That’s the amount of debt facing Puerto Rico, with a deadline of July 1st to pay some of what is due. In an interview with the New York Times, Puerto Rico’s Gov. Alejandro García Padilla openly admitted the island is not able to pay. Several factors have contributed to the current situation, including the expiration of a tax break in 2006 that caused many pharmaceutical companies to leave the country, increasing unemployment in its wake.
At least that many companies filed amicus curiae briefs with the Supreme Court in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, according to the Washington Post. That legal procedure might have more of an impact, but the real risk for businesses actually came Friday, when they publicly celebrated the ruling on Twitter. As Wonkblog notes, the fact that so many brands risked alienating customers opposed to same-sex marriages says a lot about how public opinion has changed.
That’s how much the U.S. has pumped into efforts to discourage opium growth in Afghanistan. Yet a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says global opium production is at an all time high, largely because of Afghan farmers increasingly relying on the crop for economic stability. Faced with pressure from the Taliban, who use much of the revenue, the farmers have planted more and more opium poppy plants to meet the demand.
That’s about how many commercial janitor businesses there are in the U.S. Nearly all of them are just one person, but a few are huge multibillion dollar corporations. Janitors work alone through the night and are often hired under layers of subcontracting. A yearlong investigation from Reveal, Frontline, Univision, UC Berkley and KQED found the conditions are ripe for exploitation, harassment and sexual abuse from supervisors, and victims are unwilling or unable to speak out.
The number of markets McDonald’s is testing new bike-friendly to-go packaging. The “McBike” is designed to hang from your handlebars and it holds a burger, fry and small drink. Looking for a #HotTake on this bid for young, environmentally conscious fast-food fans? The Verge has you covered.
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