ECONOMY

A family sits at a candlelit table in the state of Barinas, 370 miles west of Caracas, on Monday.

Venezuela Cuts Public Employees' Workweek To 2 Days To Save Energy

10:52am April 27, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

President Nicolas Maduro says public sector workers will work only on Mondays and Tuesdays. Venezuela is grappling with drought that has shrunk water levels at the country's main hydroelectric dam.

When Personalization Leads To Discrimination On AirBnB

6:28pm April 26, 2016

In the sharing economy, the goal to personalize the exchange can have some unintended consequences. The Hidden Brain podcast explores how discrimination plays out on AirBnB.

A fare summary on the Uber app in the car of an UberX driver in Washington, D.C.

Economy

How Much Money Do Uber Drivers Really Make? Send Us Your Screenshots

5:56pm April 25, 2016

The company sometimes promotes up to $35 an hour to draw in new drivers, but how much do drivers generally make? Drivers, send us a screenshot of your recent week.

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Congress Considers Plan To Restructure Puerto Rico's $72 Billion Debt

4:37pm April 25, 2016

by Greg Allen

Puerto Rico is short of cash and at risk of defaulting on a $400 million debt payment due May 1. House speaker Paul Ryan pledged to have a plan ready by then to help Puerto Rico find a way to repay its more than $70 billion debt.

Bernie Sanders speaks during a rally at Roger Williams Park on April 24 in Providence, R.I.

FACT CHECK: Bernie Sanders And Whether Poor Americans Vote

4:20pm April 25, 2016

by Danielle Kurtzleben

One of Sanders' stats may be off, but it's true that low-income Americans vote in far smaller numbers than their higher-income counterparts.

Could You Come Up With $400 If Disaster Struck?

8:55am April 24, 2016

Almost half of Americans say they couldn't — including people in the middle class. Writer Neal Gabler says it's time to stop saying that anyone can be rich with just hard work.

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As Farmers Age, The Plan To Turn Veterans On To Agriculture

8:47am April 24, 2016

by Quil Lawrence

As American farmers are getting older, a younger cohort is entering the civilian workforce. Government programs are trying to help veterans become farmers for reasons both economic and therapeutic.

Beverly Hills Plans For Driverless Shuttle Program

8:47am April 24, 2016

Beverly Hills Mayor John Mirisch tells Rachel Martin about his city's plan to connect residents to a new metro line using driverless shuttles.

A container ship is unloaded at the Port of Los Angeles. Voters in this year's presidential election have deep feelings about trade — and often are at odds with each other about it.

A Nation Engaged: Trade Stirs Up Sharp Debate In This Election Cycle

5:13pm April 23, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

Americans shared their views on trade with NPR and member stations. One thing is clear: Millions of voters have deep feelings about trade — and often are at odds with each other about it.

Uber Reaches Tentative Settlement With Drivers In Class Action Suits

8:25pm April 22, 2016

by Aarti Shahani

By settling class action lawsuits in California and Massachusetts, Uber will be able to continue to categorize drivers in those states as independent contractors. The company will pay as much as $100 million to about 385,000 drivers in those cases. Drivers in California react to the settlement and explain what it may mean for them — and for their customers.

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