Morning Edition

Royal Dutch Shell can't pay the $1 billion it owes Iran because of sanctions imposed on the Middle East country by the United States and European Union. The sanctions have made it nearly impossible to transfer the money. Reuters reports that Shell is trying to wrap up its business dealings with Iran.

A selection committee in Hong Kong has chosen a former Cabinet chief as the southern Chinese financial hubs next leader. The voters were handpicked by Beijing. Leung Chun-ying's term will start in July.

The American office furniture maker Steelcase is celebrating its centennial. Michigan Radio's Lindsey Smith explores the challenges of making cubicles and filing cabinets when both are in decline.

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning to you. I'm David Greene.

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DAVID GREEENE, HOST:

And today's last word in business is an appetite for "The Hunger Games." Apparently a lot of people spent part of their weekend at the movie theater watching Katniss Everdeen run through the woods. The adventure film collected $155 million at box offices this weekend. That's the most ever for a film that is not a sequel.

Speaking of sequels, "Hunger Games" producers must be liking their odds in the future. They already have a sequel in the works. It is scheduled to start filming this fall.