ECONOMY

Paris Climate Talks Face A Familiar Hurdle — American Politics

6:37pm December 01, 2015

by Domenico Montanaro

The U.S. and China are the world's two largest polluters, but the will to do something about climate change is lower in both than in the rest of the world. In the U.S., there's a party split.

President Obama listens to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a bilateral meeting in Tuesday in Paris.

Obama On Climate Change: 'I Actually Think We're Going To Solve This Thing'

5:24pm December 01, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

In a press conference in Paris, Obama said that climate change is probably the hardest kind of problem for politicians to solve, yet despite the hurdles, he's optimistic.

In the wake of Volkswagen's emissions-testing cheating scandal, the company's U.S. sales for November dropped by nearly 25 percent from this time a year ago.

Emissions Scandal Catches Up With Volkswagen As November Sales Fall

3:47pm December 01, 2015

by Laura Wagner

The automaker's U.S. sales were down nearly 25 percent last month from November of last year.

Puerto Rico Makes A Bond Payment, Avoiding Default, For Now

3:17pm December 01, 2015

by Jim Zarroli

But the commonwealth says it's running out of cash and that its fiscal situation is tenuous.

Economy

S.C. Farmers Burdened By Catastrophic Rainfall, Crop Losses

2:50pm December 01, 2015

by Michael Tomsic

Extensive flooding that drowned fields came on top of a summer of drought. Farming accounts for one out of every 10 jobs in the state. Many farmers will have the worst crop losses they've ever seen.

Queue Listen Now

(Top) A worker at Blue Creations prepares a pair of blue jeans for a crinkle effect known as "3-D whiskers." (Bottom) Employees at Blue Creations apply the destruction/distressing process to jeans by sanding, ripping and tearing them on molds.

From Pocket Lining To Jeans, A Niche Means Survival In LA Fashion

8:34am December 01, 2015

The fashion industry in LA has been bleeding jobs for years. One bright spot has been high-end denim. Whereas $30 jeans are often made in China or Mexico, designer jeans are almost always made here.

Queue Listen Now

IMF Prepares To Add China's Yuan To List Of Reserve Currencies

7:21pm November 30, 2015

by Yuki Noguchi

The International Monetary Fund says it is preparing to add China's currency, the yuan, to its list of reserve currencies. The move could help China's economy in the long run, but it would also require China to become more transparent about its monetary policies.

Queue Listen Now

Delegates from about 170 countries gathered in Kyoto in December 1997 during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This year in Paris, the stakes are even higher, negotiators say.

Kyoto Treaty Fizzled, But Climate Talkers Insist Paris Is Different

7:10pm November 30, 2015

by Christopher Joyce

The 1997 Kyoto treaty set targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions that many nations didn't meet. This time, stakes are higher and all countries will be asked to set and meet their own limits.

Queue Listen Now

A piece of ice floats in Los Glaciares National Park in Santa Cruz province, Argentina.

10 Things To Know About The U.N. Climate Talks In Paris

5:49pm November 30, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Here's a bit about what you should know going into the 2015 U.N. Climate Change Conference beginning Nov. 30.

Queue Listen Now

President Obama (from left), French President Francois Hollande and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates applaud a speech during the Mission Innovation event at the UN conference on climate change Monday in Paris.

Bill Gates And Other Billionaires Pledge To Take On Climate Change

5:29pm November 30, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

Twenty countries and 28 investors promised on Monday to jointly fund the development of energy alternatives. Backers of the initiative say private money is key to the next big push in energy.