UNEMPLOYMENT

Clean energy advocates may be celebrating the decline of coal-fired power. But in the heart of Kentucky's Appalachia, ground zero for coal country, mining is essentially the economy. And there, no coal means no recovery

While the euro zone fiscal crisis has grabbed the spotlight, the U.S. faces its own fiscal crisis. The simultaneous onset of tax increases and spending cuts scheduled for Jan. 1 -- which will trigger unless Republicans and Democrats can agree on a balanced budget solution -- will likely send the economy plunging off a $720 billion fiscal cliff and into the arms of another recession.

French voters across the country are casting votes for parliamentary representatives. Can Marine Le Pen's National Front Party win some seats for the first time in over 20 years?

President Barack Obama spoke of financial troubles both at home and abroad in a press conference Friday, calling on Congress to reconsider his jobs legislation to boost the public sector amid headwinds from Europe.

In 2009, the Economist Intelligence Unit devised an acronym for six emerging countries, CIVETS, which includes Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa. These countries were categorized as the six countries with the best chance of high, long-term growth.

Futures on major U.S. indices point to a slightly higher opening Thursday ahead of the report on weekly jobless claims and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke?s congressional testimony.

Wearing the black face-covering veil favoured by Saudi women, Maha Mazyad looked through leaflets for prospective jobs with some of the Islamic kingdom's largest companies at a recent career fair in Riyadh.

The Mitt Romney campaign targeted the Hispanic vote in dual English and Spanish Web ads Tuesday morning in an attempt to woo a voting bloc that heavily supported President Obama Barack in 2008 and could prove to be critical in the 2012 election.

The euro zone avoided recession with zero growth in the first quarter, but it seems to have run out of luck. Recent data out of the single currency bloc has led economists to conclude with confidence that a recession is looming and the European Central Bank may not act Wednesday.

Massive movements of capital during the latest occurrences of the European financial crisis have forced central bankers into the role of circus contortionists: bending into positions in order to maintain their stated policy targets. And their antics are not being bought by all, with some wagering that these bankers' next attempts will result in a broken back or two.

Bernard Thibault, the secretary of the Communist-backed Confédération Générale du Travail, one of France's largest unions, warned that at least 45,000 jobs (and maybe as many as 90,000) will be jettisoned by some 46 companies.

Home prices are stagnant, crude oil is tumbling and copper has fallen to a seven-month low. Inflation is not the problem. What is the problem is inflation's evil twin, deflation.

Stocks have wiped out their year-to-date gains. US payrolls are down while unemployment is up. Yields on high-demand government bonds are at record lows. Speculation abounds the US Fed might even print more money. Is it any wonder some are talking about gold?s rebound?

Move over, George Clooney. The Obama campaign is taking full advantage of star power from two famous fashion icons to raise money, an effort being mocked by the Republican Party as pretentious and out of touch.

The number of people in Spain claiming jobless benefits declined slightly in May by 30,113, the country's Labor Ministry announced on Monday. The drop was small compared to the decline in claims of 80,000 in May of last year.

The April trade data is likely to garner the most market attention, while the Fed Beige Book will set the tone for the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. On Thursday, markets will also be watching Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony to Congress, which could provide clues on whether the Fed is ready to take additional steps to support growth.

Crude oil prices declined for the fifth day Monday as sentiment was dampened after reports indicated a slowdown in China's nonmanufacturing activity and U.S. employment.

Asian stock markets plunged Monday as weaker-than-expected economic data from the US and China raised concerns over the strength of global economic recovery.

Tea Party members and other conservatives would like Americans to believe that the United States? problems started in 2009, but nothing could be further from the truth. Three major policy errors by President George W. Bush last decade substantially worsened the U.S.?s fiscal condition, and the nation has been trying to recover ever since.

Advisers to President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney turns assigning blame for May's grim jobs figures on Fox News Sunday, as the candidates try to spin a paltry 69,000 new jobs into a positive talking point for the incumbent and his Republican challenger.

The U.S. had been losing industrial jobs to low-cost countries, particularly in Asia, for years, but its manufacturing sector appears to be staging a surprising turnaround. In 2009, manufacturing accounted for about 11 percent of U.S. gross domestic product; in 2011, the comparable figure was 12.2 percent.