The British Finance Minister unveiled his government’s public spending plans today. Nobel-prizewinning economist Paul Krugman is a keen student of Britain’s economy and a stern critic of the way it’s been managed. In light of the today’s economic news from across the pond, we examine Krugman’s case. Plus, the fashion market for fake fur has grown so fast that some suppliers are meeting the demand with real fur. Retailers as large as Nieman Marcus have been caught up in the faux faux fur kerfuffle. And we put a little twist on the NCAA bracket and predict a winner based off of the team with the best state economy.  

Keeping a close eye on the latest developments in Cyprus, where residents are revolting against a planned savings account tax. Plus, we look at why more homeowners are going from underwater to above water on their mortgages and what it means for the economy. That, and all the numbers from Wall Street and beyond.

A look at why a bank run on a small European island is having so disproportionate of an effect on global markets, and on saver sentiment in other European countries. Plus, President Obama nominates Thomas E. Perez to head the Labor Department — but what exactly does the Secretary of Labor do? And, Republican advisers have released plans to grow their party. Some high-profile conservatives say the party needs a message makeover to be competitive. How do corporate marketers view the challenge?

President Obama today is unveiling a new energy policy. The White House was loudly criticized during the president’s first term for its management of federal money to help jumpstart alternative energy, including the money that helped back Solyndra, the failed solar company. Now, the surge in oil and natural gas production in the U.S. offers real economic opportunities. One of those opportunities is money the government can collect when it leases land to energy companies. So how much are federal lease receipts growing and what are the opportunity costs of diverting or not diverting them to an alternative-fuel fund? Plus, Angry Birds started as an addictive app game. With the launch of a TV show this weekend, and licensing deals for clothes, the Finnish-created game aims to be a media and marketing juggernaut.

After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown, Conn., the head of the National Rifle Association, called on Congress “to put armed police officers in every school.” But many schools already have “good guys with guns.” They’re called School Resources Officers. Also, in the immigration debate we often focus on low-skilled workers, but there is a whole other group of scientists and other highly skilled professionals that we want to hire too. A couple of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have an idea to house them just far enough off shore that they aren’t technically living in the U.S. Kai Ryssdal talks to Max Marty, the CEO of Blueseed, the company at the helm of this venture.

President Obama today is meeting,  in the Situation Room, with a group of CEOs. The issue: cybersecurity. And now the public and private sector might work together to protect key infrastructure – analog and digital – from attack. But how much will it cost for the U.S. to prep for a cyber war. And would we go to war for GE or GM? Also on the show, what do you do when the wage you make doesn’t even cover your rent?

Republican Rep. Paul Ryan wants to balance the federal budget within 10 years, largely through scrapping Obamacare and remaking Medicaid and Medicare. Like all budgets, the plan is based on assumptions, namely that a balanced budget in such a short time is a good thing and that economic growth will outpace the growth in government spending — pegged at 3.4 percent. How can you reality check those numbers? Also, how LinkedIn, once the unglamorous social networking sibling, has taken the buzz away from Facebook.

The U.S. Army is freezing all new applications for its tuition assistance program because of the sequester. As David Gura reports, the elimination of the much relied-upon program is among the first tangible repercussions of the automatic budget cuts. And as the budget battle to cut entitlements heats up, some argue that raising the retirement age will force the poor to subsidize the rich because the rich live longer. Finally, now that the betting site Intrade has been suspended, academics are worried because many used the site for social science research.

February’s job numbers show there’s more jobs to be had — Jeff Tyler checks in with a long-time unemployed worker who just found a new job. The GED test will look radically different next year. We explore the origins of a viral YouTube video about income inequality that highlights the off-the-charts wealth held by the country’s top one percent. Wrigley is set to release a new caffeinated gum that’s half as potent as a cup of joe. And for some, life’s getting a bit scarier for those in the oil boom area of Williston, N.D.