Jim Zarroli

Bangladesh's Powerful Garment Sector Fends Off Regulation

Jim Zarroli — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:29:00 +0000

Eight people died Wednesday in a fire at a Bangladeshi sweater factory. This follows the much deadlier collapse of the Rana Plaza building, where more than 900 people died.

The deaths are taking place in a garment sector that has seen explosive growth over the past three decades. The country has managed to lure clothing-makers through a combination of low wages and light regulation.

As a manufacturing center, Bangladesh has little to recommend it. The roads are poor. There's no port to speak of. The electricity is notoriously unreliable.

Making Room: Can Smaller Apartments Help New York City Grow?

Jim Zarroli — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:06:00 +0000

New York City is notoriously crowded, and it's only getting more so. The city estimates it will have 1 million more people by the year 2030, many of them single. Where to place all these newcomers is a major challenge.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg has announced plans to put up an experimental building of micro-apartments that could be replicated throughout the city. And the Museum of the City of New York is looking at ways to make better use of the city's housing stock.

Walk around the back of a house in Queens and you'll find a dingy basement apartment no bigger than 600 square feet.

Boston Sighs With Relief As Investigation Proceeds

Jim Zarroli — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:01:00 +0000

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.

Labor Department Nominee Questioned On Housing Case

Jim Zarroli — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:06:00 +0000

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

President Obama's nominee to head the Labor Department, Thomas Perez, appeared before a Senate committee today where he tried to portray himself as a bipartisan problem-solver who could listen to all sides.

Despite Flaws, Harvard Economists Stand By Research

Jim Zarroli — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:56:00 +0000

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Two prominent Harvard economists have admitted there are errors in an influential paper they wrote on government debt. This paper was widely cited in recent budget debates.

Long-Term Unemployed Prepare For Sequester Pinch

Jim Zarroli — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 10:53:00 +0000

Almost 5 million Americans are considered long-term unemployed, meaning they have been searching for work for at least six months.

This week, their plight is getting a bit tougher as the government cuts their unemployment benefits — part of the automatic reductions in federal spending that took effect recently.

On a recent day, about 40 people turned out at a Manhattan jobs center run by the New York Labor Department to get advice on looking for work.

Feds Ban Banks From Charging Homeowners Fees On 'Forced Insurance'

Jim Zarroli — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:56:00 +0000

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From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

Federal regulators are taking aim at a practice they say is forcing millions of struggling homeowners to pay higher insurance premiums. The Federal Housing Finance Agency issued an order today. It bars banks from charging lucrative fees and commissions on so-called lender-placed insurance policies. NPR's Jim Zarroli explains.

JIM ZARROLI, BYLINE: Homeowners with mortgages are supposed to have property insurance.

As Cardinal, New Pope Walked Fine Line On Economic Issues

Jim Zarroli — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 22:50:00 +0000

He took his name from a 13th century saint who gave up his wealth and threw in his lot with the poor.

JPMorgan Chase Exec Says She Was Misled About Risks With 'London Whale' Trades

Jim Zarroli — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:39:00 +0000

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MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish.

Senior executives at JPMorgan Chase appeared on Capitol Hill today. They were asked by a Senate subcommittee to explain how the firm lost more than $6 billion last year in a failed hedging strategy. The testimony comes one day after the subcommittee released a report saying the bank misled regulators and the public about the size of the losses.

JPMorgan In Hot Seat Over London Whale Losses

Jim Zarroli — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:12:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

JPMorgan Chase executives testify before a Senate committee today. They'll be questioned about the multibillion-dollar trading losses racked up by a London-based unit of the bank. The bank acknowledged last spring that it lost more than $6 billion. The executive who was running the unit told a Senate subcommittee that employees at the bank misled her about the extent of the risks they were taking while trading derivatives.