survey

Nov. 7 (UPI) — A new survey by the University of Michigan suggested that Americans may be frightened over the economy as the ongoing U.S. government shutdown reverberates with no end in sight.

The survey released Friday showed consumer sentiment at its lowest in three years and near its worst at UM’s second-lowest reading since at least 1978 as the shutdown sent confidence to near-record lows as economic concerns deepen.

“With the federal government shutdown dragging on for over a month, consumers are now expressing worries about potential negative consequences for the economy,” according to survey Director Joanne Hsu.

The University of Michigan’s monthly Index of Consumer Sentiment posted a more than 6% decline to a little over 50% for the month. It was a 30% decline from about a year ago.

“This month’s decline in sentiment was widespread throughout the population, seen across age, income and political affiliation,” Hsu added.

UM’s well-documented survey showed a gradual decline in consumer confidence over the year starting in February in the wake of tax-like tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“Across the economy, segments of the population are increasingly dealing with tighter financial conditions,” Elizabeth Renter, senior economist at NerdWallet, told CNBC.

Renter said that is “certainly true for federal workers and people dependent on food assistance from the federal government. But it’s also likely increasingly true for middle income Americans.”

Oct. 21 (UPI) — A new survey finds the number of U.S. adults with a positive view of religion is on the rise.

A Pew Research Center Poll, conducted earlier this year with results released Monday, showed a jump of 13% for those in the United States who answered “yes” to whether religion was gaining influence in American life.

Last year, Pew recorded its lowest level for religion in more than 20 years, with only 18% of U.S. adults expressing a positive view of religion in the survey, conducted in February 2024. That percentage jumped to 31% in February of 2025, the highest response in 15 years.

“Americans’ views about religion in public life are shifting,” Pew Research wrote Monday in a post on X. “From February 2024 to February 2025, there was a sharp rise in the share of U.S. adults who say religion is gaining influence in American life.”

While still a minority, the rise in positive views on religion is significant, according to Pew, which noted gains of at least 10 points among Democrats and Republicans, as well as adults of every age.

In addition to asking whether religion was gaining influence in American life, the survey combined a number of questions to determine whether U.S. adults have a positive or negative view of religion.

According to Pew, 59% of U.S. adults expressed a positive view, while 20% expressed a negative view of religion’s influence. The other 21% said religion “doesn’t make a difference.”

Of those who said religion is gaining influence, 58% of those surveyed said they feel significant conflict when it comes to their religious beliefs and American culture.

The findings were compiled from a nationally representative Pew Research Center survey of 9,544 U.S. adults.

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (UPI) — Fewer South Koreans than ever say their country should reunify with North Korea, according to a new survey released Monday, reflecting a growing acceptance of permanent division and deepening public indifference toward the North.

Just 49% of South Koreans said unification is necessary, the survey by the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification found. The figure represents a drop of 3.8% from last year and marks the lowest level since the Seoul-based think tank began its annual poll in 2014.

It is the first time support has fallen below a majority, representing what researchers called a “structural shift” in how South Koreans view the decades-old goal of national reunification.

“These results suggest that perceptions of the necessity of unification have entered a phase of structural change, rather than short-term fluctuation,” the report’s executive summary said. “The decline appears to reflect the compounded effects of North Korea’s hostile ‘two-states’ claim, the continued suspension of inter-Korean relations and domestic political dynamics.”

KINU noted that the decline cuts across all age groups but is most pronounced among younger generations, many of whom see North Korea as a separate state rather than part of a divided homeland.

Some 63.2% of respondents said unification was not needed if the two Koreas could maintain peaceful coexistence, the highest level recorded since the question was introduced nine years ago. At the same time, 47% agreed that “it is better to stay divided as we are now,” reflecting what KINU described as a normalization of both peaceful and “hostile” coexistence.

“The rising preference for hostile coexistence does not indicate a desire for conflict but rather a psychological inclination to maintain the status quo in the face of uncertain change,” the report said.

The survey also found indifference toward North Korea at a record high, with 68% of respondents saying they had little or no interest in the North, up sharply from about 51% in 2015. The trend has persisted regardless of political ideology or shifts in inter-Korean ties, KINU said.

South Koreans still favor limited engagement, however. Nearly 70% backed sports and cultural exchanges with the North, and 54% supported continued economic cooperation even during political tensions. Support for another inter-Korean summit remained high at 69%, including a majority of conservatives.

Support for humanitarian aid took a negative turn this year, with 39.5% against compared to 36.8% in favor — a shift that KINU linked to perceptions that North Korea’s economic conditions have improved amid strengthening ties with Russia and China.

The administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has made efforts to rehabilitate relations between the two Koreas since he took office in June, with conciliatory gestures such as removing propaganda loudspeakers from border areas.

Last week, Seoul resumed an excavation project for the remains of soldiers killed in the Korean War at a battle site near the inter-Korean border, in what the military called “a practical measure to transform the DMZ into a zone of peace.”

Pyongyang, however, continues to reject Seoul’s diplomatic gestures while advancing its nuclear weapons program.

The 2025 KINU survey was conducted July 10 to Aug. 13 through face-to-face interviews with 1,000 adults.

Oct. 8 (UPI) — Parents are struggling to manage their children’s heavy use of screens, including television, computers, phones and gaming devices, according to a Pew Research survey.

When asked how they are managing the use of screen time, 42% say they could do a better job with 58% believing they are doing the best they can, according to the survey released Wednesday.

Thirty-nine percent said they believe they are stricter about their children’s screen time than other parents they know.

Parents have more priority over other daily routines. Pew found 42% make sure screen time is reasonable with 76% believing enough sleep is a priority, 77% good manners, 61% staying active and 54% reading.

The survey was conducted May 13-26 among 3,054 eligible parents sampled from the American Trends Panel, Pew Research Center’s nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults.

Separately, four online focus groups were also conducted from March 4 to 6 with a total of 20 U.S. parents or guardians of at least one child 1 to 12.

“I think eventually we will give it to them, but now … she’s not ready,” one parent said. “We spend too much time on phones. … How can we expect a 9-year-old to control and have a balance between their screen time?”

“I also have three other children in the house, and I work full time,” another parent said. “To just keep some of my sanity, the first thing I do is turn the TV on. … Being the wintertime, it’s hard for them to go outside. … I want to work on the screen time for the summertime.”

A vast majority of children 12 or younger have access to devices — 90% for TV, 68% for tablets, 61% for smartphones, 50% for gaming devices, 39% for desktops or laptops, 37% for voice-activated assistants, 11% for smartwatches and 8% for AI chatbots.

In the survey, 82% said they allow a child younger than 2 to watch TV.

Involving smartphones, 76% of parents say their 11- or 12-year-old uses one, 64% of those 8-10, 58% 5-7 and actually higher 59% ages 2 to 4. Thirty-eight percent of their child younger than 2 ever use or interact\ with one.

A total of 23% say their child has their own smartphone. Broken down, it’s 57% those 11-12, 29% for 8-10, 12% for 5-7 and 8% younger than 5.

Among specific content, 85% of parents said their child ever Watches YouTube, including 51% daily. In 2020, it was 80% for children 11 and younger.

And 15% said their children 12 and younger use TikTok, 8% Snapchat, 5% each Facebook and Instagram. They are using these platforms even though companies have put age restrictions in place.

Eighty percent say social media harms outweigh the benefits, though 46% say a smartphone is more harmful and 20% for tablets.

Parents surveyed explained why they let their children use cellphones: 92% to contact them, 85% for entertainment, 69% to help in learning, 43% to calm them down and 30% so they don’t feel left out.

Pew found there are only slight differences in views for Republican and Democratic parents.

Just 41 percent of US firms optimistic about the five-year business outlook in China, chamber of commerce says.

US businesses in China are less optimistic about conditions in the country than at any point in the last quarter-century, a survey has revealed.

Only 41 percent of US businesses are optimistic about the five-year business outlook in China, according to the survey released on Wednesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

The figure, down from 47 percent in 2024, is the lowest since AmCham Shanghai began releasing its annual business report in 1999.

Just 45 percent of respondents said they expected revenues to increase in 2025, AmCham Shanghai said, which would be a record low if realised.

Just 12 percent ranked China as their headquarters’ top investment destination, also the lowest in the survey’s history, according to the business chamber.

Businesses cited US-China tensions and broader geopolitical pressures as the biggest challenges to operating.

Nearly half of respondents called for the removal of all US tariffs on Chinese goods, with 42 percent supporting the scrapping of Chinese tariffs on US products, according to AmCham Shanghai.

Despite the worsening sentiment, businesses also reported positive developments over the past year.

More than 70 percent of respondents said they were profitable in 2024, up from a record low of 66 percent in 2023.

And nearly half of respondents said the regulatory environment in China was transparent, a 13-percentage point jump from the previous year.

“Government efforts to improve the regulatory environment have been noticed by members, but they are overshadowed by US-China trade tensions,” AmCham Shanghai chair Jeffrey Lehman said in a statement.

“We urge both governments to create a stable and transparent framework that is conducive to cross-border trade and investment.”

The latest gauge of business sentiment comes as China’s slowing economy is facing a raft of challenges ranging from US President Donald Trump’s trade war to weak consumption and a years-long property downturn.

On Wednesday, China’s National Bureau of Statistics said that consumer prices fell in August at their fastest rate in six months, the latest sign of anaemic demand in the world’s second-largest economy.

Carsten Holz, an expert on the Chinese economy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said that the AmCham survey’s results showed that the uncoupling of the US and Chinese economies was “well under way.”

“The results mirror the findings of a May 2025 European Chamber of Commerce in China report that business optimism of European firms in China has never been as low as it currently is,” Holz told Al Jazeera.

“These findings are in line with China’s policy of achieving self-sufficiency across all sectors of its economy.”

Republican and Democratic voters share common ground when it comes to the University of California: Both sides express widespread support for UC, its research, medical centers and ability to elevate the lives of students, a statewide poll shows.

Strong majorities of registered voters across demographic groups — urban and rural, racial, education levels — said UC research was good for their communities, including 62% of Californians with only high school diplomas. Voters in their 20s have the most favorable view of research.

The survey results, from the nonpartisan UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, come as the university system faces major battles with the Trump administration over deep research funding cuts and President Trump’s demand of a $1-billion fine to resolve federal charges of antisemitism at UCLA.

“In an era where the benefits of public higher education are being questioned, the polling results suggest that California’s residents see the value in a UC education and recognize the many different ways the UC system contributes positively to the state,” said G. Cristina Mora, the institute’s co-director .

For months, the University of California has been enveloped in the nationwide drive by Trump to reshape higher education, which he sees as a bastion of liberalism hostile to conservative thinking. The 10-campus UC system has faced hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to federal research support that the Trump administration derided as wasteful spending. Last month federal officials suspended more than half a billion dollars in medical study grants to UCLA. Negotiations with the federal government to restore the grants are ongoing.

The Berkeley poll of 6,474 registered California voters showed a more nuanced political picture between Democrats and Republicans against the backdrop of White House invective that accuses selective universities of being hotbeds of race- and gender-based discrimination rooted in diversity, equity and inclusion movements that Trump says don’t match the will of the American people.

UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC Irvine have been accused by the Trump administration of illegally using race in admissions. The entire UC system is also under federal investigation for allegations that it has discriminated against Jewish employees and practiced sex- and race-based hiring discrimination.

Berkeley pollsters found strongest support for UC from Democrats, people with college degrees and state residents who are not white.

But majorities of Republicans also showed support for UC across the board:

• 58% of Republicans agreed or strongly agreed that UC “produces important research that benefits communities in California,” compared with 78% of Democrats.

• 75% of Republicans agreed or strongly agreed that UC academic health centers, such as UCLA Health, are “important to the communities they serve,” while 80% of Democrats said the same.

• 54% of Republicans agreed or strongly agreed that the UC system is “important for helping students to get ahead.” Among Democrats, 74% gave the same responses.

Mora said it was “surprising” that Californians appeared to know enough about UC research to support it.

“Usually, you may think of the UC system as one about teaching and giving degrees. But there was strong approval of research and medical centers.”

The university has six academic health centers and, in Los Angeles County alone, more than a dozen UCLA Health locations. Mora, a UC Berkeley sociology professor, said she thought people’s personal experiences with UC doctors in local communities may have contributed to positive views of UC health programs throughout the state.

IGS co-director Eric Schickler said the data were starkly different from national surveys on higher education.

“If you look at national polling, the story is pretty clear: Republican confidence in higher education has gone down a lot and there’s even some erosion among Democrats in terms of confidence or approval,” said Schickler, a UC Berkeley political science professor. “What you are seeing in California is very strong support in despite those trends.”

One prompt that showed a large gulf between the parties was on taxpayer funding for UC.

Asked whether California should give more or less money to the system, 74% of Democrats said UC should get more. Only 30% of Republicans agreed. UC gets about 9% of its budget from the state, a percentage that has declined over the years amid state budget crunches and payment deferrals.

The institute did not ask Californians about Trump or his education agenda. Instead, the questions were framed in apolitical terms focused on how respondents valued different parts of the UC experience.

Schickler said the Institute of Governmental Studies, while contained within a UC campus, does not take sides in the current political conflict over colleges and universities.

“Our philosophy has always been that the IGS poll is a nonpartisan poll,” he said. “The sample and survey has the same process as any survey we do. This is not a survey UC asked us to do.”

The poll also asked whether Californians would tell a close friend who was admitted to a UC school to enroll or not. In total, 70% of respondents said they would advise enrolling. However, there was a political split: 82% of Democrats said they would share such advice, compared with 51% of Republicans.

Researchers conducted most of the polling in early June, months into cutbacks to U.S. campus grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and other federal agencies as the government curtailed research into racially diverse groups as well as LGBTQ+ populations, among other areas.

The surveying largely took place before the Trump administration’s conflict with UC came to a head this month, when the White House demanded $1 billion and sweeping campus changes to restore more than $500 million in research grants at UCLA.

Pollsters asked an additional question in mid-August to a separate set of 4,950 voters who were UC degree recipients. That survey took place after Trump’s latest cuts to UCLA.

It asked UC degree holders whether, “considering the costs of getting your degree from a UC school versus the benefits to you personally, in your opinion was getting your degree worth it or not?”

In response, 82% of Democrats said a UC degree was worth the money, compared with 64% of Republicans.

SIX in 10 Gen Zers reckon music gigs are overpriced – but are making financial sacrifices so they don’t miss out.

A study of 2,000 adults found 46 per cent of 21- to 24-year-olds believe concerts are out of reach for most people.

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Gen Zers are nonetheless determined to make it work, with 67 per cent having been to at least one gig in the past year – and spending an average of £117 on their priciest ticket.

To cover the cost, nearly one in five young adults (18 per cent) cut back on essentials, while 26 per cent scrapped a subscription – and 15 per cent admitted to spending more on a live music event than on their monthly bills.

The study was commissioned by Greene King, which staged the ‘biggest pub gig ever’ – with Sam Ryder giving a surprise performance at the iconic pub The Anchor on London’s South Bank.

As one of 800 acts in Greene King Untapped – a competition to find the next big music talent – Sam performed a 35-minute set, free for fans to watch.

The BRIT-nominated Eurovision star, who has also been appointed the pub chain’s Head of Gigs, said: “Playing in pubs and smaller venues was where it all started for me, with intimate venues, borrowed PA systems, and a handful of pub-goers who might become fans.

 “Grassroots music is at the heartbeat of the scene and those early gigs shaped who I am as an artist.

“These spaces allow live music to be an experience available to everyone, that’s why they’re so important, and I’m stoked to be a part of the team helping to keep that alive.” 

The study also found that 40 per cent of adults have skipped live music because of high ticket prices – missing an average of three events in the past year.

Half of those surveyed said they’ve wanted to attend a music event but couldn’t because tickets sold out too quickly.

The study also found that 53 per cent believe live music ticket prices are unfair, with 67 per cent saying prices have become unreasonable in recent years.

Meanwhile, 61 per cent claimed they would go to more gigs if tickets cost less.

The research also revealed that 41 per cent feel most alive when attending a gig, while 63 per cent admit the energy of a live performance doesn’t translate the same way digitally.

And 38 per cent have suffered FOMO (a Gen Z term meaning Fear of Missing Out) after seeing concerts on social media they couldn’t attend.

Zoe Bowley, managing director at Greene King Pubs, said: “Pubs have long been the heartland of grassroots music, a place where emerging talent takes root, stars are born, and communities come together. 

“It’s where British people do what they do best: connect, celebrate, and create lasting memories.”

In other news, The Sun recently revealed Oasis are getting big-money offers for more shows almost daily.

Insiders told Bizarre editor Ellie Henman last month the brothers are flooded with bids from across the globe.

This comes after their epic 41-show reunion tour sold out in minutes on 31 August.

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A majority of people in five nations – Brazil, Colombia, Greece, South Africa and Spain – believe that weapons companies should stop or reduce trade with Israel as its onslaught on Gaza continues, a poll released on Thursday reveals.

Spain showed the highest support for weapons deals to be halted, with 58 percent of respondents saying they should stop completely, followed by Greece at 57 percent and Colombia at 52 percent. In Brazil, 37 percent of respondents believed arms companies should completely stop sales to Israel, while 22 percent believed they should be reduced. In South Africa, those levels stood at 46 and 20 percent, respectively.

Commissioned by the Global Energy Embargo for Palestine network, endorsed by the left-wing Progressive International organisation, and fielded by the Pollfish platform last month, the survey comes in the wake of a call by Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, on countries to slash financial relations with Israel as she decried an “economy of genocide“.

“The people have spoken, and they refuse to be complicit. Across continents, ordinary citizens demand an end to the fuel that powers settler colonialism, apartheid and genocide,” said Ana Sanchez, a campaigner for Global Energy Embargo for Palestine.

“No state that claims to uphold democracy can justify maintaining energy, military, or economic ties with Israel while it commits a genocide in Palestine. This is not just about trade; it’s about people’s power to cut the supply lines of oppression.”

The group said it chose the survey locations because of the countries’ direct involvement in the import and transport of energy to Israel.

More than 1,000 respondents in each nation were asked about governmental and private sector relations with Israel to measure public attitudes on responsibility.

Condemnation of Israel’s action in Gaza as the humanitarian crisis escalates was the highest in Greece and Spain and lowest in Brazil.

Sixty-one percent and 60 percent in Greece and Spain respectively opposed Israel’s current “military actions” in Gaza, while in Colombia, 50 percent opposed them. In Brazil and South Africa, 30 percent were against Israel’s war, while 33 percent and 20 percent, respectively, supported the campaign.

To date, Israel’s genocide in Gaza has killed more than 60,000 people – most of them women and children. Now home to the highest number of child amputees per capita, much of the besieged Strip is in a state of ruin as the population starves. As the crisis worsens, arms dealers and companies that facilitate their deals are facing heightened scrutiny.

In June, as reported by Al Jazeera, Maersk divested from companies linked to Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal under international law, following a campaign accusing the Danish shipping giant of links to Israel’s military and occupation of Palestinian land.

On Tuesday, Norway announced that it would review its sovereign wealth fund’s investments in Israel, after it was revealed that it had a stake in an Israeli firm that supplies fighter jet parts to the Israeli military. In recent months, several wealth and pension funds have distanced themselves from companies linked to Israel’s war on Gaza or its illegal occupation of the West Bank.

Responding to the poll, 41 percent in Spain said they would “strongly” support a state-level decision to reduce trade in weapons, fuel and other goods in an attempt to pressure Israel into stopping the war. This figure stood at 33 percent in Colombia and South Africa, and 28 and 24 percent in Greece and Brazil, respectively.

“The message from the peoples of the world is loud and clear: They want action to end the assault on Gaza – not just words,” said David Adler, co-general coordinator of Progressive International. “Across continents, majorities are calling for their governments to halt arms sales and restrain Israel’s occupation.”

LIFE’S biggest moments you’ll never forget include holding your newborn, seeing your child’s first steps – and getting the keys to your first home, according to new research.

The study, conducted across the UK, revealed the memories Brits treasure most – with events like driving solo, falling in love, and a child’s first day at school all ranking high.

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The poll of 2,000 adults also found people in the UK experience around five unforgettable moments each year.

Saying goodbye to a loved one and hearing a child say their first words also made the top 25.

Other standout moments include passing exams, learning to ride a bike, and being told “I love you” for the very first time.

“These simple yet powerful experiences often stay with us for life.

The research was commissioned by Samsung to celebrate the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold7 – its slimmest foldable phone yet, built for capturing life’s biggest (and smallest) memories.

As part of the campaign, the tech giant released a touching poem, Life Unfolds Fast, written by Georgie Jones and narrated by Martin Kemp.

The accompanying film showcases real-life moments from people of all walks of life – and intimate snapshots from Martin’s own family history.

Martin Kemp said: “Some of my life’s greatest memories are those simple moments at home – playing with my kids in the garden, holding Harley and Roman as babies, and singing with my wife in the car.

“These are moments that truly define our lives.

“Sharing these personal glimpses allows people to see how small, intimate moments become the big memories we want to go back to over again.”

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The majority of adults (76 per cent) said unforgettable experiences shape who we are, while 85 per cent regularly look back at special memories on their phones.

Whether it’s to lift their mood, reflect on happy times, or share with loved ones, phones have become the modern memory box.

In fact, 60 per cent said their digital memories are just as precious as physical keepsakes like photo albums or letters.

But it’s not all picture-perfect. Nearly half of those surveyed admitted they worry about forgetting key life events.

For 46 per cent, the biggest concern is losing memories involving loved ones – such as family milestones or meaningful conversations.

That’s why so many turn to their phones, with 41 per cent using photos and videos to hold onto those treasured experiences.

However, 49 per cent confessed they feel anxious when their phone storage gets full, fearing they might miss capturing something important.

The average Brit replays special videos or looks at meaningful photos about four times a month.

And some are proper memory collectors – with one in eight claiming to have more than 10 hours of footage saved on their phone.

Looking ahead, the most anticipated future milestone is seeing someone close to them achieve something they’ve worked hard for – from graduating to landing a dream job.

Annika Bizon from Samsung said: “Our research shows that over 40 per cent of us take photos and videos for the sole purpose to not forget our best memories.

“It allows you to capture and revisit the memories you never want to forget, feeling their warmth and emotion time and time again.”

The campaign encourages people to reflect on their own milestones – big or small – and not to let life’s most precious moments pass unnoticed.

Because sometimes, it’s not just the big wins we remember most – but the quiet, everyday moments that unfold in between.

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SACRAMENTO — The vast majority of California voters support expanding access to translated ballots for people who speak limited English, an effort that would likely increase turnout, a new poll found.

That finding comes from a poll released Monday by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, which conducted the survey in five languages — English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese — to capture voter sentiment in a state where more than a quarter of residents are foreign born.

The poll, conducted for the nonprofit Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, found that about 70% of California’s registered voters agreed that eligible voters who speak limited English should be provided with ballots translated into their preferred language. Support was strong among all age groups, races and ethnicities, as well as among Democrats and independent voters. Republicans were closely divided.

“I think in the country as a whole there’s a lot of debate and struggle over how inclusive a democracy we’re going to be and a lot of controversy over immigration, immigrant rights, immigrant inclusion,” said political scientist Eric Schickler, co-director of the Institute of Governmental Studies. “It’s timely just thinking about the question of inclusion of different groups — who feels fully American and is allowed to feel fully American in our political system.”

Schickler and others said that, according to the latest estimates, more than 3 million registered voters in California self-identify as limited-English proficient. As of February, just under 23 million Californians were registered to vote.

Under state and federal law, California is required to provide bilingual voting assistance to Spanish speakers. Nine counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara — must provide voting materials in at least one language other than English or Spanish.

Translated sample ballots and other assistance also must be made available in Spanish or other languages in counties or precincts where the state has determined at least 3% of the voting-age residents are members of a single-language minority and don’t understand English well enough to vote without assistance.

The Berkeley survey found that 82% of Democrats supported providing translated ballot materials to limited-English voters, as did 72% of voters registered as “no party preference.” Among Republicans, 45% supported providing the translated ballots, while 42% did not.

According to the poll, most California voters also favored a proposal that recently went before the state Legislature that would have allowed all limited-English-speaking communities that meet a minimum threshold in a county to receive translated versions of all voting materials.

Legislation to that effect, SB 266, proposed by Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside), failed to pass out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. A more ambitious bill to expand access to translated ballots and materials, AB 884, passed the Legislature in 2024, but was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor stated that while he supported expanding ballot access, the bill would have cost tens of millions of dollars not included in the budget.

Providing translated ballots to California voters with limited English proficiency is critical in a state that is home to such a diverse electorate — and is known for its complex state and local ballot measures, said Rosalind Gold of the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund.

“Even folks who are very educated and native-born English speakers find trying to decipher the description of a ballot measure and what it means to be challenging,” Gold said.

Providing translated sample ballots and other election materials to voters does not go far enough, she said: The official ballots themselves, whether for Californians who vote by mail or those who vote at polling stations, should be provided in a voter’s preferred language.

“It is difficult to basically, kind of go back and forth between the ballot you’re going to be marking your choices on and a sample ballot or a facsimile ballot that’s in your native language,” Gold said. “When people can directly vote on a ballot that is in a language that they are more familiar with, it just demystifies the whole process.”

The Berkeley survey found that, among limited-English speakers who lacked access to translated election materials or were unsure if it was provided, 87% said they would be more likely to vote in future elections if they received a ballot in their preferred language. A similar number said receiving those translated ballots would make it easier for them to vote.

The poll surveyed 6,474 registered voters throughout California from June 2-6.

Public spending cuts across six African countries have resulted in the incomes of health and education workers falling by up to 50 percent in five years, leaving them struggling to make ends meet, according to international NGO ActionAid.

The Human Cost of Public Sector Cuts in Africa report published on Tuesday found that 97 percent of the healthcare workers it surveyed in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi and Nigeria could not cover their basic needs like food and rent with their wages.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is to blame for these countries’ failing public systems, the report said, as the agency advises governments to significantly cut public spending to pay back foreign debt. As the debt crisis rapidly worsens across the Global South, more than three-quarters of all low-income countries in the world are spending more on debt servicing than healthcare.

“The debt crisis and the IMF’s insistence on cuts to public services in favour of foreign debt repayments have severely hindered investments in healthcare and education across Africa. For example, in 2024, Nigeria allocated only 4% of its national revenue to health, while a staggering 20.1% went toward repaying foreign debt,” said ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director Andrew Mamedu.

The report highlighted how insufficient budgets in the healthcare system had resulted in chronic shortages and a decline in the quality of service.

Women also appear to be disproportionally affected.

“In the past month, I have witnessed four women giving birth at home due to unaffordable hospital fees. The community is forced to seek vaccines and immunisation in private hospitals since they are not available in public hospitals. Our [local] health services are limited in terms of catering for pregnant and lactating women,” said a healthcare worker from Kenya, who  ActionAid identified only as Maria.

Medicines for malaria – which remains a leading cause of death across the African continent, especially in young children and pregnant women – are now 10 times more expensive at private facilities, the NGO said. Millions don’t have access to lifesaving healthcare due to long travel distances, rising fees and a medical workforce shortage.

“Malaria is an epidemic in our area [because medication is now beyond the reach of many]. Five years ago, we could buy [antimalarial medication] for 50 birrs ($0.4), but now it costs more than 500 birr ($4) in private health centres,” a community member from Muyakela Kebele in Ethiopia, identified only as Marym, told ActionAid.

‘Delivering quality education is nearly impossible’

The situation is equally dire in education, as budget cuts have led to failing public education systems crippled by rising costs, a shortage of learning materials and overcrowded classrooms.

Teachers report being overwhelmed by overcrowded classrooms, with some having to manage more than 200 students. In addition, about 87 percent of teachers said they lacked basic classroom materials, with 73 percent saying they paid for the materials themselves.

Meanwhile, teachers’ wages have been gradually falling, with 84 percent reporting a 10-15 percent drop in their income over the past five years.

“I often struggle to put enough food on the table,” said a teacher from Liberia, identified as Kasor.

Four of the six countries included in the report are spending less than the recommended one-fifth of their national budget on education, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

“I now believe teaching is the least valued profession. With over 200 students in my class and inadequate teaching and learning materials, delivering quality education is nearly impossible,” said a primary school teacher in Malawi’s Rumphi District, identified as Maluwa.

Action Aid said its report shows that the consequences of IMF-endorsed policies are far-reaching. Healthcare workers and educators are severely limited in the work they can do, which has direct consequences on the quality of services they can provide, it said.

“The debt crisis and drive for austerity is amplified for countries in the Global South and low-income countries, especially due to an unfair global economic system held in place by outdated institutions, such as the IMF,” said Roos Saalbrink, the global economic justice lead at ActionAid International. “This means the burden of debt falls on those most marginalised – once again. This must end.”