Business

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell addressed a tax reform news conference on Capitol Hill last Thursday, alongside Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and representatives of small-business groups.

Is This The Right Time For a Big Tax Cut?

11:50pm December 04, 2017

by Jim Zarroli

The rationale behind the GOP tax plan is that the economy needs stimulus. But it's already growing and near full employment. And the plan could be undercut by the Fed as it raises interest rates.

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What The CVS And Aetna Merger Has To Do With Amazon

6:40pm December 04, 2017

by Alina Selyukh

The $69 billion merger of the drug store chain CVS with insurer Aetna is about several things. Depending on whom you ask, it's about transforming the pharmacy store experience, getting a stronger foothold in lucrative sales of specialty prescription drugs — or about preparing for a future threat from Amazon.

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Power Pinch

3:58pm December 04, 2017

The history of sexual harassment training videos, and the surprising insight it gives us into the current wave of sexual harassment cases.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. (center), gathered the support he needed on Friday to pass the GOP tax bill in the Senate. Now that legislation must be reconciled with the House version.

9 Sticking Points The House And Senate Have to Work Out In Their Tax Bills

3:57pm December 04, 2017

by Scott Horsley

Now that the Senate has passed its own version of a tax bill, lawmakers have to iron out differences with the House bill. The final product could then be sent to the president to be signed into law.

A cycle courier for meal delivery service Uber Eats rides past in Lille, France, on Sept. 2, 2017. In the U.S., advocates are raising concerns about the safety of workers in the gig economy.

As The Gig Economy Grows, Advocates Raise Concerns About Workers' Safety

3:55pm December 04, 2017

by Samantha Raphelson

Companies are facing the consequences of providing flexible schedules with minimum employer responsibilities. The freedom from liability is troubling in an industry that is one of the most dangerous.

A man gets out of a Volvo 144 to head to a parade in Pyongyang in 2012. In the 1970s, North Korea ordered 1,000 Volvo 144s from Sweden. To this day, the cars have not been paid for.

World News

How 1,000 Volvos Ended Up In North Korea — And Made A Diplomatic Difference

3:30pm December 04, 2017

by Danny Hajek

In the 1970s, Sweden shipped Volvos to North Korea as part of an ill-fated trade deal. North Korea never paid for the cars. But Sweden remains an important Western diplomatic presence in Pyongyang.

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Faced with rocketing inflation and low oil prices, Venezuela has introduced new, larger banknotes this year. Now the country is planning a cryptocurrency tied to its oil reserves.

World News

Venezuela Will Create New 'Petro' Cryptocurrency, President Maduro Says

1:25pm December 04, 2017

by Bill Chappell

President Nicolás Maduro says Venezuela will use the "petro," backed by oil reserves and other natural resources, to defeat a financial blockade on his country.

Historic Drought Cripples Farms And Ranches In American West

The Ground Beneath Our Feet

1:08pm December 04, 2017

"Without proper care for it we can have no life."

An English grocery chain says it is now selling products up to a month past their "Best By" dates in an effort to reduce food waste.

World News

To Cut Waste, U.K. Grocery Chain Will Sell Products Past 'Best Before' Dates

12:57pm December 04, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

The company hopes to sell consumers on the idea, launching a marketing campaign with slogans such as "Don't be a binner, have it for dinner!" and "It's not nice to get dumped."

CVS Health has struck a deal to buy Aetna, the insurance giant. The combined companies would have more clout with drugmakers and would aim to bring more health care to consumers in retail clinics.

Health & Safety

With Aetna Deal, CVS Looks To Turn Stores Into Health Care Hubs

12:48pm December 04, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

By combining a health insurer with a drugstore chain, CVS is looking to provide more care from its network of stores. The deal would also give the merged companies more clout with drugmakers.