Business

A jet comes in for landing at Los Angeles International Airport

Going The Distance: Mileage Running On Marathon Flights

8:58am December 16, 2013

by Daniel Hajek

Imagine flying around the world in a span of days for the sole purpose of earning frequent flyer miles. That's the idea behind mileage runs. By spending hours in an airplane, travelers gain status on an airline.

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On Sunday, Ireland became the first country to formally exit the bailout program funded by the International Monetary Fund and the European Union.

Ireland Exits Bailout Program, But Economy Still On The Mend

8:24am December 16, 2013

by Jim Zarroli

Ireland has big budget deficits, low growth rates and high unemployment. But the country is ready to take a big step toward getting back to normal. On Sunday, it became the first country to exit the bailout program put in place by the International Monetary Fund and the European Union.

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Boulevard Brewing's lineup includes seven year-round beers, five seasonal beers and 13 beers in its Smokestack series.

When Craft Beer Goes Global: A Kansas City Brewery's Tale

8:07am December 16, 2013

by Frank Morris

Boulevard Brewing has become a Kansas City staple since its founding in the 1980s. It has many loyal local fans — and soon, a new international owner, Duvel. The deal says a lot about how the world now values a product made with a firm sense of place.

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Demand Grows For Trappist Monks' Beer

7:27am December 16, 2013

In Belgium, the Trappists produce Orval. Forbes Magazine reports there simply aren't enough monks to expand production of Orval. The abbey once had 35 monks, but today that number is down to just a dozen.

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Amazon's Workers In Germany Strike Over Pay

7:11am December 16, 2013

About 1,000 unionized Amazon workers in Germany are going on strike in the midst of the crucial holiday season. They're asking to be paid on a similar scale to the mail order and retail sectors.

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National

Tug Of Authority Over Legal Gap In Online Privacy

5:32pm December 14, 2013

by NPR Staff

Without one law that mandates security standards, the Federal Trade Commission is stepping in to confront companies that expose their customers to risk online. But then one company fought back, arguing the FTC didn't have the right. So whose responsibility is it to keep your sensitive data safe?

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"The death of privacy has been predicted repeatedly over the years," says Ann Cavoukian, Ontario's privacy commissioner. "And my response to that is, 'Say no to that,' because, if you value your freedom, you will value your privacy."

A Movement To Bake Online Privacy Into Modern Life, 'By Design'

7:46pm December 13, 2013

by NPR Staff

Ann Cavoukian, privacy commissioner for Ontario, Canada, says the tech industry has the power to make products that protect users' personal information. The trick, she says, is to think about privacy while creating a new app or service, not after.

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Early December brought a foot of fresh powder to the resorts of Vail, Colo., but some residents are still steaming.

High Insurance Rates Anger Some Ski-Country Coloradans

2:36pm December 13, 2013

by Eric Whitney

Gas, groceries and rents are all pricier in Summit and Eagle counties than in Denver, just a hundred miles away. Health insurance costs a lot more in these mountain communities, too, and some folks are crying foul. Their congressman — a Democrat — is asking the feds for relief.

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Oranges ripen in a Plant City, Fla., grove on Wednesday. Growers in Florida, Texas and California are worried about citrus greening, a disease that makes the fruit bitter and unmarketable.

USDA Steps Up The Fight To Save Florida's Oranges

7:52am December 13, 2013

by Greg Allen

The agency is launching a new coordinated research effort to stop citrus greening, a disease imported from Asia that turns fruit bitter and unmarketable. It first turned up in Florida eight years. Now, it threatens to destroy the nation's citrus industry.

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The Virgencita Plis character from Distroller in Mexico.

World News

Mexico's Patron Saint Is Also Its Hello Kitty

8:52pm December 12, 2013

by Carrie Kahn

As many as 6 million pilgrims have made their way to the Mexican capital to pay homage to the Virgin of Guadalupe on Thursday. One woman has turned the country's most revered religious icon into a cartoon characterization, using it to build a multimillion-dollar company.

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