The government keeps trying solutions to the mortgage mess, but maybe some homes can't be saved. Tess talks to Lou Barnes about the homeowners who can't be rescued.
The clock is ticking on a compromise Farm Bill in Congress. Lawmakers might learn a lesson about the political power of agriculture from India, where poor farmers are getting a much-needed break. Jeremy Hobson reports.
The City of London Corporation is worried it may be losing the upper hand to the former Colonies when it comes to international finance. But some say the fuss over top-dog status is all hype, an effort to relax government regulations. Jill Barshay reports.
The E.P.A. recently struck down a law mandating tougher gas efficiency and emissions standards for cars sold in California. But with gas prices soaring, consumers may force Detroit's hand. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
Overseas capital is increasingly headed elsewhere as the U.S. dollar continues to fall. Future credit will be more expensive, and Americans will have to increasingly rely on their savings. John Dimsdale reports.
Edmund Hilary climbed Everest because it was there, but this week, we meet a polar explorer who visits remote places because they may not be around much longer.
In this edition of Getting Personal, Chris and Tess talk about investing during a recession, foreign CDs, tax software and establishing an independent credit history.
None of us want that dreaded audit letter from the IRS in the mail, so Tess asks Frank Degen how you can make sure your tax preparer isn't setting you up for trouble.
Crippled by decades of war, the government of Afghanistan has little or no power to stop illegal or questionable enterprises. Now a classic investment swindle has entagled thousands of Afghans hoping for a brighter future. Gregory Warner reports.
Some pundits say fundraising success is the best indication of presidential character. Others say it's success in business, or time spent on Capitol Hill. But Dan Drezner thinks it's how well a president performs when blindsided by fate and history.
Silicon Valley is known for innovation and its sometimes unorthodox working environments. But a new trend has baffled correspondent Cash Peters: When is a conference not a conference? Apparently, when no one's in charge…
If you want in on opportunities in the Middle East, it might help to learn the language. Jennifer Collins dropped in on an Arabic class to see how people are using the language for work.
One of economics editor Chris Farrell's favorite investments just got a bad rap in the Wall Street Journal. Chris sets the story straight on TIPS and where they belong in your portfolio.
Venture capitalists have been investing millions in a new generation of personal finance Web sites. Tess asks Emmett Higdon what makes these sites worth the green.
There are now at least two dozen eco-friendly investment funds, but as Sarah Gardner reports, environmental investing comes in different shades of green.
Though London has been considered the financial center of the world since the dot-com crash, a new report shows New York City is gaining ground in usurping that title. Stephen Beard reports.
Asian markets flirting with oil prices of $103 a barrel at a time when countries are under pressure to hold the line on prices. Bob Moon gets insight into inflationary pressure with Raphael Minder of the Financial Times.
Some women in Jordan wear head scarves, or hijabs, more as a fashion statement than as part of religious practice. Alisa Roth reports on the different ways Jordanian women view the hijab.
Sick of seeing cat furniture that cost too much for little in the way of design, Elizabeth Paige Smith set out to make her own line of seductive, striking feline wares. Andrew Phelps has more.
Heating oil prices normally fall around the onset of spring, but this year they're expected to keep rising through a colder than normal season. Jeff Tyler reports on what some are doing to save money.
Keeping with the trend of pre-portioned "100-calorie" snack packs, the Girl Scouts have developed a new low-fat cookie called the Cinna-Spin. Andrea Gardner reports the girls should cash in on the trend.
California and 14 other states want tighter limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars. But the EPA says it will deny the bid for stricter regulations. John Dimsdale reports it could have to do pressure from the auto industry.
Payday loans that allow workers to borrow money in advance of their paycheck have often been criticized for having high interest rates. But new reports say the loans can actually benefit some consumers who have few other options. Janet Babin reports.
More workers are tapping into their 401(k) accounts to spend money and pay off mounting debts. Stacy Vanek-Smith reports while there may be advantages to borrowing from yourself there are also huge risks.
The Trade Adjustment Assistance program gives assistance to people who've lost their jobs because of international trade deals. Commentator Glenn Hubbard says the program does nothing to address the most critical reasons for job loss.
Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama have been focusing on their opposition to NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. But will voters in Ohio, where thousands of manufacturing jobs have been lost, be persuaded? Mhari Saito reports.
The Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman is stepping down. Her resignation is one of many which have left government regulatory agencies severely understaffed in the last year of the Bush Presidency. Jeremy Hobson reports.
New problems in the municipal bond market are resulting in cities and municipalities paying record-high interest rates. And with cities making less from property taxes, some have no choice but to declare bankruptcy. Jill Barshay reports.
Sears Holdings Corp. reported a 48% decline in quarterly profits as sales continued to fall at its Kmart and Sears stores. Will the slowing economy mean the death of the struggling retailer? Dan Grech reports.
At President Bush's press conference he talked about everything from fighting AIDS to stimulating the economy. But his most passionate topic was why Congress should pass the warrantless wiretapping program. Kai Ryssdal has more.
The U.S. House is expected to vote today on whether to set up a new, independent panel to screen ethics complaints. But some worry the panel could launch political witch hunts. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
Dairy Queen franchise owners in 10 states are suing their corporate parent for forcing them to modernize their business. Renita Jablonski reports a similar fast-food battle was also fought last year.
New York City is famous for its real estate issues, and the local museums are not exempt from space problems. Jill Barshay reports on a company that helps the art world find new space for valuable and sometimes fragile work.
Congress estimated war costs in Afghanistan and Iraq would reach $1.3 trillion. But economist Joseph Stiglitz is testifying today that number will reach $3 trillion. Jeff Tyler reports the cost also considers veteran health care.
British Airways pilots angry over a new trans-Atlantic subsidiary are threatening to strike, and pilots from American Airlines are offering their support. Stephen Beard reports why U.S. pilots are behind the strike.
A study out finds that U.S. employees are socializing less with their coworkers than they did about 20 years ago. Lisa Napoli talks to the study's author, University of Michigan's Olenka Kacperczyk, about why.
To help remedy the struggling bond auction market, federal regulators are being urged to get behind a plan that some bond sellers are pushing as a short-term fix. Bob Moon reports it could allow them to buy back their own IOUs.
In response to the recent U.S. beef recall, consumer groups want the Department of Agriculture to release more information down the distribution line. John Dimsdale reports some say that could cause more confusion.
Domesticated elephants had been used to lug timber in Thailand until the country banned logging. Now a philanthropist has created a new home for the pachyderms that's also a tourist destination. Jocelyn Ford reports.
After 40 years with the company, Jimmy Bedford is retiring from his position as the master distiller for Jack Daniel's. Kai Ryssdal talks with him about how he helped make the signature whiskey.
Cargill is suspending construction of a $200 million ethanol plant outside Topeka, Kan. The agribusiness giant says market conditions for ethanol are deteriorating. Jeremy Hobson reports.
Some economists and pundits have said we should spend our way out of the current economic slowdown. But commentator and economist Susan Lee says it was that same worry-free attitude about buying that got us into the housing crisis in the first place.
Homeowners are not the only victims of the subprime mortgage crisis. Many renters are being evicted from homes and apartments going through foreclosure. Monica Brady-Myerov reports.
Years of fighting over Microsoft's failure to obey a 2004 antitrust order have finally ended with European Union regulators fining the company a record $1.3 billion. Kai Ryssdal talks to Stephen Beard about whether the fine will repair Microsoft-EU relations.
Federal regulators for the mortgage securitizers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are lifting restrictions on the growth of their mortgage holdings. The caps had been put in place as a response to accounting errors in both companies. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
Ben Bernanke went to Capitol Hill to once again express the critical state of the economy. He signaled that the Fed is still deciding whether to cut interest rates. Kai Ryssdal has more.
In Europe, nine makers of consumer products are suspected of colluding to keep prices high. The companies could face billions of euros in fines if France's Competition Council finds them guilty. Rene Gutel reports.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wraps up a two-day visit to India, with a focus on a nuclear and fighter jet deal. Doug Krizner asks Mehul Srivastava of MINT what's at stake for American companies.
European commissions have delt Microsoft a $1.3 billion fine for failing to obey an antitrust order. The penalty, which is the largest ever in Europe, comes on top of a series of similar, earlier fines. Stephen Beard report.
Construction went from being a leading contributor to employment growth to a leading source of unemployment. Dan Grech reports from a community near Miami that the Latino population has suffers a particular loss.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke meets with Congress today to give an economic report, and many are watching for signs of additional rate cuts. Jeremy Hobson reports how the chairman may describe the Fed's current situation.
The Exxon Valdez oil spill case makes its way to the Supreme Court today after 19 years and several appeals. The company is fighting off its remaining payment of punitive damages, leaving many high and dry. Jeff Tyler reports.
As the U.S. banking system continues to get into more trouble, the government has responded by buying up stake in the failing companies. But Robert Reich reports the governments doing the owning are overseas.
Medical schools in Israel aren't graduating enough doctors to replace the large numbers of retiring physicians. So the country is turning to the U.S. tactic of bringing in doctors from overseas. Daniel Estrin reports.
Commentator Jeff Birnbaum says recent legislation pushed in the Senate by bank lobbyists shows just how much political power the nation's richest industries have.
Google has partnered with five Asian telecommunications firms to build a 6,000 mile undersea broadband cable connecting the U.S. with Japan. Jeff Tyler reports on what the Internet giant could be planning.
With oil demand and prices at all-time highs, American oil companies are desperately trying to find more skilled workers. Schools are responding by pumping up programs to increase the flow of technicians. Kate Archer Kent reports.
This year President Bush proposed a federal budget of more than $3 trillion. Kai Ryssdal talks to Scott Bittle, author of "Where Does the Money Go?," about how taking a closer look at the spending of federal dollars could help avoid future deficits.
In anticipation of a surge in bankrupt banks from the credit crisis, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is recruiting retirees experienced in handling insolvent financial institutions. Stacy Vanek-Smith reports.
The United States has joined the European Union in pushing for more transparency and accountability in sovereign wealth funds, which manage state savings for the purposes of investment. John Dimsdale reports on what the U.S. and E.U. are concerned about.
There was a big jump in wholesale prices in January showing inflation is rising faster than it has since 1981. Yet home prices are on a steep decline. Jill Barshay reports on what the conflicting figures say about the economy.
A proposal in Mexico would make runaway brides and grooms reimburse each other for the expenses of the wedding, rather than leave the bride's family with the bill. Dan Grech reports the bill could have a negative effect.
A study out on anti-depressants says Prozac and Paxil have more or less the same effect as placebos. The companies that produce these drugs have dismissed the report's findings. Stephen Beard reports.
Stem cell experts are predicting the industry will grow from $36 million to $8.5 billion in the next 10 years. Jeremy Hobson reports much of that will be for the treatment of the nation's deadliest diseases.
A large-scale Chinese IPO is hoping to raise billions to help build up the country's railway. Scott Tong reports China doesn't have nearly enough tracks to cover the millions of commuters on the rails.
The rate of deforestation of the Amazon has doubled over last year in Brazil, and the federal government has launched a campaign to arrest illegal loggers. Dan Grech reports conservation experts also want to promote rainforest sustainability.
The Senate could vote on a bill that would let bankruptcy judges reset the terms of mortgages to keep stave off foreclosing. But some analysts worry this could cut the value for homeowners. John Dimsdale reports.
In part two of our interview with Idealab CEO Bill Gross, Kai Ryssdal finds out how he chooses which ideas to keep, which ideas have been significant and how he has personally changed along with the company.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy may kick advertisers out of French public television as part of his plan to create programming similar to that of the BBC. But broadcasters say they could lose revenue and audience share. John Laurenson reports.
Commentator Charles Handy says American businesses' desire to keep getting bigger leads to bureaucracy over humanity. Instead, he says, companies should strive to do more with less. (One in a series.)
More than 300 FEMA trailer residents have requested formaldehyde testing after experiencing respitory problems. FEMA claims the trailers were built according to Federal standards, but many believe those standards are not tough enough. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.
A U.S. energy bill will be phasing out incandescent bulbs in favor of alternatives like compact fluorescent lightbulbs, or CFLs. But not everyone thinks the new bulbs are ready to be given the green light. Joellen Easton reports.
As food prices continue to rise, humanitarian food relief groups including the World Food Programme are feeling the squeeze. Host Kai Ryssdal speaks with Bob Bell from the relief group CARE on what his group is doing to combat high costs.
Bank secrecy laws have helped make the European principality of Liechtenstein a tax haven. Now a secret list of account holders at a Lichtenstein bank has been sold to authorities in Germany and Britain. John Dimsdale reports.
Many private equity groups look to invest in infrastructure. But the Service Employees International Union wants state pension funds to invest in public projects to stop the private companies from taking over. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports.
Despite the credit crunch, credit card giant Visa filed the largest initial public offering in history. Jill Barshay reports why the company isn't affected by whether or not you pay your bill.
