Crime

The European Union Parliament voted to extend recording copyrights from 50 years to 70, helping ensure older musicians continue to get royalty checks for old hits. Christopher Werth reports.

How can we better prevent injury and death to children brought on by playing with a toy? Bill Radke talks to L.A. Times business columnist David Lazarus about where the consumer products safety has failed us.

A congressional committee is discussing criteria to use in determining if a financial institution is too big to fail. Duke law professor Zephyr Teachout talks to Bob Moon about whether antitrust laws can be used to break up the financials.

Watchdogs for the bank bailout program have launched 20 criminal investigations into potential fraud. The public-private toxic buy-up plan could also be prone to fraud and abuse. Steve Henn reports.

Founders of the file-sharing Web site The Pirate Bay have been found guilty of violating copyright laws. Will the ruling change file sharing? Rico Gagliano reports.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to set up a committee to find what and who is responsible for the economic fallout. Steve Henn reports Congress may have to fight hard against a financial industry unwilling to talk.

Pirate concerns are causing costs to rise in the shipping industry. Some vessels are choosing to avoid the Gulf of Aiden altogether, which could add millions to a ship's annual fuel bill. Stephen Beard reports.

Somali pirates hijacked a U.S. ship this week off the horn of Africa. Just how much do shipping companies need to spend to prevent these attacks? Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.

Most businesses are suffering throughout Europe because of the recession. But not the mafia. Megan Williams reports on why the downturn is a great opportunity for organized crime.

Wal-Mart is headed to a federal appeals court, where it might be facing the nation's largest discrimination case. Will the courts allow 2 million women to go up against a single employer? Amanda Aronczyk reports.