Business

National

The boom of cannabis growers in Oklahoma is straining rural utilities

5:13pm October 08, 2021

by Seth Bodine | Harvest Public Media

Oklahoma has some of the nation's loosest marijuana regulations. Rural utilities say the large greenhouses popping up across the state is straining water and electric infrastructure beyond capacity.

Far fewer jobs were added in September than forecasted

4:38pm October 08, 2021

by Scott Horsley

September's job gains fell short of expectations, with U.S. employers adding just 194,000 jobs. The unemployment rate fell below 5%, but that was in part because people dropped out of the workforce.

The Postal Service says the predicted slowdown is caused in part by the agency's decision to rely less on moving mail by air and more by ground transportation.

Politics & Government

The Postal Service is slowing the mail to save money. Critics say it's a death spiral

4:38pm October 08, 2021

by Brian Naylor

As of Oct. 1, some first-class mail has been delivered more slowly. Some say between that and recent price increases, it spells trouble for the agency.

Former President Donald Trump's company lost more than $70 million operating his Washington, D.C., hotel while he was in office, according to documents released by congressional Democrats on Friday.

Politics & Government

Documents show Trump lost millions operating D.C. hotel

3:27pm October 08, 2021

by Brian Naylor

The Trump International Hotel incurred tens of millions in losses, while the former president claimed it was making money, according to a new cache of documents released by congressional Democrats.

Norway is seeing a record boom in sales of electric cars, which far outpace gas and diesel vehicles. Here, an electric BMW drives on the street in downtown Oslo.

9 in 10 cars now being sold in Norway are electric or hybrid

12:22pm October 08, 2021

by Bill Chappell

Of all new passenger cars sold so far in 2021 in Norway, less than 5% are powered by gasoline. The numbers push the country closer to meeting its goal of a zero-emission fleet of new cars by 2025.

The unemployment rate dipped to 4.8% in September, from 5.2% in August, although some of that decline resulted from people dropping out of the workforce.

Economy

August's jobs numbers were bad. September was even worse, but there's room for hope

11:46am October 08, 2021

by Scott Horsley

The Labor Department says the U.S. added just 194,000 jobs last month, even lower than the lackluster showing in August. The unemployment rate fell to 4.8%.

Economy

Latest jobs report sheds more light on how the U.S. economy is doing

8:44am October 08, 2021

Employers added 194,000 jobs in September, a second month of disappointing growth. Employers added 194,000 jobs in September, down from a revised 366,000 jobs in August, the Labor Department says.

News brief: Texas abortion law, jobs report, CIA's focus on China

7:56am October 08, 2021

Some clinics in Texas are offering abortions again after a federal judge intervened. The Labor Department issues its monthly jobs report. The CIA director says China is the agency's main focus.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

Planet Money investigates the logjams that keep renters from receiving aid

7:56am October 08, 2021

Millions of Americans are at risk of eviction, and billions of dollars in help from Congress isn't reaching most of them. What's taking so long for people who need rental assistance to get the money?

States with diverse tax revenue streams see their budgets bounce back

7:40am October 08, 2021

by Nicole Nixon

This time last year, state revenue outlooks were tanking. Some states with high income-earners, such as California, are seeing budget surpluses like they haven't seen in decades.