Mar 27 'The planting season is now,' but war in Iran has sparked a global fertilizer shortage By Aniruddha Ghosal, Allan Olingo, Associated Press The fertilizer shortage is putting the livelihood of farmers in developing countries — already troubled by rising temperatures and erratic weather systems — further at risk, and could lead to people everywhere paying more for food. Continue reading
Mar 25 EPA approves sale of a higher-ethanol fuel to try to lower gas prices By Melina Walling, Associated Press The Environmental Protection Agency has announced it would allow gas stations to continue selling slightly cheaper E15 this summer in a move that may be good for drivers and corn growers but will likely contribute to air pollution. Continue reading
Mar 24 Epic Games lays off more than 1,000 employees as Fortnite engagement slows By Barbara Ortutay, Associated Press The North Carolina-based video game publisher said in a memo to employees that the job cuts are not related to artificial intelligence. Rather, they stem from industry-wide challenges such as slower growth, weaker spending and tougher cost economics. Continue reading
Mar 24 Watch 7:05 Chicago Fed president breaks down economic risks of Iran war By Geoff Bennett, Karina Cuevas Oil prices are hovering near $100 a barrel and it's raising new questions for the Federal Reserve as it tries to navigate between high inflation and a cooling job market. Chair Jerome Powell said last week the central bank is… Continue watching
Mar 24 Chances of Fed cutting interest rates fade as inflation worsens By Christopher Rugaber, Associated Press With inflation measures likely to rise in the coming months, the prospect of interest rate cuts this year by the Federal Reserve is fading. Continue reading
Mar 23 EU says Mercosur free trade deal will start May 1, accounting for 25% of global GDP By Sam McNeil, Associated Press A landmark free trade deal between the European Union and four South American countries will begin on May 1 after more than a quarter-century of negotiations and new global economic uncertainty unleashed by tariffs, critical mineral controls and the war… Continue reading
Mar 23 Geoff Bennett on his new book and the 'golden age' of Black sitcoms By Amna Nawaz What sparked the explosion of Black sitcoms in the 1990s, and why didn’t it last? Those are some of the questions PBS News Hour co-anchor Geoff Bennett explores in his new book, “Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black… Continue reading
Mar 23 Global economy faces 'major, major threat' from Iran war, IEA head says By Charlotte Graham-McLay, Associated Press The head of the International Energy Agency says the global economy faces a “major, major threat” because of the Iran war. Continue reading
Mar 20 Jury finds Musk misled investors during Twitter takeover, absolves him of some fraud claims By Barbara Ortutay, Associated Press A jury has found Elon Musk liable for misleading investors by deliberately driving down Twitter's stock price in the tumultuous months leading up to his 2022 acquisition of the social media company for $44 billion. But it absolved him of some fraud… Continue reading
Mar 20 Watch 9:08 Trump promised a manufacturing boom, but factory jobs continue to decline By Paul Solman, Ryan Connelly Holmes The U.S. job market has been cooling, and it’s only getting harder for Americans to find a job. One sector that has proved tougher than most is manufacturing. President Trump has promised a manufacturing boom in both of his terms. Continue watching