NEW YORK - May 27, 2011 - The world economy is losing strength halfway through the year as high oil prices and fallout from Japan’s natural disaster and Europe’s debt woes take their toll.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now expects global economic growth of 4.3% in 2011, compared with its 4.8% estimate in mid-April, while UBS AG has cut its projection to 3.6% from 3.9% in January. Downside risks also include a shift to tighter monetary policy in emerging markets.

NEW YORK - May 26, 2011 - New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly climbed to 424,000 last week from a revised 414,000 in the prior week, pointing to a painfully slow improvement in the nation's job markets.

The Labor Department on Thursday revised the prior week's claims number up from an originally reported 409,000.

UNITED NATIONS - May 25, 2011 - The United Nations warned on Wednesday of a possible crisis of confidence in, and even a “collapse” of, the U.S. dollar if its value against other currencies continued to decline.

In a mid-year review of the world economy, the UN economic division said such a development, stemming from the falling value of foreign dollar holdings, would imperil the global financial system.

MINSK, Belarus - May 25, 2011 - Panicky shoppers in Belarus are buying up consumer goods and scarce food supplies as fast as they can, after a sharp devaluation of the ruble failed to halt a slide in the national currency's value.

MINSK, Belarus - May 24, 2011 - Belarus has cut the official value of its currency against the dollar by 36%.

The country faces a severe financial crisis, thanks to a large trade deficit and rapidly falling hard currency reserves.

NEW YORK - May 24, 2011 - It's like a flash mob gone bad. Security footage from a Manhattan Dunkin' Donuts shows a group of youths climbing on counters, throwing chairs and throwing tables in a violent attack on workers.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - May 23, 2011 - This week, Utah became the first state to legalize the use of gold and silver coins as legal currency.

Republican state Rep. Brad Galvez sponsored the bill, which also excludes gold and silver from capital gains taxes, as a protest against Federal Reserve policies. Galvez said he didn't want a complete return to the gold standard, but wanted to give consumers more options.