National

National

So Tourists Can Indulge: Denver May Allow Pot In Bars And Restaurants

1:49pm September 20, 2015

by Ben Markus

It's already legal to smoke pot at home in Colorado. Now the Denver City Council is considering allowing use in public places. This story originally aired Sept. 18 on All Things Considered.

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Elephants are an option for the first quiz question. These pachyderms are walking on a path at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy at the foot of Mount Kenya, approximately 185 miles north of Nairobi.

Quiz: Are You Smarter Than A South African High School Student?

11:09am September 20, 2015

by NPR Staff

So you think you know a lot about world affairs? Like, um, what kind of animal did that American dentist shoot? See how you do on the annual Interschool quiz for South Africa's youth.

A school lunch tray featuring whole wheat tortillas at the School Nutrition Association conference in July 2014. The association is asking Congress to relax the federal school nutrition standards in hopes of attracting more kids back to the school lunch l

Class Divide: Are More Affluent Kids Opting Out Of School Lunch?

10:33am September 20, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

Healthier school lunches are reaching more needy kids, but more kids who could afford to pay full price seem to be brown-bagging it instead. That's why some schools want to loosen nutrition rules.

The federal food stamps program is working to make sure low-income Americans are getting enough calories, but those calories are less nutritious than what everyone else eats, research finds. The USDA is funding programs to try to bridge that gap, such as

How America's Wealth Gap Shows Up On Our Dinner Plates

10:33am September 20, 2015

by Maria Godoy

People on food stamps on average ate fewer fruits and vegetables and had worse diets than other Americans, a study finds. It reflects the challenges of eating well on limited means.

This year, many of the pistachios grown in California's San Joaquin Valley are missing the green, fatty meat that nut lovers crave. Instead, they're empty inside, the result of drought, heat and weather pattern changes that have messed with pistachio tree

Oh, Nuts! Why California's Pistachio Trees Are Shooting Blanks

10:31am September 20, 2015

by Alastair Bland

This year, as many as 50 percent of the pistachios harvested in California could be hollow inside. Blame it on drought, heat and weather changes that are messing with male trees' virility.

How Small Changes Can Yield Big Results For The Government

6:23am September 20, 2015

by NPR Staff

A team of behavioral scientists has been studying low-cost, easy interventions — text message reminders, how an envelope looks — to improve efficiency and access to federal programs.

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National

The Fate Of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Now In The Hands Of His Superiors

6:55pm September 19, 2015

by Wade Goodwyn

The preliminary hearing for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is over. It is now up to the proceeding's presiding officer to make a recommendation on whether to court-martial the soldier for desertion.

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A Win For The Whales: Navy Agrees To Limit Sonar Use

6:55pm September 19, 2015

As part of a legal settlement with environmental groups, the U.S. Navy has agreed to limit their use of sonar in certain areas off California and Hawaii that are whale habitats.

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a speech during the international seminar commemorating the 10th anniversary of the September 19 joint statement of six-party talks at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, on Saturday.

China Calls On North Korea To Halt Planned Space Launch, Nuclear Test

10:22am September 19, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Beijing says "all parties" involved in the North Korean nuclear issue should refrain from actions that could increase tensions.

Benjamin Purdy, 20, wants the next president to focus on prison reform. He says jailing non-violent drug offenders is "sucking so much money out of our budget."

Generation Disappointed: Millennials Want More From Politics

7:03am September 19, 2015

by Asma Khalid

Despite a campaign season that so far has been dominated by frustration and anger, Millennials don't seem angry — they're disappointed. But with who and what? And how will that affect their vote?