Business

Foreign buyers are pushing the prices of prime London real estate through the roof. Neighborhoods such as West London, Kensington and Chelsea are particularly popular.

London Real Estate, A Magnet For Mega-Rich From Around The Globe

9:59am January 05, 2013

by Vicki Barker

In most of Britain, property prices are slumping amid a weak economy. But mega-rich foreigners see London's upscale neighborhoods as a safe place to invest, and they are snapping up properties and pushing up prices even though many don't plan to use these homes as a primary residence.

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Economy

3-D Printing Is (Kind Of) A Big Deal

10:15pm January 04, 2013

by Zoe Chace

It's miraculous to see: Press a button, make anything you want. But will it transform the economy?

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Canada's New $100 Bills Melt When It's Hot

7:35am January 03, 2013

The Bank of Canada released the high-tech bills in 2011. The goal was to make the money indestructible. But some Canadians who have their hands on the banknotes say the plastic bills melt when subjected to extreme heat. Publicly, the Bank of Canada isn't confirming the flaw.

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Politics & Government

Farmers Frustrated By Farm Bill Extension

7:09am January 03, 2013

by Jeremy Bernfeld

Farmers and ranchers across the country expected to start 2013 with a new farm bill, the legislation setting agricultural policy for the next five years. But the new farm bill got scrapped after more than a year of work when Congress passed the "fiscal cliff" deal.

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Economy

What Is A Good Unemployment Number, Really?

6:50am January 03, 2013

On Friday, new unemployment numbers will be released for December. In last month's report, the unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent, a four-year low. For a preview of the labor market prospects for the new year, Steve Inskeep talks to Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Global Insight, an international consulting firm.

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Mackinac Island Worries About Preserving Its Past

6:47am January 03, 2013

by Peter Payette

Michigan's Mackinac Island was fought over by France, England and the United States. The 200-year-old city in northern Lake Huron is a popular tourist destination. But the demolition of old buildings has raised a fierce debate about how to hold onto the past while profiting from it.

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Economy

What Was Left Out Of 'Fiscal Cliff' Compromise?

11:16am January 02, 2013

Now that the nation has moved away from the "fiscal cliff," what's the next drama policymakers have in store? Nothing has been done with entitlements and spending cuts were delayed.

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Assistant U.S. Attorney General Lanny Breuer announces a nearly $2 billion money laundering settlement with British bank HSBC on Dec. 11 in New York City.

Justice Wants Banks To Be Quasi Cops

9:44am January 01, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

The Bank Secrecy Act requires financial institutions to be on the lookout for sketchy transactions. The law is 40 years old, but federal prosecutors just recently put more energy into enforcing it. They want banks to spot illegal transactions and blow the whistle before money changes hands.

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What Does Senate Budget Deal Mean For You?

9:44am January 01, 2013

The Senate passed a measure early into the New Year, and now it's up to the house to vote on the deal, which will most likely happen by Wednesday. The measure cleared the Senate on an 89-8 vote, hours after V.P. Joe Biden and Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell sealed a deal.

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Health & Safety

Hobby Lobby Plans To Defy Health Care Mandate

9:44am January 01, 2013

The federal health care law requires employee insurance plans to cover emergency contraceptives. That's something the owners of the craft store chain Hobby Lobby say they can't do. An attorney for the stores said the Christian owners consider the emergency contraceptives tantamount to abortion. Starting Tuesday, the company could be fined as much $1.3 million a day for defying the mandate.

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