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Business

Barbershop

Barbershop: 2016 Is Almost Over, But Was It Really The Worst?

NPR's breaking news reporter Nate Rott, former political reporter Sam Sanders and senior business editor Marilyn Geewax talk about what happened in news during 2016.

Barbershop: 2016 Is Almost Over, But Was It Really The Worst?

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National

In The Service Industry, New Year's Is Often About Just Getting By

Linda Tirado spent 15 years working in the service industry, at gas stations, restaurants and bars. She says New Year's resolutions aren't really for people working dead-end jobs.

In The Service Industry, New Year's Is Often About Just Getting By

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National

Despite Recent Production Boost, Wyoming Coal's Long-Term Outlook Is Dim

In 2016, the collapse of the coal industry hit the epicenter of U.S. production: Wyoming. Miners reflect on hard times, and how they're hedging their bets in a shrinking industry.

Despite Recent Production Boost, Wyoming Coal's Long-Term Outlook Is Dim

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By Returning To Farming's Roots, He Found His American Dream
Dan Charles/NPR

The Salt

By Returning To Farming's Roots, He Found His American Dream

David Fisher's farm is a kind of American Dream. Not the conventional one of upward economic mobility. This is the utopian version, the uncompromising pursuit of a difficult agrarian ideal.

By Returning To Farming's Roots, He Found His American Dream

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Investigating The Wells Fargo Scandal

Reports On Wells Fargo Whistleblowers Spark Inquiry In Congress

Ex-workers who resisted pressure to push banking products on customers who didn't want them say Wells Fargo retaliated against them by docking their permanent record, sabotaging future job prospects.

Reports On Wells Fargo Whistleblowers Spark Inquiry In Congress

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High Demand, Low Supply: Colorado River Water Crisis Hits Across The West

Beverly Kurtz and Tim Guenthner live near Gross Reservoir outside Boulder, Colo. They oppose a an expansion project that would raise the reservoir's dam by 131 feet. Grace Hood/Colorado Public Radio hide caption

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Grace Hood/Colorado Public Radio

Environment

High Demand, Low Supply: Colorado River Water Crisis Hits Across The West

After years of drought and dropping water levels, the Colorado River is reaching a crisis point. Communities at each end of the river are looking at a variety of measures, from storage to sharing.

High Demand, Low Supply: Colorado River Water Crisis Hits Across The West

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U.S. Ethics Chief Was Behind Those Tweets About Trump, Records Show

Walter Shaub Jr. is the director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, which tweeted last month about President-elect Donald Trump's conflicts of interest. U.S. Office of Government Ethics hide caption

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U.S. Office of Government Ethics

The Two-Way

U.S. Ethics Chief Was Behind Those Tweets About Trump, Records Show

Trump-style tweets from the Office of Government Ethics urging divestitures made many suspect a hack of this typically staid agency. New records shared with NPR show the author was the agency chief.

U.S. Ethics Chief Was Behind Those Tweets About Trump, Records Show

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In Pro-Brexit English City, A Jobs Crisis Is Averted — But For How Long?

The river banks in Sunderland here were once home to shipyards, but like the city's coal mines, they disappeared. In June, the voters of Sunderland voted by more than 60 percent to leave the European Union, even though it would put tens of thousands of local jobs at risk. Frank Langfitt/NPR hide caption

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Frank Langfitt/NPR

Parallels

In Pro-Brexit English City, A Jobs Crisis Is Averted — But For How Long?

The town of Sunderland, where jobs depend on a foreign employer, Nissan, voted resoundingly for Britain to leave the EU even though that could work against its economic interests.

In Pro-Brexit English City, A Jobs Crisis Is Averted — But For How Long?

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From 'No Way,' To Global Success: The Inspired Journey Of GM's Design Chief

Ed Welburn, vice president of General Motors Global Design, stands with the Buick Riviera concept as it makes its North American debut at the North American International Auto Show in 2008 in Detroit. John F. Martin/Courtesy of General Motors hide caption

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John F. Martin/Courtesy of General Motors

From 'No Way,' To Global Success: The Inspired Journey Of GM's Design Chief

A lover of cars since he was a little tyke who later trained as a sculptor, Ed Welburn has shaped the physical world we live in as the longtime head of design for General Motors.

From 'No Way,' To Global Success: The Inspired Journey Of GM's Design Chief

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Planet Money

2008 Bank Bailout Chief Has A Plan To Prevent The Need For Another One

At 35, Neel Kashkari was in charge of the bank bailout program. He's now the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and has a plan to make future bank bailouts much less likely.

2008 Bank Bailout Chief Has A Plan To Prevent The Need For Another One

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Wages Are Increasing, But What's Behind It?

Striking McDonald's restaurant employees lock arms during nationwide "Fight for $15 Day of Disruption" protests. David McNew/Getty Images hide caption

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David McNew/Getty Images

Economy

Wages Are Increasing, But What's Behind It?

It has taken years since the Great Recession, but wages are showing signs of climbing — though not very quickly. Economists say there are reasons to believe wage growth could continue into 2017.

Wages Are Increasing, But What's Behind It?

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