Latest from Jonathan Frewin

• Aug 29, 2022

  Warning that parts of the U.S. will see heating oil shortage

  

  The U.S. Department of Energy is warning that the supply of heating oil in New England is way below average, just as we head into the fall and winter. The Energy Department is telling states in the northeast to stockpile. Plus, this may not come as a surprise to many, but air travel complaints were up 35% in June compared to May, and they’re up almost 270% compared to pre-pandemic levels. And, why scooters, mopeds and motorcycles no longer get to park for free in Paris.

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• Aug 29, 2022

  Austria joins growing calls for an EU-wide cap on electricity bills

  

  From the BBC World Service: That’s as countries across the European Union scramble to store enough energy for the winter, while the bloc cuts back on Russian supplies. Plus, Pakistan is launching a flash UN appeal for help as authorities struggle to cope with what’s being described as the worst flooding in the country’s history, with crops devastated. And, we hear how Brexit-related labor shortages are driving U.K. inflation.

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• Aug 26, 2022

  A view from Jackson Hole, World Bank style

  

  It’s Day 2 of the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium hosted by the Federal Reserve. We check in with World Bank President David Malpass, who’s on the ground in Wyoming, about monetary policy around the world. Also, we delve into the latest downbeat earnings report from Peloton, the exercise equipment and fitness company that boomed during the peak of the pandemic but has since fallen back to Earth — hard.

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• Aug 26, 2022

  T-Mobile, SpaceX team up on bringing cell service through satellites

  

  T-Mobile and SpaceX are partnering to provide mobile service everywhere, using satellites to patch up coverage in areas where there are no cell towers. And, we take today’s “Economic Pulse” by speaking with Pedro, an immigrant day laborer who organizes other workers to prevent wage theft and poor working conditions.

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• Aug 26, 2022

  Powell’s inflation problem is different from those other central bankers face

  

  From the BBC World Service: As Fed Chair Jay Powell takes to the stage at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium, anticipation is building that he’ll double down on the U.S. central bank’s commitment to stamp out inflation. Rising prices are a problem all around the world. But economist Dr. Mohamed El-Erian explains the factors driving it are different region to region. Plus, Russia appears to be burning natural gas it could have sent to Europe. And, the French government says energy giant TotalEnergies has questions to answer about reports it’s been indirectly involved in supplying fuel to Russia’s airforce.

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• Aug 25, 2022

  California could put gas cars in the rearview

  

  Officials in the Golden State are expected to approve a plan today that will ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. Auto regulations in California often influence other states to adopt similar rules. Also, we’ll preview the Federal Reserve’s big Jackson Hole Economic Symposium with economist Diane Swonk who will be in attendance. Plus, how China is aiming to boost the country’s economy with stimulus as it’s being hit by a strict zero-COVID policy, heat waves and more. Finally, a look at how your conduct matters when it comes to tort law and amusement parks. It’s some legal context for our “Econ Extra Credit” selection this month, “Class Action Park.”

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• Aug 25, 2022

  Student debt relief is coming, but college is still expensive

  

  The Biden administration has officially rolled out a plan to cancel some student debt for certain individual borrowers. But that doesn’t change the fact that the cost of college tuition is running at record-high levels. We look at why higher education is so expensive. Plus, get your Federal Reserve “bingo cards” ready for the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium, which kicks off today. If you want to know what to watch for in Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s speech planned for tomorrow, we have you covered. And, welcome news for consumers: A handful of retailers have recently announced they’ll be marking down products to try to get them out the door and clear excess inventory they’ve accumulated during the pandemic.

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• Aug 25, 2022

  China throws billions at ailing economy

  

  From the BBC World Service: Chinese officials are putting a total of $146 billion toward measures aimed at propping up an economy hit by severe drought, energy shortages and a strict zero-COVID strategy. Also, French President Macron is in Algeria for a trip aimed at repairing relations between the two nations. He will also likely focus on how the country can help Europe achieve energy security without Russia. And, the war in Ukraine hasn’t just disrupted daily life in that country. We hear how it’s wreaked havoc on the global food supply chain and those who work in it.

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• Aug 24, 2022

  Twitter whistleblower implications go beyond Musk

  

  The whistleblower complaint from a former Twitter security chief alleges that the social media platform doesn’t know exactly how many fake accounts there are. That sounds a lot like one of Elon Musk’s reasons for pulling out of a $44 billion deal to buy the company. But Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, says that’s just the start of the potential legal trouble Twitter could face now. Plus, housing sales might be down, but prices aren’t there yet. What does that mean for the fight against inflation? We ask Susan Schmidt, head of U.S. equities at Exchange Capital Resources. Also, how extreme weather caused by climate change is yet another force contributing to inflation, especially in commodities like cotton. And, an update on fundraising money for aid in Ukraine.

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• Aug 24, 2022

  The history of Jackson Hole

  

  Every August, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, becomes the center of the financial world for a few days as central bankers, academics and economists from around the world gather for a symposium. But how did this get to be such a big deal? A teachable moment and a history lesson for you today. Plus, the latest on reports that the Biden administration will make an announcement on federal student loan forgiveness. And, a plan in Washington, D.C., to help first-time homebuyers with low-interest loans at a time when inflation is making down payments more difficult.

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