Business

Bush Team Pumps Economic Policy in Heartland

July 31, 2003 • Three of President Bush's top economic officials tour Wisconsin and Minnesota to promote the $350 billion in tax cuts signed into law earlier this year. The administration says the package is an emergency cash infusion for the U.S. economy, but those skeptical of the plan's effectiveness point to the weak job market. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.

SEC Chief: Corporate Reforms Working

July 30, 2003 • On the one-year anniversary of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, SEC Chairman William Donaldson says the corporate accounting reforms the law put into place have significantly reduced the chances that another Enron-like scandal will happen again. Meanwhile, accountants struggle to adjust to the new rules. Hear Donaldson and NPR's Jim Zarroli.

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Louisiana Tobacco Case Ends in Mixed Verdict

July 29, 2003 • A New Orleans jury rules that cigarette makers should not have to pay for medical monitoring for 1.5 million Louisiana smokers, but agrees the tobacco industry should pay for smoking-cessation clinics. Hear NPR's Debbie Elliott.

Self-Checkout at Stores, Restaurants On the Rise

July 29, 2003 • Highlighting a growing trend, Home Depot installs automated checkout lanes in more than half of its 1,600 stores. Analysts say airlines, supermarkets and fast-food chains all are testing similar scan-it-yourself technology. But some customers say the process isn't user friendly. Hear NPR's Scott Horsley.

Science

Azerbaijan Pipeline Project Prompts Opposition

July 29, 2003 • Construction begins on a 2,000-mile pipeline that will pump crude oil from Azerbaijan to Turkey. But some criticize the project, saying the pipeline cuts through environmentally and culturally sensitive areas, including the Gobustan National Reserve. The reserve is home to some of the world's oldest human settlements. Hear Natalia Antelava.

White House Seeks Amtrak Restructuring

July 29, 2003 • The Bush administration submits to Congress a plan that would hand control of Amtrak's local and intercity routes to state governments. Under the new plan, Amtrak's annual subsidy would be replaced with a federal matching program that would give states funds to pay for half the cost of tracks, trains and other capital investments. Hear NPR's Andrea Seabrook.

Science

Paris Metro Offers Wireless Internet Zones

July 28, 2003 • The Paris metro system experiments with wireless technology, creating access points at which anyone with a laptop, PDA or cell phone can access the Internet for free. If successful, the trial could expand to include more metro stops, allowing users to go online from virtually anywhere in the French capital. Hear NPR's Nick Spicer.

MCI Faces New Fraud Probe

July 28, 2003 • The Justice Department investigates allegations that MCI -- formerly known as WorldCom -- cheated other telephone companies out of as much as $1 billion in access fees. AT&T, MCI's main long-distance rival, plans to sue MCI over lost access charges. The allegations threaten MCI's plans to emerge from bankruptcy. NPR's Jack Speer reports.

Enron Bankers, Federal Regulators Reach Deal

July 28, 2003 • J.P. Morgan Chase and Citigroup, two of Wall Street's most prominent banking firms, agree to pay $255 million to settle charges they helped Enron disguise loans as revenue. The Securities and Exchange Commission says the banks helped create the "special-purpose entities" Enron used to conceal its debt load. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

Everquest: Real Economy from a Virtual World

July 26, 2003 • Everquest, a virtual reality game played by tens of thousands of people over the Internet, has developed its own economy as players vie for special weapons and equipment. The game creates an unusual focus for economic study, though some economists are skeptical about the value of the research. NPR's David Kestenbaum reports.

Movie Industry Targets Online Swappers

July 25, 2003 • The Motion Picture Association of America begins running announcements in theaters and on television telling viewers not to swap copyrighted movies over the Internet. The move comes as the Recording Industry Association of America steps up efforts to subpoena people it suspects of swapping songs over the Internet. NPR's Neda Ulaby reports.

Science

New Orleans Tobacco Case Nears Conclusion

July 24, 2003 • In New Orleans, closing arguments continue in a class-action lawsuit aimed at making the tobacco industry help smokers kick the habit. The approximately 1.5 million smokers -- most of whom are not ill -- also seek funding for medical monitoring. The industry says it should not be held responsible for those who ignore warning labels. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports.

Judge Dismisses NAACP Gun Lawsuit

July 22, 2003 • A federal judge in New York throws out the NAACP's case against gun manufacturers, saying the organization could not prove, as required by law, that its members were uniquely harmed. But the judge is also critical of the gun industry, finding that it bears some responsibility for illegal gun violence. Hear NPR's Robert Smith.

Teen Jobless Rate Highest in Decades

July 22, 2003 • The unemployment rate for U.S. teenagers reaches 20 percent, making this summer one of the worst in decades for teens looking for work, experts say. Three years ago, jobs were so plentiful teenagers were getting signing bonuses. Now, many businesses refuse to hire anyone under 18, saying they can find older employees who are more qualified. Hear NPR's Madeleine Brand.

Teen Charged with Fraud in Internet Scam

July 22, 2003 • The Federal Trade Commission settles its case against a 17-year-old boy charged with stealing thousands of dollars by using deceptive e-mail and a fake AOL Web page to trick people into revealing their credit card numbers. It is the FTC's first legal action against the increasingly popular Internet scam known as "phishing." Hear NPR's Larry Abramson.