Latest news with #MichaelRyan
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Map shows states with the highest increase in unemployment
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Some states saw higher increases in unemployment levels from February to April, according to new data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Massachusetts and Connecticut saw the highest jumps in unemployment percentage of all the states, with states like Ohio, Mississippi and Virginia not far behind. Why It Matters A substantial number of states saw their unemployment numbers tick up in April, signaling many states' economies might show trouble ahead. Nationwide, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2 percent last month, with more jobs noted in healthcare and warehousing. Meanwhile, federal government employment declined this month. What To Know Massachusetts and Connecticut experienced the highest unemployment percentage increase, both up 0.3 percentage points to 4.6 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively. However, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Arizona and Oregon also had substantial upticks of 0.2 percent. Michigan also had a 0.1 percent increase, reflecting the state's manufacturing job losses. "Michigan's pain is automation's gain," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of told Newsweek. "The state that built America's middle class is watching robots replace assembly line workers. When 20 percent of your jobs depend on an auto industry that's slashing human workers for silicon chips... Well, you're not just facing unemployment, it's more like extinction." Many rural states also saw an uptick due to the lack of industry remaining in these regions, Ryan added. "Mississippi's surge tells a different story of rural America getting left behind. Limited industry growth, persistent poverty, and a brain drain that's bleeding talent. When your biggest employers are struggling with funding cuts, you're losing jobs and hope," Ryan said. Former U.S. President and current Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks about the economy, inflation, and manufacturing during a campaign event at Alro Steel on August 29, 2024 in Potterville, Michigan. Former U.S. President and current Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks about the economy, inflation, and manufacturing during a campaign event at Alro Steel on August 29, 2024 in Potterville, People Are Saying Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of told Newsweek: "The job market has shifted from feast to famine. Hiring has slowed to a crawl, with companies taking longer to fill positions and job postings plummeting from post-pandemic peaks. I expect this to be the new normal." "We're transitioning from an employer's nightmare to a job seeker's hellscape. Companies have regained leverage, and they're using it ruthlessly." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "The driving force continues to be the economics of the manufacturing base, specifically automotive. As these jobs continue to be outsourced and automated, people in these regions will need to be retrained so they can enter the job market in different capacities, which will reduce the unemployment rate." HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek: "These increases reflect deeper cracks in a labor market that's been running on fumes for months. We're coming up on six months into Trump's second term, and the impact is starting to show. Corporate deregulation, budget slashing, and worker-hostile policies hit individuals and communities hard. The job market is cooling fast, and the safety nets - such that there were any to begin with - are being further slashed or ignored." What Happens Next Ryan said the labor market could change substantially in the next few months across all regions. "Time for the great labor market reality check. All 4 Census regions will see unemployment rise as we enter below-trend growth," Ryan said. "In my opinion, the West will get hammered hardest. With California, Nevada, and Washington leading the charge as professional services and tech hiring freezes."
LeMonde
5 days ago
- Health
- LeMonde
In Gaza, a father describes the struggle to feed his family
The lack of food in the Gaza Strip means that Mahmoud Al-Haw, a 39-year-old father with five children, is unable to feed his family every day. Since Israel's blockade on aid began in March 2025, Gazans have faced a severe food crisis – a situation that has alarmed humanitarian organizations operating on the ground. According to Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme, 2.1 million people in Gaza are "at imminent risk of death." Humanitarian aid has begun trickling back into Gaza in recent days after Israel lifted the three-month blockade. But UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma told journalists aid to Gaza was still "very, very far" from what was needed: a minimum of 500 to 600 trucks per day loaded with food, medical aid, fuel, water and other basic supplies, she said.
ABC News
25-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Farmers set to plant a record crop equivalent to the entire UK
Despite severe drought and devastating flooding, Australian farmers are on track to plant a record winter crop, sowing an area equivalent to the size of the United Kingdom. A report by agribusiness Rabobank estimates 24.5 million hectares of wheat, barley, chickpeas and canola will be sown, breaking the record of 24.1 million hectares set in 2020/21. That is despite farmers in southern parts of the country reducing their planting or diversifying to cope with devastating dry conditions. For those farmers who received the wetter-than-average "summer luck", the forecast is a welcome dose of optimism after some tough seasons. Michael Ryan is one of those farmers gearing up for a big plant. He cannot help but feel thankful as he runs his hands through the rich, chocolate-brown soil on his property in Pilton, two hours south-west of Brisbane. In the past year, 730 millimetres of rain fell on his farm, 80 per cent more than average. "It's one of the best outlooks I've seen in the last 10 to 15 years," Mr Ryan said. "We're pretty lucky in this Pilton Valley. "We have very nice self-cracking, mulching clay soil; some people say it's that nice you could eat it. "I'm very lucky to be able to farm it." Alongside his wife Alyson and three children, Mr Ryan is preparing machinery for sowing wheat in a few weeks. He said it was a stark contrast to tough seasons between 2018 and 2020 when plantings were minimal. "We hardly grew a crop," he said. "While these good years are around, we've got to make the most of it because you never know when the next drought is." With 40 years spent on the land, Mr Ryan understands how quickly fortunes can change in agriculture. That is especially apparent this year, as parts of South Australia and Victoria struggle with record dry conditions, and parts of New South Wales reel from deadly flooding. "You really feel for those poor people," Mr Ryan said. "It's like someone's fortune is someone's misfortune, too." While the current flooding emergency in NSW had likely damaged some crops, it was unlikely to change the forecast, as Rabobank expected livestock producers were the hardest hit. Grains and oilseeds analyst Vitor Pistoia, who authored the report, said wetter-than-average conditions in the northern growing region over summer were driving the record forecast. "[Summer] flooding in some cropping regions may delay sowing but it is supportive for another season of large sowing areas," he said. "WA's southern cropping areas also received timely rainfall to have a good start to the season. "Other cropping regions around the country though, did not get the same summer luck." He said in South Australia, western parts of Victoria and southern New South Wales the soil was too dry to plant. "For South Australia, everything is hanging on the season break, which up to this moment, hasn't happened," Mr Pistoia said. At Warra, three hours north-west of Brisbane, farmer and Grain Producers Australia northern director Brendan Taylor faces a different challenge. Like many Queensland farmers, his barley is already planted, but conditions need to dry out to sow chickpeas. "The risk we've got in some places in the south here where it is very wet is, potentially if it rains again, that's going to delay planting even more," he said. "Hopefully Mother Nature cooperates and lets us do that." While the area sown may reach record highs, there is no guarantee it will mean bigger harvests or profits. Mr Pistoia said yields would depend on rainfall during the growing season, while input costs and grain prices would determine returns. "There are budget pressures. Fertiliser, it's costing more year over year. Machinery remains a big issue. Labour as well," he said. Rabobank forecasts the 2025–26 harvest to yield about 54 million tonnes, down from last year's 60 million. Despite global trade uncertainties, including US tariffs, Australian grain and oilseed exports remain resilient and may even gain market share, the report noted. "Asian countries rely on Australia to source imports of grains and pulses, and the EU imports canola to balance its supply of oilseeds," Mr Pistoia said. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) is expected to release its updated winter crop forecast for 2025 in June.
The Guardian
24-05-2025
- The Guardian
Music, wine and waterfalls: a local's guide to Beechworth
Beechworth is on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri, Wavereoo, Dhudhuroa, Min-jan-buttu and Ya-itma-thang people, who collectively make up the Pallanganmiddang nation. It's about three hours from Melbourne. People used to visit en route to the Victorian alpine region ski fields but it's become its own destination now, known for its well-preserved gold rush-era sandstone buildings. Before they closed in 1995 and 2004, respectively, most residents worked at Beechworth Asylum (also known as Mayday Hills) and Beechworth Gaol. Later, Beechworth Bakery (which opened in 1984) got popular for its pies and cakes, more things opened and now tourism is the main industry. Lots of people have tree-changed here so the area's gentrified a lot, but a plus side is the food scene has vastly improved. Bandit is part of the recent boom of sandwich places. It only does five or six fillings, and they're made to order. The Reuben is excellent. Bridge Road Brewers opened 20 years ago. Its first beer, a pale ale, is usually the top-rated Victorian beer in the Gabs Hottest 100 countdown. It's in a gold rush-era coach house and serves the best pizza in town. There's a playground where adults can see their kids while they eat and drink, so it's a relaxed dinner spot for families. Provenance is Beechworth's only fine dining restaurant. It's Japanese food by award-winning chef Michael Ryan. It's set in a grand old bank with high ceilings that still feels date-night intimate. The set menu of 18 small dishes is $170 so it's mainly for milestone birthdays or anniversaries. We have about 20 coffee spots and only two main streets! I like Tiny. You run into people there and it's licensed after 11am. I DJ there some evenings, and they serve cocktails on weekends. Coffee snobs rate Little Nev highly. It's open 6am until midday and serves out of a former horse float parked in an old service station. Project 49 is an Italian provedore selling local goods from small-scale producers: meat, wine, cheese, condiments and excellent coffee. The traditional name for Beechworth is Baarmutha, or Barmootha, which translates to 'place of many creeks'. It's known for its excellent swimming holes. To get to Beechworth Gorge, park at the historic gunpowder magazine, walk over Spring Creek Bridge and head down the trail down to Spring Creek to find a series of blissful rock holes carved out along the creek. The 3km walk is a real scene in summer with people lying around and swimming. The jaw-droppingly beautiful Woolshed Falls is easier to get to, so it can be pretty crowded. You shouldn't get close to the falls but further up there are spots where you can soak in the cool water. The loop walk around Lake Sambell is beautiful at sunset. There's plenty of trees for shade earlier, too, and fishing, kayaking and dragon boating. There's a cute beach called Sandy Beach, a playground and barbecues. Mountain biking is huge here. The Indigo Epic is a rugged mountain bike trail going 56km to Yackandandah. The Rail Trail runs between towns like Bright and Wangaratta and is for long-distance leisure biking. The Bike Hire Company rents bikes and runs shuttle pick-ups for one-way trips. Pub culture has always been big. The story goes that people worked tough jobs at the asylum and the gaol so they did a lot of drinking. I book weekend gigs at Tanswell's Hotel. It's mostly free entry with a pretty rowdy vibe. Out-of-towners pop their heads into the front bar after hearing music when they're walking down Ford Street. When there's a stoner rock band from Sweden or an all-female punk band, it can seem pretty incongruous for a small country town. Country and bluegrass goes down well in Beechworth. We have amazing local bluegrass players doing afternoon sessions. Hotel Nicholas has Guinness on tap and decent pub food and curries. It does a monthly Irish jam with traditional instruments. It's more of a sports pub; there are lots of televisions showing AFL and NRL. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Old Stone Hall does sporadic live shows, skewed towards female performers. They're seated, intimate gigs where you drink local wine and, between songs, you can hear a pin drop. This is cool climate wine country and all the pop-up events, pubs and most restaurants serve local wines. You can sample them at Cellar Door Wine Store and Vino Bar. Eldorado Road winery has a cellar door in town. Michael Ryan of Provenance makes his own amaro and recently opened a vintage-style bar, The Parlour, upstairs at the restaurant. It's open on weekends from 5.30pm, but if you can see the red light on from the roundabout between Camp and Ford streets, it's open and Ryan's there pouring amaro-based cocktails and playing records. The Beechworth region has lots of festivals. They're big things on the cultural calendar here; everyone goes and parents take their kids. On festival weekends there's an influx of out-of-towners, which really transforms the vibe. At the High Country Hop (27-29 March 2026) at Bridge Road Brewery you can taste beers from visiting brewers from the US or New Zealand. The Japanese band the 5.6.7.8s and Australian singer-songwriter Darren Hanlon played last time. The super kid-friendly Spring Ditch! (March) is in Stanley, 10 minutes from Beechworth. There's music but also old-school games like sack races. Wonder Mountain (5-7 September) at Tanswell's Hotel is curated by the Strawberry Fields team. It's a huge pull for young out-of-towners who wear flamboyant western wear to dance to DJs. Yackandandah folk festival (20-22 March 2026) runs in venues across town; it's been going for decades. Metal in the Mountains (November) pulls a completely different crowd. It's not strictly metal, there's hard rock and pub rock too. If the weather's good it's in the village green, otherwise it's in the memorial hall. Drag'd Out (back in 2026) celebrates queer culture with drag artists doing shows and kids' workshops. Beechworth Historic and Cultural Precinct is a huge part of the town's heritage. Bushranger Ned Kelly was tried in the Beechworth Historic Courthouse and imprisoned in the Old Beechworth Gaol. The tours are great though it's a pretty depressing story. Asylum Ghost Tours run in the old asylum, Mayday Hills. They take you through the place at night and tell you all the horrific things that happened. I learned that if you were a woman, it took one signature to get you committed (your husband could do it) and three to get you out. So once women were in, they usually stayed long-term. A self-guided tour of Beechworth Public Cemetery will bring you to a Chinese section with the graves of about 2,000 gold seekers and settlers. The Chinese burning towers are historically significant, too; they'd burn paper money to impart riches into the afterlife. Armour Motor Inn (from $155 for a queen room) is my backup for bands I book if they can't stay at the pub. It's cute, retro and central. The Linaker Motel (from $125 for a queen suite) is in an art deco building in Mayday Hills that was the former nurses' quarters for the asylum. It has an edge of The Shining to it, but it's good value. The Benev (from $360 a night) is a spa with lovely rooms, and pretty central. It's in a beautiful brick building with a great view. The two caravan parks are very good. You're right on the water at Lake Sambell caravan park (from $50 for unpowered site to $370 for a three-bedroom villa) and it hires out kayaks and has a coffee truck. Beechworth holiday park (from $45 for an unpowered site to $190 for a three-bedroom villa) is a five-minute drive towards Stanley but it's surrounded by forest and is totally gorgeous. Doug Wallen is a journalist, band booker and broadcaster based in Beechworth
Irish Examiner
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'Cork will look to bury Waterford if attitude isn't right' — Ryan
Former Waterford manager Michael Ryan says the team's attitude has to be right in Cork or 'they will get buried'. Ryan admits there is not much positivity in Waterford this week as the county look to finally qualify from the group stages of the Munster championship at the sixth time of asking. However, he points to the several games in the past when they were written off only to come good. For that to happen on Sunday, he is adamant the scoring burden has to be taken off Jamie Barron and Stephen Bennett, who have posted 3-35 of Waterford's 3-66 championship total so far. 'The feeling on the ground is that it will be very hard to beat Cork,' opened Ryan. 'I wouldn't say people are optimistic, they're certainly not. But what I'd be saying is that some of our best performances have always come with no hope. 'I suppose there is pressure on because if you're beaten, you're knocked out. But Waterford in the last few decades have produced what was needed when least expected. 'I'd like to see a few changes on the team because we need to raise things and freshen things up. Bring in a few new fellas and see what happen because in terms of scoring two forwards have been carrying our team all year scoring-wise. 'They're getting 60% of the scores, and we need to get scores from somewhere else. I mean, it'll probably take 30 points to win a Munster championship. Jamie and Stephen are probably good for 16 or 17 points between them, but who's going to get those other 16? Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a really quick pitch too, top of the ground, the ball will be flying around the place. 'On the other side, I don't know where the Cork lads are. They won the league but you go back to the first championship game against Clare, they were very poor in the second half. Maybe they're thrown off when they don't get goals but if Cork are on their game, we're in big trouble.' The Nire-Fourmilewater man anticipates Cork will look to dictate the game from the off. 'I think Cork will try and come out with all guns blazing, and bury Waterford early on. So, the first 20 minutes is going to be absolutely crucial for us to stay in the game, and maybe be a bit defensive," Ryan insisted. 'Not conceding goals will be key and our defence has been good up to now. We've only giving up one so far in the Munster championship. But have we faced six forwards of the calibre of Cork? Probably not, although Limerick weren't at their best when we played them. 'If you go down to Cork with the wrong attitude, you're going to be buried and everybody must put their shoulder to the wheel, and from somewhere we must find a bit of belief and use the ball really well. 'I don't think our confidence is on the floor. They didn't do an awful lot wrong against Tipperary. But what was disappointing for me in particular was them getting six consecutive points to go level, coming back without playing particularly well and they still lost by nine points and Tipp didn't do anything extraordinary and that is a concern for us.' Going out of the competition in May for the third year running doesn't bear thinking about for a lot of Waterford people. Ryan wonders if the provincial group structure has revealed a lack of depth in the county's talent pools. 'In the years of Covid when we didn't have the round-robin system, we went all out for games and did well," he added. "That suggests to me we maybe don't have the strongest panel to deal with playing every week or second week. It is what it is now but we have a chance and we have to get on with it.' Waterford's Munster four games this year have come in two blocks, each spanning six to seven days. Selector Dan Shanahan has bemoaned the pressure the short turnarounds put on players and Ryan agrees. 'My contention is you have to find a way to give two weeks to every game. Start the Munster championship the first week of April, and let it run its course until everybody's had two weeks of a break between games. You're talking about amateur players playing to professional levels and expected to perform professionally and hurling is becoming a much more physically demanding game."
