Category: 4-FrequentNewsStreams

A U.N.-backed global hunger watchdog warned Thursday that famine is spreading to more parts of Darfur in western Sudan. The U.N. says the war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has driven 14 million people from their homes and killed an estimated 40,000. Nick Schifrin and producer Zeba Warsi spoke to civilians trapped in the epicenter of the nearly 3-year-old civil war. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The United Nations says Sudan's civil war is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. For a look at the effect this war has had on the people, as well as next steps, Nick Schifrin speaks with Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, who just returned from Sudan. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

As many as 3 million women in India are believed to be sex workers, often pushed into the trade by extreme poverty or coercion. One organization has helped more than 32,000 of these women find a path out. While this group has earned international awards and philanthropic support, it's also raised complex questions about how best to help. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports for his series Agents for Change. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The latest JOLTS report is bleaker than expected. There were 6.5 million job openings across the U.S. economy in December, down nearly 400,000 from the previous month. This misaligned labor market is especially prominent in the services sector. In this episode, what's next for employment and which groups in particular are struggling to find work. Plus: The U.S. lags behind China in electrical capacity expansion, bankers show reluctance to lend to AI-impacted industries, and a photographer installs free-to-use phones across his city.

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As the 2026 midterm elections approach, pollsters and strategists from all over the world of politics are trying to get a pulse on American families. Kimberly recently sat down with a panel of experts at the Aspen Forum on Children and Families to discuss what their research is revealing and what it means for the future of policies that affect children and families across the United States. So, we’re sharing some of that conversation today. Spoiler: the economy comes up a lot.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• VIDEO: "Reality Check: What's Really Going On With Families" from the Aspen Institute
• "Voters See a Middle-Class Lifestyle as Drifting Out of Reach, Poll Finds" from The New York Times
• "The good, the bad and the ugly of election polling" from “Make Me Smart” 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Literary hub, polling place, warming center and now… food pantry? Some libraries can do it all. With 81 branches, the Chicago Public Library system is one of the largest and most robust in the world. On today’s In the Loop, we look at how libraries are about a lot more than just books with Chris Brown, Chicago Public Library Commissioner, Megan Greenback, Legler Library Assistant Director and Mary Davis Fournier, Executive Director, Public Library Association. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be on Capitol Hill again today for another grilling. He’s scheduled to appear before the Senate Banking Committee. Yesterday, Bessent appeared before the House Financial Services Committee to talk about oversight of the U.S. financial system, where he sparred with Democrats. And later in the program, wages are making up a shrinking share of overall income. Also: discussions of Fed independence, inflation, and more.

News Corp — the parent company of The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, MarketWatch, and Fox News — announces quarterly profits today. Meanwhile, The Washington Post laid off a third of its staff yesterday. Today, we'll delve into the state of the media industry and why it's such a struggle to find a business model that works. Then, Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go is closing up shop. What went wrong with Amazon’s foray into physical stores?

From the BBC World Service: Little luxuries can become routine during tougher economic times. The newest iteration of the “lipstick effect,” the phenomenon is called "little treat culture" on TikTok, where videos using the hashtag have grown by 75% globally over the past year. This morning, we'll delve into the business model of treat-onomics. But first, TSMC confirms plans to make AI semiconductors in southern Japan, and gig workers in India are planning a nationwide strike.

How much do you share with your partner about your finances? Sometimes, a little privacy starts to look a lot like a secret. And secrets (especially the money kind) have a way of becoming problems.

On this week’s episode, Reema talks to people on the streets of Portland about their real-life money secrets, and chats with divorce lawyer Randy Kessler and couples counselor Jeff Guenther, who’ve seen how financial secrecy can fracture relationships — and sometimes bring people closer.

If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And let us know what you think by emailing uncomfortable@marketplace.org or calling 347-RING-TIU. Have you ever kept a big money secret from your partner? We want to know! And follow us on Instagram and Tiktok!