Business

Politics & Government

Senate Expected To Pass Long-Delayed Farm Bill

8:12am February 06, 2014

by Ailsa Chang

The Senate is heading toward final passage of a five-year, half-trillion dollar farm bill Tuesday afternoon. Proponents are pointing to its elimination of direct subsidies and replacement with crop insurance. But critics say crop insurance continues to provide overly generous subsidies to even wealthy corporate farms.

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As Satya Nadella becomes the new CEO of Microsoft, company founder Bill Gates is moving from chairman to

What Bill Gates' New Role Could Mean For Microsoft

10:23pm February 05, 2014

by Laura Sydell

In recent years, the Microsoft co-founder has pulled back from his work at the company to focus on his foundation — improving global health and reducing poverty. But his hands-on days at Microsoft are not over. Gates is stepping down as chairman but moving into a part-time role as technology adviser.

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'The Tonight Show' And The Business Of Late Night

2:54pm February 05, 2014

After hosting The Tonight Show for two decades, Jay Leno will pass the torch to Jimmy Fallon in February. NPR's Kelly McEvers tals with Matt Belloni, executive editor for The Hollywood Reporter, about the business of late-night talk shows.

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Economy

Senate Steps Into The Data Breach Controversy

8:00pm February 04, 2014

by Jim Zarroli

The Senate Judiciary Committee spent the day looking into recent data thefts at Target and Neiman Marcus. Lawmakers know there is a big problem, but they are struggling with what role the federal government should play is creating new standards to safeguard consumer data.

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Truffles are among the many foods infused with THC – the chemical in marijuana that gives you a high — already for sale in Colorado.

Marijuana-Laced Treats Leave Colorado Jonesing For Food-Safety Rules

12:00pm February 04, 2014

by Luke Runyon

From sodas to truffles to butter, foods infused with THC — the chemical in marijuana that gives you a high — are already for sale in Colorado. But the federal government still considers pot illegal, so the state has to create from scratch its own system to regulate these foods.

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The 2011 Asparagus Queen, Megan Roskan, and runner-up Christine Merten wave to spectators during an Independence Day parade in Whitehall, Mich. With interests waning in agricultural pageants, organizers are relaxing the requirements to encourage more peop

National

All Hail The Asparagus Queen! How Ag Pageants Lure New Contestants

7:33pm February 03, 2014

by NPR Staff

Some farming communities are struggling to find enough contestants for the pageants that crown monarchs like the Asparagus Queen and Beef Queen. So they are relaxing the pageant rules to spice up the competition.

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Economy

Obama's State Of The Union And Your Economic Reality

7:20am February 03, 2014

by NPR Staff

In his speech, President Obama painted a fairly rosy picture of the economy, but many Americans say they aren't seeing it. We dig into the president's remarks and compare them to the average American's experience.

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Scarlett Johansson recently became SodaStream's spokeswoman and appeared at an event at the Gramercy Park Hotel on Jan. 10 in New York City. The actress soon found herself engulfed in controversy because of her affiliation with a company that has a factor

World News

Scarlett Johansson's Middle East Flap ... Over Soda

9:55am February 01, 2014

by Emily Harris

The American actress has stepped down as a goodwill representative for Oxfam International. She came in for criticism after agreeing to serve as a spokeswoman, and appear in a Super Bowl ad, for an Israeli company that produces at-home soda-makers in the occupied West Bank.

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Janet Yellen smiles as President Obama announces her nomination for Federal Reserve chairwoman on Oct. 9.

After Overcoming Early Obstacles, Yellen Assumes Fed's Top Job

7:51pm January 31, 2014

by John Ydstie

The world of central banking is largely a man's world. But Janet Yellen, the Federal Reserve's new leader, has been undeterred by such barriers since she was in high school in Brooklyn. Now global financial markets will be watching her every move.

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New York Looks To Bring Bitcoin Out Of The Shadows

2:58pm January 31, 2014

by Ilya Marritz

Bitcoin has been tied to the dark side of the Internet, where it's been linked to drug trafficking. But New York's financial regulators say they want to foster innovation and are looking to legitimize the virtual currency by licensing it.

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