Mar 06 Watch Unemployment Rate Climbs to 8.1% in New Sign of Deepening Recession The Labor Department reported Friday that the U.S. unemployment rate hit 8.1 percent, its highest rate in 25 years. Ray Suarez reports on the latest employment numbers, reaction from the White House and the impact on Wall Street. Continue watching
Feb 27 Watch Shields and Brooks Weigh Obama’s Troop, Budget Plans Syndicated columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks examine President Obama's newly-announced plan to end the combat mission in Iraq and what the president's budget blueprint says about his administration's spending priorities. Continue watching
Feb 26 Obama’s Budget Proposal Projects $1.75 Trillion Deficit By Admin, PBS News Hour President Obama outlined his first budget plan to Congress with a $1.75 trillion deficit that includes the recently passed stimulus bill, the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, funding for health care reforms and other spending. Continue reading
Feb 24 Watch Presidential Helicopter Expenses Highlight Federal Defense Procurement Flaws President Obama has indicated that he may not seek upgrades to the presidential fleet of helicopters due to skyrocketing costs, an expense for which former President Bush had budgeted. An analyst assesses the rapidly rising prices charged by defense contractors. Continue watching
Feb 23 Watch Obama’s Vow to Halve Deficit Puts Focus on Budget Plan President Barack Obama cast a new focus on the budget deficit Monday, announcing a goal of halving the $1.3 trillion gap by the end of his first term. Analysts weigh the goal. Continue watching
Feb 23 Head of Global Fund Makes Case for Health Aid Amid Economic Crisis By Admin, PBS News Hour With Congress taking up 2009 foreign operations appropriations this week, the head of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has been meeting with lawmakers to stress the importance of foreign health aid in tough economic times. Continue reading
Feb 19 Watch Other News: Stocks Sink, California Approves Budget Stocks plummeted after bleak unemployment and manufacturing reports, and the California legislature approved and sent a budget to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger after a long political deadlock. Jim Lehrer recaps the day's other news headlines. Continue watching
Feb 17 Watch Amid State Struggles, Calif. Faces Deep Budget Shortfall As the stimulus goes into motion, states around the nation are facing budget shortfalls. California is facing a particularly dire situation, with thousands of jobs on the line. Continue watching
Jan 27 Watch States Grapple With Unique Difficulties in Economic Downturn As the impact of the economic downturn ripples across the U.S., four public broadcasting reporters describe how the recession has impacted their states and local communities. Continue watching
Jan 23 Watch European Markets Tumble, Missiles Strike Pakistan European markets plunged Friday and Britain officially declared itself in a recession. Elsewhere in the world, suspected American missiles killed more than a dozen people in Pakistan; five militants were reportedly among the dead. Jim Lehrer reports on these events… Continue watching