Making Sense of the Monthly Jobs Report, Pakistan’s Response to COVID-19, and More

May 7, 2020

What does the unemployment rate measure? What’s the difference between being unemployed and out of the labor market? As an unprecedented number of Americans file for unemployment benefits, Stephanie Aaronson breaks down one of the most closely watched economic indicators: the monthly U.S. jobs report.

“Ultimately, mosques staying open in Pakistan is simply the manifestation of the political tightrope its civilian institutions have always had to walk as they have contended with both its army and its Islamists.” Madiha Afzal writes about the influence of the religious right in Pakistan’s fight against COVID-19.

Food insecurity occurs when a household has difficulty providing enough food due to a lack of resources. With food insecurity on the rise in the United States, Lauren Bauer calls on policymakers to strengthen SNAP and the electronic grocery voucher program.

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