Commercial Drone Testing Sites Chosen By FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration has picked six states which will get to test unmanned aerial vehicles. The sites will begin testing how to integrate drones into U.S. airspace, sharing the skies with passenger planes.
Business News
Renee Montagne has business news.
The Other 'F Word': Brewer Responds To Starbucks Over Beer Name
Getting a cease-and-desist letter from a big corporation isn't usually the mark of a good day. But after a brewery owner got a letter from a law firm representing Starbucks, he saw a chance to draw distinctions between the businesses — and to be funny.
$0 Profits Couldn't Hold Back This Year's Tech Darlings
In Silicon Valley, zero profit and even zero revenue don't make a company a loser. Tech companies like Snapchat and Twitter, which have not yet turned any profit, can be worth billions of dollars based on future potential alone.
Looking Ahead At The Next Top Tech IPOs
Every year, research firm CB Insights offers up a report on the fastest growing and most highly valued private companies in technology — basically, the ones most likely to go public. Audie Cornish speaks with Anand Sanwal, CB Insights' CEO, for a look at the top tech IPO's expected in 2014.
Mexican Auto Industry Revs Up For Big Year
Industry officials say they are on course to boost production to as many as 4 million autos annually. That's good news for Mexico but has many in the U.S. worried, especially as Audi gets ready to build a new luxury line plant in Mexico and not in the U.S.
5 New Year's Resolutions From Women To Watch
How do you set a resolution when you've already accomplished so much? These women have innovated and inspired, but they still have hopes for improvement in 2014.
Boeing Soars Despite A Turbulent 2013
The airplane manufacturer was one of the stock market's best performers this year, despite battery problems that grounded its entire fleet of new 787s for more than three months. But a labor dispute involving its largest union could have some Boeing customers looking to competitor Airbus for new planes.
If The NAFTA Vote Were Held Today, How Would It Fare?
A year before his Democratic Party would lose control of the House for the first time in generations, President Clinton pushed the North American Free Trade Agreement through Congress. The vote in the House was 234-200, and most of the votes in favor came from Republicans. Most of the lawmakers who approved that deal are gone, but 80 remain. Twenty years later, would they vote the same way?
JPMorgan Chase Faces Regulatory issues
Morning Edition has been looking back at the year through numbers — and the number for today is $15 billion. That's the approximate amount JP Morgan Chase has agreed to pay out in various fines and settlements this year. The company is widely seen as a well-managed bank but it faces big regulatory problems and its legal bills are mounting.
Japanese Vending Machines Sell Bras
In Japan, you can buy an incredible range of things from vending machines: bags of rice, fishing tackle or fresh flowers. And now you can add bras to that list — in particular the wireless "Fun Fun Week" bra.
French High Court Approves 75 Percent Tax For Top Earners
The millionaire tax was a campaign promise from French President Francois Hollande. Film star Gerard Depardieu famously fled the country to avoid paying the tax.
Can Robots Manage Your Money Better Than You? Startups Say Yes
A handful of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs say it's time to turn your finances over to bots. Algorithms can monitor a person's financial behavior better than most advisers, they say, and aren't biased by commissions or complex fee structures.
$1,000 Pill For Hepatitis C Spurs Debate Over Drug Prices
Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration approved a class of drugs that can cure most hepatitis C infections. That's great news for the more than 3 million Americans infected. But the high cost — $84,000 per course of treatment — means some patients could miss out.
Target's Word May Not Be Enough to Keep Your Stolen PINs Safe
Despite news that hackers stole PIN data from the giant retailer Target during prime buying season, shoppers say they will still use their cards to ring up purchases there. Target says the PINs are encrypted, but security experts say that given time, hackers could still outwit the system.
Family Leave Laws Enacted In 10 Cities And States In 2013
Ten cities and states have passed laws guaranteeing access to some kind of family leave this year, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families. NPR's Jennifer Ludden speaks with Director Vicki Shabo about efforts to make family leave mandatory.
Federal Jobless Benefits Set To End For More Than 1 Million
Congress goes home without approving an extension of benefits for 1.3 million Americans, but President Obama is pushing for a vote in January.
Time Is Running Out To Save Florida's Oranges
Scientists and growers are in a bitter fight against citrus greening, a disease that has devastated Florida's orange and grapefruit crops. They fear that unless scientists find a cure for greening soon, it's just a matter of time before economic realities and the disease force growers out of business.
On-The-Job Deaths Spiking As Oil Drilling Quickly Expands
As baby boomers retire and drilling increases, energy companies are hiring, adding 23 percent more workers between 2009 and 2012. But the hiring spree has come with a terrible price: Last year, 138 workers were killed on the job, twice as many as in 2009.
Will Renewables Suffer Because Of U.S. Oil And Gas Boom
The U.S. may or may not have achieved energy independence in 2013. There is much debate about what that phrase means and when it might (or already did) happen. But the year just passed will definitely be remembered as a time when oil and natural gas markets started changing quickly and perceptions about America's role in world energy markets changed as well.
