Business

Bankruptcies were up this year, in spite of the U.S.'s improving economy

6:13pm December 29, 2023

by Bobby Allyn

Corporate bankruptcies were up in 2023, reaching one of the highest levels in the past decade. Rising interest rates, high debt loads and inflation pushed a growing number of firms to the brink.

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A bitcoin ATM is seen in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 13, 2022. Virtual currencies like bitcoin are recovering from a tough period partly on rising hopes that bad actors have been weeded out and that confidence can return to the sector.

After a brutal stretch, a remarkable thing is happening: Cryptocurrencies are surging

5:54pm December 29, 2023

by David Gura

Bitcoin and other digital currencies are rallying, emerging from a stormy period with the conviction that crypto is here to stay.

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The Pop-Tarts mascot is lowered into a toaster following the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl between the Kansas State Wildcats and the NC State Wolfpack at Camping World Stadium on Thursday in Orlando, Fla.

Sports

First edible mascot in sports history stars in the Pop-Tarts Bowl

4:43pm December 29, 2023

by Diba Mohtasham

Kansas State beat NC State, 28-19, after which the winning team devoured the giant pastry that emerged from an even more giant toaster in what was a clever marketing move.

A Boeing 737 MAX jet lands following a Federal Aviation Administration test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Wash., in June 2020.

National

Boeing urges airlines to check its 737 Max jets for loose bolts

3:13pm December 29, 2023

by Natalie Schachar

The FAA says it's closely monitoring the Boeing-requested checks after an unnamed international airline discovered a bolt with a missing nut on a 737 Max while performing routine maintenance.

Economy

How the U.S. economy fared this year — and what could lie ahead

5:07am December 29, 2023

NPR's Michel Martin talks to David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center at the Brookings Institution, about how the U.S. economy performed this year — and what could be expected for 2024.

Soaring utility bills push some low-income Californians to the financial brink

5:07am December 29, 2023

by Vanessa Rancaño

Californians face another electricity rate hike, in part to pay for PG&E to bury power lines to prevent wildfires. As climate change raises energy costs, low-income residents struggle to pay bills.

World News

Chinese carmakers flood the European market with electric vehicles

6:21pm December 28, 2023

by H.J. Mai

China for the first time has exported more cars than any other country. Its carmakers could become a threat to established car brands in Europe, but they are also a case study for the EV revolution.

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National

2023 showed how online platforms can die

6:14pm December 28, 2023

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with tech journalist Cory Doctorow about how 2023 was the year when a lot of people pointed out that some important places on the Internet are getting worse.

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National

How entertainment media could change in 2024

5:28pm December 28, 2023

by Eric Deggans

A lot is changing in the media landscape. The industry's troubles this year offer clues about the most important questions companies will face next year.

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Arts

In a tough year for podcasts, these 3 stood above the rest

1:37pm December 28, 2023

by Nick Quah

The podcasting world faced layoffs, retrenchment, and cancellations in 2023, but amidst the turmoil, "If Books Could Kill," "You Didn't See Nothin" and "The Retrievals" topped the list of offerings.

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