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NPR's Madeleine Brand talks to Bob Moon of Marketplace about a decision by Microsoft to require customers to verify they have a valid copy of an operating system before allowing them to download updates from its Web site. Officials for the software giant say the move will boost Internet security -- and it may prompt those using illegal copies of its popular Windows software to buy legitimate copies.

It's semi-annual testimony time for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Sounds dry but lots of people will be hanging on his every word these next two days. Markets have been on a wild ride since Bernanke delivered a news conference last month. In that speech he laid out plans to scale back the Fed's bond-buying program.

Expedia has reached a deal to buy Orbitz, as both travel companies try to defend their turf from the likes of Google and Airbnb.

Two boys in Russia managed to tunnel out of their kindergarten playground — they wanted to buy a car. And in New York City, Matthew Ahn set a speed record for traveling to every subway station.

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that federal law may prohibit someone from buying a gun for another person — whether or not the other person is legally allowed to purchase a gun.

With the help of Facebook and Pandora, pharmaceutical companies are buying ads to target specific individuals.

Netflix is considering buying some movie theaters, even though the streaming company has turned the movie business on its head.

for an investigation of a public high school that allegedly misused state funds. The money is typically used to hire more teachers or to buy more textbooks. Officials at Roberto Clemente High School used the funds to send students on field trips to Puerto Rico and Mexico...and to bring in speakers and artists connected to Puerto Rican nationalist groups.

NPR's David Welna reports how the Mexican ruling party shut down an official investigation of one of the country's most corrupt agencies--the commission which buys and distributes subsidized food. The ruling party apparently got nervous when the probe uncovered evidence that President Ernesto Zedillo approved a legally questionable payment when he served in the cabinet several years ago. Critics say the handling of the investigation proves that the ruling P-R-I party is not serious about fighting Mexico's rampant corruption.

When Venezuelans come out to protest, it used to be that they didn't leave home without a pot or pan to bang. This type of noisemaking is popular throughout Latin America and has come to epitomize civil discontent. The "caserola" cacophony is so ubiquitous that it's now possible to buy CD and taped versions of the din for those who don't want to bother with hammering away at kitchenware. NPR's Gerry Hadden looks at history of the caserola.