Economy

TV Psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers Dies At 85

The Associated Press reports that the longtime television personality died in New York.

Western Retailers To Fund Upgrades At Bangladesh Factories

Sweden-based H&M and Inditex were joined by other brands in saying they would sign a legally binding pledge to fund safety improvements at Bangladesh garment factories.

All Things Considered

ABC's Live Streaming Aimed At Keeping Cable Cords Intact

Starting Tuesday, ABC will let viewers in New York and Philadelphia watch their local stations over the Internet. But this is not a way to cut your cable bill. The new Watch ABC service will require a cable account to log in.

All Things Considered

Facebook Users Question $20 Million Settlement Over Ads

Facebook is expected to pay out $20 million in a settlement over its "Sponsored Stories" advertising service, after placing user images in personalized ads. But the settlement doesn't stop the service, and a legal expert says Facebook's option to let users opt out creates more problems.

All Things Considered

For Tax-Exempt Groups, How Much Politics Is Too Much?

The IRS is under fire for directing additional scrutiny toward conservative groups seeking 501(c)(4) status. But the controversy reveals a question with no clear answer: Precisely what are so-called social welfare organizations allowed to do in electoral politics?

A First Job Is Like A First Date, And Other Advice For Graduation Day

We asked a bunch of economists what they would say if they were giving a commencement address this spring. Here's what they told us.

Morning Edition

Covering Pop Hits On YouTube Is Starting To Pay

Now that YouTube runs advertising on videos of cover songs, musicians like Tyler Ward are working with agencies to negotiate higher shares of that revenue.

Morning Edition

Google Fights Glass Backlash Before It Even Hits The Street

From privacy concerns to technology saturation, Google's new technology has had its fair share of criticism — and it's not even on sale yet. The company wants to change those negative perceptions of its wearable computer before it goes on sale to the public.

U.S. Gas Prices Expected To Remain Low For Summer

Drivers will find this summer's gas prices are lower than last year's, the result of a spike in crude oil production. Government forecasters say a gallon of regular gasoline will cost about $3.50 this summer — a slide of more than 10 cents from last year.

Experts Marvel At How Cyberthieves Stole $45 Million

The thieves hacked back-end computers and cloned prepaid debit cards, but their synchronized ATM withdrawals were even more extraordinary.

Mass. AG Coakley Unveils Anti-Foreclosure Program

May 12, 2013

BOSTON — Attorney General Martha Coakle says her office is now accepting applications for a $1 million grant program designed to identify and return bank-owned properties to productive residential use.

Week In Review: More Bombing Arrests, Senate Race Heats Up

May 3, 2013
This courtroom sketch signed by artist Jane Flavell Collins shows defendants Dias Kadyrbayev, left, and Azamat Tazhayakov appearing in front of Federal Magistrate Marianne Bowler at the Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston, Mass., Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The two college friends of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and another man, were arrested and charged with removing a backpack containing hollowed-out fireworks from Tsarnaev's dorm room. (AP Photo/Jane Flavell Collins)

The latest on the marathon bombing case, the race to fill John Kerry’s U.S. Senate seat heats up, and the field of candidates to be the next mayor of Boston is crowded. It’s the week in review.

Study: Blacks, Hispanics Pay More For Homes

April 30, 2013
A "Sold" sign is posted outside a home in Indianapolis, Tuesday, April 9, 2013. (Michael Conroy/AP)

A new study out of Duke University finds that black and Hispanic home buyers are paying up to 3.5 percent more than white home buyers for comparable homes. The reason why is not clear.

The Economics Earthquake

April 30, 2013
House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, holds a copy of President Barack Obama's fiscal 2014 budget proposal book as he questions Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, April 12, 2013, as Sebelius testified before the House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the HHS fiscal 2014 budget request. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Big news in the world of economics after a grad student at the University of Massachusetts finds a small error with big consequences.

Uncertainty Looms Over Mass. Defense Industry

April 30, 2013

BOSTON — Defense contractors still don’t know how the sequester — which mandated about $43 billion in budget cuts to the Pentagon this fiscal year — will affect their businesses.

Syrian Electronic Army Has Regime’s Back In Cyberspace

April 29, 2013
Via Huffington Post: The supposed Syrian Electronic Army logo as it appears on their Facebook page.

Most of the hacking attacks by the The Syrian Electronic Army have been on the order of pranks. But last week, a fake tweet about a bombing at the White House showed the group could do actual harm.

FAA: Air Traffic System Soon At Full Operation

April 27, 2013

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration said that the U.S. air traffic system will resume normal operations by Sunday evening after lawmakers rushed a bill through Congress allowing the agency to withdraw furloughs of air traffic controllers and other workers.

Mass. Lost 5,500 Jobs In March; Unemployment Rate Dips To 6.4 Percent

April 18, 2013

BOSTON — Massachusetts lost 5,500 jobs in March while the unemployment rate ticked down to 6.4 percent from 6.5 percent.

Casino Panel Weighs Opening Southeastern Mass. License

April 15, 2013

BOSTON — Massachusetts risks losing hundreds of millions of dollars in gambling revenue if the state’s gambling commission votes to open up the southeastern region to commercial casino developers, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe warns.

Sequester To Squeeze Minute Man National Park

April 15, 2013
The Minute Man statue at Minute Man National Park in Concord, Mass. (Bruce Gellerman/WBUR)

CONCORD, Mass. — Federal budget cuts are threatening the national park that honors the first battles of the American Revolution.

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