Business

A group gathers in a Ballston, Va., home for a supper club organized through the site Feastly. A new food trend gaining popularity in New York and other cities lets diners enjoy a meal prepared by a stranger in that person's home.

Sometimes A Perfect Stranger Is The Best Dinner Host

3:07pm January 16, 2014

by Arun Venugopal

A new food trend gaining popularity in New York and other cities allows diners to enjoy fine meals inside someone else's home. But the food is often just an excuse for what can essentially be a really great party with a bunch of people you've never met.

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Detroit Touts Clean, Efficient Diesels, But America Isn't Sold

3:07pm January 16, 2014

by Sonari Glinton

Hybrids and battery-powered cars are all the rage, but some car companies are investing in an older technology: diesel. The newest vehicles are cleaner and more powerful, and some drivers report getting up to 50 mpg. So what's keeping U.S. customers from switching pumps?

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German farmer Rudolf Buehler and other opponents of the Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement protest with 17 pigs in front of the chancellor's office building in Berlin on Wednesday.

World News

German Farmers Fear For Europe's Bacon With U.S. Trade Deal

9:12pm January 15, 2014

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

German farmers protested Wednesday against a free trade deal with the U.S. that could lift restrictions on American meat sold in Europe. The farmers say they are worried not just about poor quality meat but about unfair competition.

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Game Over For Nintendo? Not If Mario And Zelda Fans Keep Playing

5:09pm January 15, 2014

by Laura Sydell

Some analysts say that Nintendo's days are numbered because sales of its new console, Wii U, have been lackluster. But since Nintendo still offers some of the most popular game franchises, the love of Zelda and Mario may keep the company going for a long time.

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In a $16 billion deal this week, Japanese beverage giant Suntory announced it plans to purchase Beam Inc., maker of Jim Beam and owner of other popular bourbon brands, including Maker's Mark.

Soon To Be Big In Japan, Jim Beam's Roots To Stay In Kentucky

10:48am January 15, 2014

by Rick Howlett

In a deal worth some $16 billion, Japanese beverage giant Suntory is buying Beam Inc., maker of Jim Beam bourbon and owner of well-known American brands such as Maker's Mark. Industry leaders say it's a reflection of bourbon's exploding popularity in Asian markets, but some wonder if the new owners will preserve bourbon's Kentucky heritage.

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Target Co. estimates that at least 70 million individuals may have had information including their "names, mailing addresses, phone numbers or email addresses" stolen in a recent data breach.

Economy

Security Experts Say Data Thieves Are Getting Harder To Fight

8:53am January 14, 2014

by Yuki Noguchi

Even retailers that invest heavily in sophisticated security systems are seeing new vulnerabilities from rogue hackers who are buying software tools on the black market.

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Spencer Trappist Ale, made by the first official Trappist brewery outside Europe, will go on sale next week in Massachusetts.

American Beer Fans, Praise The Heavens: A Trappist Brewery In U.S.

4:27pm January 13, 2014

by Katherine Perry, WATD

Trappist monks are known for producing some of the world's finest beers. But until recently, all of them were brewed in Europe. Next week, Spencer Trappist Ale, made by the monks of St. Joseph's Abbey in Massachusetts, hits retail shelves.

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Why Live Award Shows Have High Value, Even When We Hate Them

6:50pm January 12, 2014

by NPR Staff

Award shows are a booming business these days. Major networks are bringing in new televised awards and revitalizing old ones. The Hollywood Reporter's Matt Belloni explains why there's a sudden surge in producing these largely "DVR-proof" programs.

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Comcast is the largest cable company and home Internet service provider in the United States. A recent survey found that many Americans give Internet service providers low marks for satisfaction.

Internet In America: An On Again, Off Again Relationship

6:50pm January 12, 2014

by NPR Staff

For some Americans, getting high-speed Internet can be a challenge. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, consumers rate Internet service providers worse than airlines, the postal service and health insurance in terms of satisfaction.

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A First Look At New Tech Products To Hit The Market

12:53pm January 11, 2014

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas closed on Friday. Visitors were treated to more than 20,000 new products, with everything from Internet-connected clothing to giant television screens. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with reporter Steve Henn about some of the gadgets on the horizon.

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