Jim Zarroli http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4581822&ft=1&f=4581822 Jim Zarroli is a business reporter for NPR News, based at NPR's New York bureau. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Jim Zarroli http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4581822&ft=1&f=4581822 Wal-Mart Won't Sign Pact, Has Own Way To Protect Workers Following a factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed more than 1,000 people, Wal-Mart has declined to join a multi-company factory safety accord to try to prevent future disasters. Instead, the world's largest retailer announced its own set of inspection and safety measures. Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/184132960/wal-mart-wont-sign-pact-has-own-way-to-protect-workers?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/184132960/wal-mart-wont-sign-pact-has-own-way-to-protect-workers?ft=1&f=4581822 Following a factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed more than 1,000 people, Wal-Mart has declined to join a multi-company factory safety accord to try to prevent future disasters. Instead, the world's largest retailer announced its own set of inspection and safety measures.

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]]> Fashion Retailers Agree To Safety Plan After Factory Collapse Three of the world's largest clothing chains, including H&M and the owner of the Zara chain, have agreed to pay for fire safety and building improvements in Bangladeshi factories. The announcement comes three weeks after a building collapse that killed more than 1,100 workers in Dhaka. Mon, 13 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=183700358&ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=183700358&ft=1&f=4581822 Three of the world's largest clothing chains, including H&M and the owner of the Zara chain, have agreed to pay for fire safety and building improvements in Bangladeshi factories. The announcement comes three weeks after a building collapse that killed more than 1,100 workers in Dhaka.

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]]> Firms Complain Bloomberg OK'd Reporters Tracking Subscribers Giant financial data company Bloomberg is acknowledging that some of its subscribers were tracked by the company's reporters. The reporters were allowed to see what kind of information the subscribers were looking at and how long it had been since they logged on. The tracking came to light after Goldman Sachs Raised questions about the practice. Over the weekend, the Federal Reserve said it is looking into whether its employees were tracked as well. Mon, 13 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/13/183538485/wall-street-complains-about-bloomberg-reporters-access-to-info?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/13/183538485/wall-street-complains-about-bloomberg-reporters-access-to-info?ft=1&f=4581822 Giant financial data company Bloomberg is acknowledging that some of its subscribers were tracked by the company's reporters. The reporters were allowed to see what kind of information the subscribers were looking at and how long it had been since they logged on. The tracking came to light after Goldman Sachs Raised questions about the practice. Over the weekend, the Federal Reserve said it is looking into whether its employees were tracked as well.

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]]> Bangladesh's Powerful Garment Sector Fends Off Regulation The deaths of hundreds of workers in Bangladesh are taking place in a garment sector that has seen explosive growth over the past three decades. Amid market pressures to cut prices, the country has managed to lure clothing-makers through a combination of low wages and light regulation. Thu, 09 May 2013 17:29:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/09/182637164/bangladeshs-powerful-garment-sector-fends-off-regulation?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/09/182637164/bangladeshs-powerful-garment-sector-fends-off-regulation?ft=1&f=4581822 The deaths of hundreds of workers in Bangladesh are taking place in a garment sector that has seen explosive growth over the past three decades. Amid market pressures to cut prices, the country has managed to lure clothing-makers through a combination of low wages and light regulation.

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]]> Why Ben Franklin Is The World's Banker A report from the Federal Reserve says the number of U.S. dollars in circulation keeps rising. Most of it goes overseas, in the form of $100 bills. People in countries like Russia and Argentina use $100 bills as a safe haven because they don't trust their national currency or their own banks. Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/08/182175931/why-ben-franklin-is-the-worlds-banker?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/08/182175931/why-ben-franklin-is-the-worlds-banker?ft=1&f=4581822 A report from the Federal Reserve says the number of U.S. dollars in circulation keeps rising. Most of it goes overseas, in the form of $100 bills. People in countries like Russia and Argentina use $100 bills as a safe haven because they don't trust their national currency or their own banks.

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]]> Stocks Rise Despite Lackluster Corporate Earnings Reports This is the time of year when corporations report how they did during the first three months of the year. The picture so far has been mixed. While a lot of companies are doing fairly well in the U.S., they are seeing business drop off in other places like Europe. Thu, 02 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/02/180491236/stocks-rise-despite-lackluster-corporate-earnings-reports?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/02/180491236/stocks-rise-despite-lackluster-corporate-earnings-reports?ft=1&f=4581822 This is the time of year when corporations report how they did during the first three months of the year. The picture so far has been mixed. While a lot of companies are doing fairly well in the U.S., they are seeing business drop off in other places like Europe.

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]]> Life Still Far From Normal Six Months After Superstorm Sandy The Rockaways in Queens were one of the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy last year. Much of the beach disappeared and the boardwalk was destroyed. A lot of houses and businesses were damaged and some were without power until February. Now life is beginning to return to normal, but as summer approaches a lot of people are worried about how much has been lost. Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/29/179878411/life-still-far-from-normal-six-months-after-superstorm-sandy?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/29/179878411/life-still-far-from-normal-six-months-after-superstorm-sandy?ft=1&f=4581822 The Rockaways in Queens were one of the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy last year. Much of the beach disappeared and the boardwalk was destroyed. A lot of houses and businesses were damaged and some were without power until February. Now life is beginning to return to normal, but as summer approaches a lot of people are worried about how much has been lost.

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]]> Making Room: Can Smaller Apartments Help New York City Grow? Some housing experts say the city's zoning code has discouraged the building of affordable housing by requiring that all apartments be at least 400 square feet. The city is interested in finding ways to rewrite the rules. An exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York looks at ways to fix the city's housing shortage. Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:46:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/25/177324320/making-room-can-smaller-apartments-help-new-york-city-grow?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/25/177324320/making-room-can-smaller-apartments-help-new-york-city-grow?ft=1&f=4581822 Some housing experts say the city's zoning code has discouraged the building of affordable housing by requiring that all apartments be at least 400 square feet. The city is interested in finding ways to rewrite the rules. An exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York looks at ways to fix the city's housing shortage.

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]]> Fake Tweet Causes Financial Markets To Drop The Dow Jones Average plunged Tuesday afternoon, but recovered quickly after it was revealed that an Associated Press tweet about explosions at the White House was fake. The AP acknowledged that its Twitter account had been hacked. Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/24/178753569/fake-tweet-causes-financial-markets-to-drop?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/24/178753569/fake-tweet-causes-financial-markets-to-drop?ft=1&f=4581822 The Dow Jones Average plunged Tuesday afternoon, but recovered quickly after it was revealed that an Associated Press tweet about explosions at the White House was fake. The AP acknowledged that its Twitter account had been hacked.

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]]> FAA Warns Of Airport Delays As Sequester Cuts Take Hold The Federal Aviation Administration reported some air traffic delays on Monday. The agency says the sequester has forced it to cut the work hours of air traffic controllers by 10 percent and it's warning air travelers to expect delays as a result. Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/22/178462394/faa-warns-of-airport-delays-as-sequester-cuts-take-hold?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/22/178462394/faa-warns-of-airport-delays-as-sequester-cuts-take-hold?ft=1&f=4581822 The Federal Aviation Administration reported some air traffic delays on Monday. The agency says the sequester has forced it to cut the work hours of air traffic controllers by 10 percent and it's warning air travelers to expect delays as a result.

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]]> Boston Sighs With Relief As Investigation Proceeds NPR's Jim Zarroli reviews the week's dramatic in events in Boston, where a 22-hour manhunt kept the city in lockdown and residents on edge. A suspect in Monday's bombing at the Boston Marathon was taken into custody Friday night. Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/20/178148283/boston-sighs-with-relief-as-investigation-proceeds?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/20/178148283/boston-sighs-with-relief-as-investigation-proceeds?ft=1&f=4581822 NPR's Jim Zarroli reviews the week's dramatic in events in Boston, where a 22-hour manhunt kept the city in lockdown and residents on edge. A suspect in Monday's bombing at the Boston Marathon was taken into custody Friday night.

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]]> MIT Officer Died Protecting His Community, In Job He Loved The grisly week that began at the Boston Marathon on Monday left a police officer dead. Sean Collier, an officer with the MIT campus police, was pronounced dead Thursday night. He's remembered as passionate and dedicated to his profession. Sat, 20 Apr 2013 08:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/20/178090667/manhunt-leaves-one-officer-dead-several-injured?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/20/178090667/manhunt-leaves-one-officer-dead-several-injured?ft=1&f=4581822 The grisly week that began at the Boston Marathon on Monday left a police officer dead. Sean Collier, an officer with the MIT campus police, was pronounced dead Thursday night. He's remembered as passionate and dedicated to his profession.

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]]> Labor Department Nominee Questioned On Housing Case President Obama's pick to lead the Labor Department faced some tough questions at his confirmation hearing on Thursday. Thomas Perez gained a reputation as a tough workplace regulator during his tenure at the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/18/177825299/labor-department-nominee-questioned-on-housing-case?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/18/177825299/labor-department-nominee-questioned-on-housing-case?ft=1&f=4581822 President Obama's pick to lead the Labor Department faced some tough questions at his confirmation hearing on Thursday. Thomas Perez gained a reputation as a tough workplace regulator during his tenure at the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

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]]> Despite Flaws, Harvard Economists Stand By Research At what point does debt start to drag down an economy? Harvard economists Carmen Reinhart and Ken Rogoff have argued that a debt to GDP ratio of 90 percent is a red line of sorts. That idea is under attack with economists from the University of Massachusetts charging that Rogoff and Reinhart used selective data to make their case. Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/18/177721491/despite-flaws-harvard-economists-stand-by-research?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/18/177721491/despite-flaws-harvard-economists-stand-by-research?ft=1&f=4581822 At what point does debt start to drag down an economy? Harvard economists Carmen Reinhart and Ken Rogoff have argued that a debt to GDP ratio of 90 percent is a red line of sorts. That idea is under attack with economists from the University of Massachusetts charging that Rogoff and Reinhart used selective data to make their case.

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]]> Drop In Gold Price As Sudden As It Was Unexpected The price of gold has been going up for so long that some investors forgot that it can also move in the other direction. Now, some institutional investors are betting that gold will move lower still. Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/16/177507505/drop-in-gold-price-as-sudden-as-it-was-unexpected?ft=1&f=4581822 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/16/177507505/drop-in-gold-price-as-sudden-as-it-was-unexpected?ft=1&f=4581822 The price of gold has been going up for so long that some investors forgot that it can also move in the other direction. Now, some institutional investors are betting that gold will move lower still.

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