Business

Men load bags of cement from a warehouse in Gaza. Under a complicated system meant to prevent militants from getting cement to use for tunnels, Palestinians must get approval from home inspectors to buy just one sack.

World News

'People Are Going To Rebel': Slow Pace Of Rebuilding Frustrates Gazans

12:31pm December 11, 2014

by Emily Harris

Three months after the war between Israel and Hamas ended, reconstruction has barely started. Many people still live in half-bombed houses. But there are a few bright spots and a bit of innovation.

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Politics & Government

Should Homeowners With Solar Panels Pay To Maintain Electrical Grid?

12:14pm December 11, 2014

by Peter Overby

Utilities say consumers who put solar panels on their roofs should help pay to maintain the lines that carry the power they sell back into the system. Panel leasing firms say that's anti-competitive.

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At about $15 a gram, saffron is the world's most expensive spice. Rumi Spice has a unique model of employing Afghan farmers who are growing it that aims to double or even triple their annual income.

How Afghanistan Vets Are Trying To Cultivate Peace Through Saffron

11:01am December 11, 2014

by James Clark

Afghanistan has an ideal climate for growing saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. But little is exported. Rumi Spice is working with small farmers there to build the U.S. market for it.

Problems With Your Boss? Try A Chat With The Office Chaplain.

8:13am December 11, 2014

by Lauren Silverman

Chaplains have long been present on college campuses and in the military but increasingly they can also can be found in the workplace, specially trained to help employees offload office frustrations.

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At the end of the day, Roma tomatoes are ready for transport in Cristo Rey in the state of Sinaloa. Half the tomatoes consumed in the U.S. come from Mexico.

Mexican Megafarms Supplying U.S. Market Are Rife With Labor Abuses

9:06pm December 10, 2014

by NPR Staff

An investigation by the Los Angeles Times into labor camps on Mexican megafarms reveals appalling conditions. Reporter Richard Marosi says U.S. consumers need to pressure retailers for change.

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Like many beginning farmers, Grant Curtis wants to invest in his operation, but expectations of low prices are tying his hands.

Cheap Crops Mean Tight Times For Midwest's Fledgling Farmers

6:18pm December 10, 2014

by Abby Wendle

Recent years were a good time to invest for beginning farmers, who run a quarter of U.S. farms. But with some crop prices crashing, paying back debts may require hard conversations and delayed dreams.

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Stocks Are Battered As Oil Hits Another 5-Year Low

6:07pm December 10, 2014

by Krishnadev Calamur

Oil prices have fallen 40 percent over the past six months. OPEC, which is holding production levels steady, said today it expected lower global demand for oil next year.

Detroit's Bankruptcy Is Over, Michigan's Governor Says

1:59pm December 10, 2014

by Krishnadev Calamur

The city's bankruptcy, the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, will end at 12:01 a.m. ET Thursday, Gov. Rick Snyder said. The city filed for bankruptcy on July 18, 2013.

After a woman reported that she was raped by an Uber driver in New Delhi, protesters gathered outside a police station.

Alleged Rape Of Passenger Raises Concerns About How Uber Runs Abroad

1:51pm December 10, 2014

by Nsikan Akpan

A passenger in an Uber car in New Delhi reported that the driver raped her. As the company expands into the developing world, questions about the screening of its drivers are being raised.

Supporters of the website The Pirate Bay, one of the world's top illegal file-sharing websites, demonstrate in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2009.

After Raid On Its Servers In Sweden, Pirate Bay Goes Offline

1:35pm December 10, 2014

by Eyder Peralta

Pirate Bay is one of the world's largest file-sharing sites. In the past, it has been targeted by authorities around the world.