In India, only 2% of citizens pay income taxes. There are many reasons for this, including that a large number of Indians do not meet the minimum salary for taxation. But there are loopholes in income reporting, and there is a cultural belief that the government is not using taxes to help the people, so many people just don’t pay. In India, unlike in America, the government doesn’t run large social welfare programs like Social Security, so Indians avoid paying taxes even if it’s illegal. Listen to this story and then debate: Should citizens pay taxes? Why or why not?
Story Length: 3:42
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March 7, 2017
3:56
Indian Information Technology companies are concerned about changes in the United States’ H-1B visa program. The visas allow a limited number of skilled workers into the U.S. each year. President Donald Trump’s “America First” initiative is reported to include limitations on visas for foreign skilled workers because some believe they take jobs from Americans. Indian IT companies argue that Indian tech workers are only filling a void left by the lack of skilled workers in technology, engineering and mathematics in the United States. Listen to learn more about how Indian IT companies collaborate with U.S. companies and potential plans to limit H-1B visas.
Read MoreDecember 15, 2015
5:06
Hundreds of people sleep by the side of noisy roads typical in India’s largest cities. The same is true in other low-income countries. Researchers are now looking at whether or not a lack of sleep may actually be a root cause of poverty. Researchers are studying the real-world impact of chronic sleep deprivation, and the impact on how people make, and avoid, decisions. When people are tired, they don’t have the mental capacity to deal with some decisions and that can keep them from making good choices. Listen to hear more about how lack of sleep can affect learning and brain functions.
Read MoreNovember 4, 2015
8:01
In northern India, arranged marriages are normal. Some girls are married very young, as young as 10 years old. But they aren’t sent to live with their husbands until they turn 15. One charity started a school for child brides. They offer a deal to rural families: delay married life and get a free education. At the school, girls stay in dorms and attend many classes throughout the day. If they don’t pass a tough test at the end of their schooling, they are sent home to their husbands to be housewives. Listen to this story to hear more about the lives of these young girls in India and how different their lives are from young girls in the United States.
Read MoreFebruary 1, 2015
2:57
The demand for electricity in India is rising, but India relies on coal for the majority of their power. The hope of a new deal with the United States is to help India transition from dirty coal to cleaner nuclear energy. U.S. companies will sell nuclear technology to Indian power companies so they can transition to a cleaner energy source. This might be good for the earth, but what about for security? Listen to learn about the pros and cons of this international energy deal.
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