Twitter boss Jack Dorsey has donated $15m (£11.2m) to fund universal basic income programmes in the US. The donation, his second in support of the initiative, will help cities send cheques to more than 1,500 families. It comes as poverty rates in the US rise amid the economic collapse sparked by Covid-19. More than 12 million Americans are at risk of losing access to unemployment benefits at the end of the month, as the government’s virus aid expires. Negotiations over an extension have dragged on for months. “Philanthropy and charity is not justice but in the absence of leadership and action… our constituents need cash relief,” said Michael Tubbs, the outgoing mayor of Stockton, in California, who founded the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income Network in June.

The donation will provide the 30 cities in the network up to $500,000 each for their universal basic income programmes, many of which have been announced in recent months as the crisis has unfolded.(BBC)…[+]