The Long French Goodbye
A quirk in French labor law makes it especially difficult for a company to lay off its employees. It's a system designed to protect workers, but it also has consequences for the rest of the economy.
Business
FAA To Passengers: Not Our Job To Regulate Seat Size, Legroom On Planes
In a letter responding to a lawsuit brought by the group Flyers Rights, the Federal Aviation Administration said that current seat size is not a safety issue.
Caught In Tariff War, U.S. Distillers Fear Losing Out On Global Whiskey Boom
Whiskey distillers in the U.S. are concerned EU tariffs will take a big bite out of sales. Many have expanded to meet growing demand and worry what will happen if trade frictions aren't resolved soon.
Northwest Ranchers Have Beef With Trump's Trade Wars, But Still Support Him
Tariffs are hitting U.S. beef exports this week. Ranchers across the West are bracing to lose money — but many still proudly back the president.
What Happens When Bureaucracy Accidentally Kills You?
There is a list of names of just about everyone with a social security number who has died. It is meant to prevent identity theft. But sometimes a name of a living person gets added by accident.
U.S. And Iran Trade Threats Over Oil Exports, Persian Gulf Shipping Lane
After Iran's president suggested Mideast oil exports could be disrupted if Iran's oil exports are cut off, Washington said it would do what's necessary to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for tankers.
All He's Ever Wanted Is To Mine Coal. How Long Can He Chase His Dream?
Kyle Johnson is a young man who wants to be a coal miner more than anything. NPR's Embedded podcast follows his search for a job in a region where the future of coal is in question.
Vulnerable Rural Hospitals Face Tough Decisions On Questionable Billing Schemes
Management consultants have been buying up struggling rural hospitals, claiming they can turn their finances around. But are those strategies in the hospitals' best interest?
Star Spangled Indicator
Flags: symbol of a country, patriotic rallying cry, and a telling economic indicator. Today on the show, a factory in China that makes American flags, and what it tells us about the modern economy.
Rhode Island Bets The Farm That Cheap Land Will Help Local Agriculture Thrive
The state is about to offer bargain basement prices on something that's become increasingly unaffordable: real estate. But the land must be used for farming only.