Tim Phillips about how China's plan was created, why the quality as well as the quantity of research should make us take notice, and whether research establishments in Europe and the US can learn from China's single-minded pursuit of success.

The Reducing Conflict and Improving Performance in the Economy (ReCIPE) programme was established in April 2024 as a CEPR research initiative to provide a better understanding of the links between conflict, economic growth, and public policies. One of its themes is the link between conflict and hate speech, social media use, media bias, and propaganda. We need to know more about how media has influenced violence, xenophobia, and recruitment for armed groups. Also, how we can use media sentiment to predict a rise in the risk of violence. Maria Petrova of the Barcelona School of Economics and Augustin Tapsoba of the Toulouse School of Economics are the theme leaders. They spoke to Tim Phillips about the challenges of researching the impact of media, especially social media, on conflict, and what recent research has discovered.

Does economic growth inspire us to trust our governments? A new paper finds a surprisingly strong and consistent relationship between trust and economic growth – not for this quarter, or this year, but over our lifetimes. Tim Besley of the London School of Economics tells Tim Phillips how we can measure trust in a government around the world, and the strong and consistent relationship between long-run growth and trust. 

The tech titans' grip on markets may be loosening—what’s next for investors? Hosted by Michelle Martin, this episode welcomes Tim Phillips, Founder of TimTalksMoney, to unpack the underperformance of the 'Magnificent Seven' and whether a turning point is near. We explore smarter ETF diversification beyond the S&P 500, the strategic edge of global indices, and how to navigate softer T-bill rates. Plus, a close look at big bank earnings and why DBS might still have room to run. Is it time to rebalance your portfolio, trim tech, and lean into global growth? Companies featured: Apple, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Alibaba, DBS, Berkshire Hathaway, Coinbase, Constellation Brands. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As aid programs are cut across the developing world, the focus falls on what investors can do to help create economic growth. Someone who knows all about impact investing is Yonas Alemu, the founder of Lovegrass Ethiopia, which creates products from teff, a gluten- free grain that's native to Ethiopia and sells them across the world. Yonas abandoned a successful career in investment banking in London to create a business in the country of his birth. He spoke to Tim Phillips about how entrepreneurship can stimulate positive change across Africa and how negative stereotypes of Africa's dependency on aid discourage investment. Read the full show notes: https://voxdev.org/topic/firms/building-business-roots-yonas-alemus-journey-ethiopian-entrepreneur Discover more about Lovegrass Ethiopia's products and history: https://thelovegrass.com/

Millions of people around the world have no access to sanitation. They defecate in the open, or in facilities where it's hard to avoid human contact, unavoidably spreading disease. One of the Sustainable Development Goals that you don't hear about so much is the call to end open defecation by 2030. What progress are we making, and what health improvements are we seeing so far? In the latest of our episodes based on J-PAL's policy insights, Karen Macours of the Paris School of Economics, also co-chair of J-PAL's Health Sector, tells Tim Phillips about how we can achieve this development goal, why it's not a quick fix, and the surprising results of research into the health benefits of improving sanitation. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/health/improving-sanitation-what-works-and-what-doesnt Read the Policy Insight on J-PAL: https://www.povertyactionlab.org/policy-insight/improving-sanitation-access-subsidies-loans-and-community-led-programs

With the major geopolitical powers squaring up to each other, tariffs on trade and political turmoil, is it time for economics to focus more on the consequences for the world economy of great power rivalry? A new paper defines the emerging field of geoeconomics, reviews the existing research, and sets out an agenda to fill the gaps in what we know. Christoph Trebesch of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy & Cathrin Mohr of Bonn University talk to Tim Phillips about how economists can collaborate with other disciplines to find fresh insights in this under-researched discipline.  Download CEPR discussion paper 19856, Geoeconomics https://cepr.org/publications/dp19856

Getting accepted to an elite PhD programme with a superstar advisor seems like “making it” if you want a research career in economics. But is it? How productive will those young, talented economists become? Half of elite economics PhDs from programmes at MIT, Harvard, Stanford and similar institutions publish next to nothing in the six years after they get their doctorate, and only 10% publish more than a paper or two. Josh Angrist of MIT & Marc Diederichs, University of Passau have studied what they call the economics PhD education production function at elite universities in the US. Tim Phillips asks them how, if these elite programmes are designed to create scholars who go on to publish their research consistently, can the institutions or their advisors do a better job of helping that to happen? Read about the research on VoxEU https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/prolific-phd-advisors-are-no-guarantee-graduate-student-research-success

A large proportion of economic activity takes place in the informal sector in every country, particularly in LMICs. Informality, and the lack of rights and protection that goes with it, affects the families who live in slums, the people who take off-the-books jobs, and the firms that choose to skirt regulations. It also affects the governments who want to increase the size of the formal sector – and the revenue they can collect from it. Gabriel Ulyssea of UCL and Mariaflavia Harari of the University of Pennsylvania are two of the editors of new VoxDevLit that examines what we know about the size of the informal sector and how it operates. They talk to Tim Phillips about the grey areas between formal and informal, and the limitations of policies that try to increase the size of the formal economy. Read the VoxDevLit here: https://voxdev.org/voxdevlit/informality

What gives a life meaning? Is it about health, friends, family or something else? Do rich people have more meaningful lives than poor people? Do we find meaning in success or problems and failures too? During the Great Depression, the US Government Federal Writers' Project dispatched a team of writers across the US with a simple brief: talk to people about their lives. The archive that they created, called American Life Histories, tells us what thousands of people across the US found meaningful in their lives. A new project uses artificial intelligence to discover what these documents reveal about the meaning of life. David Lagakos of Boston University, and Hans-Joachim Voth of the University of Zurich are two of the authors. They talk to Tim Phillips about what they discovered, and the message for those of us who seek meaning in our lives today.  Read the Discussion Paper https://cepr.org/publications/dp19885 American Life histories at the Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/collections/federal-writers-project/about-this-collection/

In 1981, 44% of the world's population were living in extreme poverty. By 2019, that number had fallen to 9%. This seems like a good news story, but how did it happen? Tom Vogl of UC San Diego is one of the authors of a paper called simply, “How Poverty Fell”. In it, they use surveys to track the progress out of poverty of individuals and generations, to discover whether this progress has been driven by individuals and families becoming less poor over their lives or by successive generations who are less likely to be born into poverty. Has the progress been driven by women in the workplace, by government support, or by the move out of agriculture? And, significantly, do those who move out of poverty stay in that position or, is it, as Tom tells Tim Phillips, “Like climbing a slippery slope”? Read the full show notes here: https://voxdev.org/topic/methods-measurement/how-has-global-poverty-fallen Read the paper: https://econweb.ucsd.edu/~pniehaus/papers/how_poverty_fell.pdf

President Trump, aided by DOGE under Elon Musk, promised deep cuts to the US federal bureaucracy. In these cases, and many others in recent history, populist politicians complain about a bloated and unelected “administrative state” that they inherit from a previous regime. They say these public employees frustrate their ability to deliver on their promises. Others argue that a bureaucracy contains the experts that are needed to make policy function smoothly – and removing them will make government function less, not more, efficiently. So how do populists typically deal with their bureaucrats, and what are the consequences? An analysis of Italian local politics that was published recently might help us to understand what is happening in the US now, and what might happen next. Matia Vannoni of King's College London was one of the authors. He talks to Tim Phillips about what happens when we expel the experts. Read Matia's research on VoxEU (https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/expelling-experts-cost-populism-bureaucratic-expertise-and-government-performance) Photo: Gage Skidmore

Utah Congressman Mike Kennedy highlights the importance of healthier school lunches through his Healthy Lunch for Healthy Kids act and the recent decision in Utah to eliminate fluoride from the water supply. Additional interviews with former Hunter Biden business partner Devon Archer and Tim Phillips, the director of Government Affairs and Global Strategies at Nestpoint. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Graduation approach to helping people to escape from poverty was pioneered in 2002 by BRAC in Bangladesh. Today the approach is used around the world. In more than 20 years, what have we learned about how it works, when it works best, and how to implement it at scale? Shameran Abed, the Executive Director of BRAC International talks to Tim Phillips about how the Graduation approach reaches people that other programmes miss, why it works, and how it can be scaled up to meet needs around the world. Read the full show notes The BRAC Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative

The Sermon from the installation service for Tim Phillips. Help us to make Reformed resources available online: https://providencearp.breezechms.com/give/online

On April 6, 2025 we installed Pastor Tim Phillips as our Associate Pastor for church planting. Tim is committed to working with our core group to plant a new Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Raeford, NC. This clip contains the prayer for the new pastor from Pastor Brian Howard and the charge to the new pastor from Pastor Andy Webb.If you would like to support this work, you can donate here: https://providencearp.breezechms.com/give/online

Central banks play a crucial role in modern economies, managing money supply, setting interest rates, and ensuring financial stability. But their relationship with governments, particularly their role as financial agents of the state, creates potential risks that could threaten economic stability. Does the way central banks are structured and operate obscure the true fiscal health of the state, and pose risks for the wider economy? That's what Willem Buiter – former Chief Economist at Citigroup, former member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England, among many other things – claims.  In conversation with Tim Phillips, he sets out six challenges that central banks may face in the future and explains what central bankers can do about them.  The discussion paper is here.

Multinational enterprises in every industry are shifting profits to low-tax jurisdictions. These corporate tax havens reduce tax revenues everywhere, but that hits hardest in developing countries where corporate taxes are a larger part of the overall tax take. The International Growth Centre has published a policy toolkit report into corporate tax havens. Ludvig Wier, the author, explains to Tim Phillips how profit shifting works, how a global initiative is reducing the allure of tax havens, and how AI might level the playing field for overstretched developing country tax offices. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/public-economics/profit-shifting-global-challenge-hitting-developing-countries-hardest IGC Policy Toolkit: Corporate tax havens and their impact on development

Do you and your boss see the world in the same way and how does that affect your performance at work? You might not agree with your boss about everything. But if you and your boss don't have the same outlook, does this mean you will be less productive? Alexia Delfino of Bocconi University measured both the values and the performance of employees at a global bank. She tells Tim Phillips whether shared values mean better outcomes – and what this means for diversity and team building.

Recorded at the CEPR Paris Symposium. The menopause can be a huge biological shock to women, but there has been almost no research into the consequences for their working lives. A new study uses administrative data from Norway and Sweden to discover the consequences of the menopause, both for health and for earnings. Rita Ginja of the university of Bergen tells Tim Phillips about the surprising size and persistence of the menopause penalty, and the difference that education and choice of career can make.

Text Me!Episode 216: Why focusing on avoidance can hurt your Sobriety w/ Tim PhillipsIn episode 216 of the Sober Vibes podcast, Courtney Andersen welcomes Tim Phillips to the show and discusses how focusing on avoidance can hurt one's sobriety. Tim Phillips shares his powerful story of going from rock bottom to rehab and discovering what works for him beyond traditional 12-step programs.Tim Phillips is the host of the Sober and Happy Podcast and an advocate for individuals seeking to live a sober, fulfilling lifeWhat you will learn in this episode:Tim's journey from morning bartender to sustained sobriety since 2011Why the 12-step model works for some but not everyoneHow trauma healing fits into recoveryThe dangers of making your world smaller through avoidanceWhy exposure therapy can be valuable in recoveryBuilding confidence by facing fears with proper supportThe importance of developing self-trust in your sobriety journeyThank you to our Sponsor:As a show listener, you receive 20% off your order with EXACT NATURE. Make sure to check them out and support the show. Click here to shop and save 20% off with code "SV20. Free shipping on all orders! Listen to episode 129 with Thomas White to learn more about CBD.Resources Mentioned:Get the Book: Grab Your Copy HereJoin the Sobriety Circle Community: Join HereDownload the Free "Sober Not Boring" Calendar: Get Your Copy Work 1:1 with Courtney: Apply HereConnect with Tim:WebsiteInstagramFollow Courtney for More Inspiration:Instagram → @SoberVibesWebsite → www.courtneyrecovered.comRemember: You are strong. You are capable. You are not alone. Keep thriving! Thank you for listening!Join Sober Vibes Patreon for exclusive content. (Just $8/month!) Thank you for listening! Help the show by Rating, Reviewing, and/or Subscribing to the Sober Vibes Podcast. Connect w/ Courtney:InstagramJoin the Sobriety Circle Apply for 1:1 CoachingOrder the Sober Vibes Book