Economy

Sen. Durbin Wants Budget Showdown To End Quickly

9:13am September 24, 2013

The Senate is considering a bill to keep funding the federal government past next Tuesday. The measure was passed last week by the Republican-controlled House, and it includes language to defund the Affordable Care Act. To discuss what is the path forward, Steve Inskeep talks to Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois.

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A close view of the packaging of Grand Theft Auto V at the midnight opening at the HMV music store in London on Tuesday. It made history with a record $800 million in sales on its first day. This version continues to generate controversy over its glorific

Female Fans Love New Grand Theft Auto Despite Demeaning Content

2:02pm September 20, 2013

by Laura Sydell

Grand Theft Auto V took in more than $800 million in sales on its first day in stores. The edgy and violent adventure game series isn't just a hit with young men: A significant number of women play, though some of them are disappointed the new release doesn't feature prominent female characters.

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Economy

Greensboro's Performance Art Center Following in Durham's Footsteps

7:00am September 20, 2013

Creating a performing arts center can draw people and businesses to a city's downtown area, but it takes a lot of money and forethought to make it happen.

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Should It Take 2 Or 3 Years To Earn A Law Degree?

4:49am September 18, 2013

by Tovia Smith

President Obama, a Harvard Law grad and former law professor, has suggested that students can learn all they need to take the bar exam in two years. That would save them tens of thousands of dollars. But it would also cost law schools millions of dollars in tuition revenue.

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Home Care Workers To Be Included In Wage And Overtime Law

4:27am September 18, 2013

by Wendy Kaufman

There are about 2 million home care workers in the U.S. But currently they are not covered under minimum wage and overtime laws. That will change in January of 2015 under new regulations announced by the Obama administration.

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Demonstrators congregate near the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. Numerous rallies and events were planned to mark the second anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement, which targets income inequality and financial greed.

The Occupy Movement At 2: Many Voices, Many Messages

6:31pm September 17, 2013

by Margot Adler

Demonstrators packed lower Manhattan on Tuesday, two years after the launch of the Occupy Wall Street movement. While Occupy's prominence has faded since becoming a household name in 2011, its supporters say the group's concerns have helped prompt a national conversation about income inequality.

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Raisa Ruiz (right) and her niece Mary Badels wait in line at the Manna Food Center, Gaithersburg, Md., on Sept. 13.

Economy

Census Report Paints Troubling Economic Picture On Incomes

5:34pm September 17, 2013

by Chris Arnold

The good news: Median household incomes didn't decline in 2012. Bad news: Incomes didn't go up, either.

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Rice farmers pull a harvest festival cart down country lanes in Narita city, Chiba prefecture. The area is home to Tokyo's main airport, but also has many agricultural areas.

Japan's Rice Farmers See Trade Deal As Threat To Tradition

9:38am September 17, 2013

by Anthony Kuhn

Each summer, the rice farmers of Narita, Japan, gather to pray for bountiful harvests with dancing, music and elaborate festival carts. This year, some farmers feel their way of life is under threat from a major trade agreement.

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Tyler Ward says he was able to buy a car and a house with money he made posting videos of himself covering pop hits on YouTube.

Covering Pop Hits On YouTube Is Starting To Pay

2:32pm September 16, 2013

by Noah Nelson

Now that YouTube runs advertising on videos of cover songs, musicians like Tyler Ward are working with agencies to negotiate higher shares of that revenue.

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White House Takes Stock Of Financial Crisis Five Years Later

2:20pm September 16, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

Five years ago this week, Lehman Brothers collapsed, and America's financial crisis began. On Monday morning, President Obama will mark the anniversary with a speech in the White House Rose Garden. The White House released a new report ahead of the address, assessing how the government's efforts to stabilize the economy turned out.

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