LONDON, England (PNN) - October. 6, 2011 - In a recent interview on the BBC, IMF advisor Robert Shapiro said some incredibly alarmist things.

He told broadcasters that if eurozone leaders don't address the crisis properly we will see a meltdown as soon as later this month.

NEW YORK (PNN) - October 6, 2011 - New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits rose less than expected last week, according to a government report on Thursday that hinted at an improvement in labor market conditions.

NEW YORK - October 5, 2011 - Families were more dependent on government programs than ever last year.

Nearly half of the population - 48.5% - lived in a household that received some type of government benefit in the first quarter of 2010, according to U.S. Census data. Those numbers have risen over the last eighteen months of the Depression, when 44.4% lived in households receiving benefits in the third quarter of 2008.

ATHENS, Greece - October 5, 2011 - More than 20,000 public sector workers demonstrated in Athens Wednesday, in a strike against deeper austerity cuts that shut down courts, schools and transport, including air traffic.

DUBLIN, Ireland - October 4, 2011 - Ireland's central bank reportedly is printing Ireland's old currency in case the country leaves the eurozone. At least that's the rumor circulating in Dublin, notes Alan McQuaid, chief economist at Bloxham stockbrokers in the city.

WASHINGTON - October 4, 2011 - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says that hopes of an economic recovery are faltering and the central bank is prepared to take further steps to support it.

The economy is growing more slowly than the Federal Reserve expected, Bernanke said Tuesday before the congressional Joint Economic Committee. He said the biggest factor depressing consumer confidence is poor job growth.

NEW YORK - October 3, 2011 - American Airlines parent, AMR Corp., tumbled the most since April 2009 on growing concern the Second Great Depression will continue indefinitely, and that the carrier may be forced to seek bankruptcy protection.