To the Point
With Unemployment at 9.5 Percent, Is the Stimulus Working?
The President's $800 billion stimulus package hasn't been fully rolled out yet, but the US economy is already almost 7 million jobs in the hole since the recession began. Who's able to find work and who's not? Is more stimulus money needed? How much worse is it going to be before it gets better? Also, another protest crushed in Tehran, and China's continuing problems with ethnic unrest.
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenThe President's $800 billion stimulus package hasn't been fully rolled out yet, but the US economy is already almost 7 million jobs in the hole since the recession began. Who's able to find work and who's not? Is more stimulus money needed? How much worse is it going to be before it gets better? Also, another protest crushed in Tehran, and China's President Hu Jintau has rushed home from the G8 to deal with rioting by the Uighurs, one of 55 officially recognized minorities.
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In this episode
3 storiesAnother Protest Crushed in Tehran
More than 1000 demonstrators were met with tear gas and beatings today in Tehran as violence continued in the aftermath if last month's contested elections. Borzou Daragahi, Middle East correspondent for the Los Angeles Times , recently left Iran for Beirut, Lebanon.
Read the story8 minWith 7 Million Unemployed, Is the Stimulus Working?
By orders of magnitude, unemployment is rising faster than the new jobs promised from the $800 billion stimulus package . National unemployment has risen to 9.5 percent, higher than the 8 percent peak predicted by the administration when it was selling the package to Congress. Some economists and some Democrats want another package.
Read the story35 minEthnic Tensions in China
President Hu Jintao abruptly left the G8 summit in Italy to deal with deadly rioting in the northwest part of his country. On Sunday, rioting in Urumqi killed at least 156 people. It was set off by an earlier brawl at a factory in Guangdong, in the southeastern part of the country.
Read the story8 min
