Business

How 1 Tweet From Tesla And SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Affected His Companies

4:28pm July 19, 2018

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk caused an uproar last weekend when he tweeted that one of the British divers involved the Thai cave rescue was a "pedo." NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Ashlee Vance, a reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek, about the tweet and its fallout.

Environment

How The Campaign To Ban Plastic Straws Got Its Start

4:28pm July 19, 2018

by Stacey Vanek Smith

As more companies announce bans on plastic straws, NPR's Planet Money talks to one of the originators of the campaign against plastic straws to learn the strategic choices that made this campaign catch on.

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Kathy Kraninger, President Trump's nominee to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, testifies before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday.

Politics & Government

Democratic Senators Slam Trump's Pick To Run Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

4:28pm July 19, 2018

by Chris Arnold

Elizabeth Warren and other senators fired tough questions at Kathy Kraninger, President Trump's nominee to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The Airbus BelugaXL, built to transport large aircraft pieces, took off on its maiden flight Thursday from France's Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.

World News

Whale Of A Plane: Airbus BelugaXL Makes Maiden Flight

2:47pm July 19, 2018

by Bill Chappell

The BelugaXL's paint job "features beluga whale-inspired eyes and an enthusiastic grin." For several hours on Thursday, the whale soared over southern France.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has been under mounting pressure for the company's contract with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

Politics & Government

Immigrant Rights Group Turns Down $250,000 From Tech Firm Over Ties To Border Patrol

1:41pm July 19, 2018

by Laura Sydell

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has been under mounting pressure for the company's contract with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. A Texas nonprofit says it won't accept a contribution from the company.

Proponents of hospital mergers say the change can help struggling nonprofit hospitals "thrive," with an infusion of cash to invest in updated technology and top clinical staff. But research shows the price of care, especially for low-income patients, usua

Can A Community Hospital Stick To Its Mission When It Goes For-Profit?

10:38am July 19, 2018

by Steven Findlay

After 130 years as a nonprofit hospital with deep roots in North Carolina, Mission Health is seeking to be bought by HCA Healthcare, the nation's largest for-profit hospital chain.

World News

Google Fined $5 Billion By EU For Breaking Antitrust Rules

9:15am July 19, 2018

by Laura Sydell

The European Commission alleges that by forcing device-makers to install Google apps on Android devices it gains a significant advantage over competitors. Google plans to appeal.

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An autonomous tank is demonstrated in France last month. Leading researchers in artificial intelligence are calling for laws against lethal autonomous weapons. They also pledge not to work on such weapons.

AI Innovators Take Pledge Against Autonomous Killer Weapons

5:33pm July 18, 2018

by Cameron Jenkins

"We will neither participate in nor support the development, manufacture, trade, or use of" artificial intelligence that is used to kill people, leading AI researchers vowed.

Adam West brings out his alter ego, Batman, for the filming of a 1967 road safety ad for children.

Economy

Trade Wars And The Batman Problem

5:10pm July 18, 2018

It may be too late to avoid a trade war between the U.S. and China, but there might be a simple way to stop the trade wars of the future.

National

Midwest Facing A Skilled-Worker Shortage As Warehousing Boom Continues

4:45pm July 18, 2018

by Jess Mador

Southwest Ohio is in the midst of a warehousing boom, with new, often high-tech distribution centers opening around the region. It's part of the state's economic development strategy to lure companies like Amazon. The influx of jobs is a boon to many Ohio cities, but with thousands of new logistics jobs anticipated over the next few years, are employers facing a skilled-worker shortage.