Jun 06 Unemployment Rate Jumps to 5.5% in May By Admin, PBS News Hour The nation's unemployment rate hit 5.5 percent in May as employers cut 49,000 jobs, providing a fresh snapshot of a still-struggling U.S. economy. Employers have now cut payrolls for five straight months. Continue reading
Jun 05 How much of the recent rise in oil price is caused by the decline of the dollar? Question/Comment: How much of the recent rise in oil price is caused by the decline of the dollar? Paul Solman: The easiest answer – but it’s a crude one – is the amount by which the… Continue reading
Jun 05 How does the global economic boom of other countries effect the U.S.' debt? Question/Comment: Recently you stated that the global economic boom (China’s especially) allowed the U.S. to go on a debt bender, which allowed us to grow faster than we really could. Would you please explain how this process works? Paul… Continue reading
Jun 03 Watch 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' Author Discusses Costly Crude and the Future of Oil In another of the NewsHour's ongoing 'Costly Crude' series, geography professor and famed author Jared Diamond discusses the future of oil in view of current high prices. Continue watching
Jun 03 Watch Concerns Over Immigration Crackdowns Lead U.S. Farms to Recruit in Mexico In response to fears that stricter enforcement of immigration laws will create a shortage of farm workers, the U.S. agricultural industry has headed to Mexico to recruit temporary -- and legal -- migrant workers. Jeffrey Kaye of KCET-Los Angeles reports… Continue watching
Jun 03 U.N. Chief Calls for Food Production to Rise By PBS News Hour U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that world food production must rise 50 percent by 2030 to meet a burgeoning world population's growing demand. Continue reading
Jun 03 GM to Close 4 SUV, Truck Plants as Demand Dips By Admin, PBS News Hour General Motors announced the closure of four truck and SUV plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico Tuesday and said it may discontinue its Hummer brand as soaring fuel prices push a broad shift in the U.S. to smaller vehicles. Continue reading
Jun 03 Watch Extended Interview: General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner The NewsHour interviewed General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner in May about the company's plans for developing alternative fuel vehicles. Excerpts of the interview will air in the coming weeks as part of a report on a new generation of electric… Continue watching
May 29 How does the U.S. "export" its inflation to other countries? Question/Comment: How does the U.S. “export” its inflation to other countries? And a second question: Frequently pundits say the U.S. can and does print money to achieve some economic or financial goal. However, my economics professor says the government does… Continue reading
May 29 Food Prices Will Likely Remain High, Report Warns By PBS News Hour Declaring cheap food a thing of the past, officials said in a report released Thursday that world food prices are likely to fall from their current levels in the years ahead but will stay "substantially above" average costs from the… Continue reading