Dec 9, 2013

Marketplace Morning Report for Monday, December 9, 2013

Over the last four days, China's commercial capital Shanghai has been smothered by its worst air pollution on record. Buildings were invisible from the waist up, flights were canceled, and city vehicles have been ordered off the roads as people stay indoors, hunkered down around their particle filters. And, today Marketplace's Wealth and Poverty Desk launches a series called A Lot to Give. It's about high-wealth philanthropy, which is sometimes defined as people who give a million dollars or more. It turns out there are some 80,000 private charitable foundations operating in the U.S. today. And you don't have to be crazy rich to launch one.

Segments From this episode

Shanghai shut down by toxic cloud

by Rob Schmitz

Dec 9, 2013

As some American kids get a snow day, some Chinese students are getting a pollution day today.

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Going bearserk in Jersey

by Sabri Ben-Achour

Dec 9, 2013

The black bear population has grown so large in the state that it ended a hunting ban a few years ago.

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As budget deadline approaches, a temptation to hit snooze

by David Gura

Dec 9, 2013

Think of the U.S. Congress as a procrastinating undergrad, prone to sleeping in. Lawmakers don’t hesitate to hit the “snooze button.”

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What do tanking gold prices say about the economy?

by Adriene Hill

Dec 9, 2013

Gold investors are abandoning ship, as the economy continues to improve slowly.

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Swiss banks must decide whether to hand over client information to U.S.

by Imogen Foulkes

Dec 9, 2013

Today is the deadline for Switzerland's private banks to decide whether to cooperate with U.S. demands to combat tax evasion by handing over client information -- a move that would finally end the long tradition of banking secrecy.

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When air pollution crosses state lines, which state has to do the cleanup?

by Dan Weissmann

Dec 9, 2013

Some governors asked the EPA to rein in polluting states, and EPA is asking the Supreme Court for permission.

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Mid-day Update

PODCAST: Supreme Court will weigh in if EPA can enforce air quality standards

by David Brancaccio

Dec 9, 2013

Some governors asked the EPA to rein in polluting states, and EPA is asking the Supreme Court for permission. Think of the U.S. Congress as a procrastinating undergrad, prone to sleeping in. Lawmakers don’t hesitate to hit the “snooze button.” And, the black bear population has grown so large in the state that it ended a hunting ban a few years ago.

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A lot to give

Charitable foundations aren't just for the über-rich

by Sean Cole

Dec 9, 2013

There are some 80,000 private charitable foundations operating in the U.S. today, and you don't have to be crazy rich to launch a one.

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Over the last four days, China’s commercial capital Shanghai has been smothered by its worst air pollution on record. Buildings were invisible from the waist up, flights were canceled, and city vehicles have been ordered off the roads as people stay indoors, hunkered down around their particle filters. And, today Marketplace’s Wealth and Poverty Desk launches a series called A Lot to Give. It’s about high-wealth philanthropy, which is sometimes defined as people who give a million dollars or more. It turns out there are some 80,000 private charitable foundations operating in the U.S. today. And you don’t have to be crazy rich to launch one.