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Where local residents help birth the businesses that serve themOften new businesses rely on financing from a top-down system where bankers call the shots.聽For places that feel left behind, often communities of color, some new models are springing up.聽
From hemp to organic foods, farm bill embraces change in rural USPassage of the farm bill is a rite of Congress that often borders on the arcane. But this year鈥檚 version signals how American farming is gradually embracing a vision beyond the industrial model.
First LookPost-layoffs, GM fights to keep tax credit for electric vehiclesA $7,500 tax incentive for buyers of electric vehicles is critical for General Motors as it ramps up production in the EV market. But some government officials are hesitant to continue funding the incentive, especially in the aftermath of GM's massive layoff.
A moral test at climate summit: What do rich nations owe poorer ones?The Paris climate agreement was forged in a spirit of unified commitment. Now world leaders must determine how to quantify the obligation to aid developing nations in an energy transition.
First LookCanada arrests executive of Chinese tech companyThe CFO of聽Huawei Technologies is facing extradition to the US after allegedly violating terms of sanctions on Iran. The move comes as delicate negotiations proceed between the US and China to avert a continued trade war.聽
Who owns the view? North Dakotans tangle over proposed wind project.Wind power is booming in North Dakota, even as industry growth cools in many states. But the mood here is shifting, as residents grapple with conflicting views of property rights.
First LookQatar leaves OPEC, cementing distance with Saudi ArabiaQatar will leave the world's largest consortium of oil producing countries in a bid to expand natural gas and oil drilling even as oil prices remain low. The departure signals a completion of the political and diplomatic rift between Qatar and the dominant member of OPEC, Saudi Arabia.
Which fork in the road to take? Detroit says both.US carmakers appear poised to try two paths forward at once, building more SUVs and pickups, which the US market loves, to pay their way along a聽road less traveled: electric and self-driving cars.
The ExplainerIt鈥檚 a wide world of charity out there. Do you know how to navigate it?As聽鈥楪iving Tuesday鈥櫬燼rrives, it鈥檚 a good time to think about charitable donations. Increasingly, average givers are focusing on the effectiveness of organizations they might support.
First LookPreparing for tech shift, GM cuts thousands of jobs across US, CanadaThe largest automaker in the US, General Motors, announced Nov. 26 that it would cut as many as 14,000 workers in North America. The cuts affect both white- and blue-collar workers, and underscore a major restructuring for the automaker as it prepares for the future.
Instead of amplifying human biases, can algorithms help fix them?The rising use of artificial intelligence has become one of the dominant trends in business. On the heels of that trend come questions about fairness and a quest for ethical algorithms.
First LookAhead of Black Friday, market sees redThe Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 600 points on Nov. 20 as tech companies and retailers face losses and an oil surplus pushed barrel prices lower. The global economy shows signs of weakening, with the US, China, and Europe facing potential slowdowns.聽
Hard times in farm country coincide with a trade war 鈥� echoing 1980sFarmers are resourceful by necessity. But many face a test as a US-China rift undercuts their exports 鈥� a challenge familiar to those who weathered the US wheat embargo against the Soviet Union.
First LookAfter CEO arrest, Renault-Nissan alliance faces fissuresCarlos Ghosn, who serves as chairman for both Renault and Nissan, was arrested in Japan on Nov. 19 for alleged financial improprieties.聽Analysts say this could strain the nearly 20-year-old Renault-Nissan alliance, which collectively represents one of the world's largest automakers.聽
First LookFAO Schwarz is back: bigger, better, with a focus on 'experience'After its Central Park store closed in 2015, legendary toy company FAO Schwarz will reopen at Rockefeller Center on Nov. 16 with a rocket ship stuffed with teddy bears, a toy grocery store, and other delights. Pop-up stores for the holidays will appear around the globe, too.聽
Amazon and the troubling rise of superstar citiesBy picking New York and Washington as its new HQ cities, is the retail giant missing an opportunity to help the parts of America that are left behind?
Dangling a college offer, one rural town tries to hang on to its work forceA tight job market always forces employers to get creative in hiring. But a worker shortage is especially challenging in places that are often overlooked: small rural towns.
First LookAmazon could split East Coast location between New York and VirginiaWhen Amazon began hunting for a second headquarters in September 2017, it received more than 200 proposals from cities all over the United States. Now, the tech giant is reportedly considering two, not one, locations for its 50,000 workers.聽
The ExplainerNAFTA 2.0: what the Trump-brokered deal may meanMore steps remain before the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement takes effect. And in the post-deal landscape, separate trade tensions between the US and China still need to be resolved.
In election run up, voters eye health care as top concernDemocrats have turned health care into their top theme, attacking Republican positions on Americans with preexisting conditions.聽The partisan back-and-forth belies a deeper battle over the future of health care.