CBS Puts Lara Logan On Leave After Review Of Flawed Benghazi Report
November 26, 2013 • NPR has obtained the findings of a CBS internal investigation of an inaccurate 60 Minutes report by Lara Logan. CBS was forced to admit that one of the story's central figures fabricated an eyewitness account.
On State Heatlh Exchanges, Some Successes, Some Failures
November 22, 2013 • While the federal health insurance exchange website has been a technical disaster since its rollout, 14 states and the District of Columbia have their own health marketplace web portals independent of HealthCare.gov. The results have been mixed.
Federal Bench Could See New Faces After Senate Rules Change
November 21, 2013 • The Senate voted Thursday to change its rules to make it easier to approve judicial and executive branch nominees by curbing filibusters. This so-called nuclear option represents a radical shift in Senate procedure. Democrats had threatened to use after Senate Republicans upheld the confirmation of three judges to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, and the action could have a huge impact on the federal bench.
At Climate Meeting, Tensions Rise Between Rich And Poor Nations
November 20, 2013 • At the United Nations climate talks in Warsaw, Poland, conflict between rich and poor nations is mounting. The developing world wants large sums of money to help them adapt to climate change. The U.S. and Europe say they're doing what they can to help but times are tough.
Bullying Scandal Continues To Embroil Miami Dolphins
November 8, 2013 • The Miami Dolphins remain at the center of a scandal over allegations that Richie Incognito bullied fellow teammate Jonathan Martin. Martin walked away from the team last weekend citing harassment from Incognito, and Incognito was suspended from the team while the NFL investigates.
Twitter Goes Public And Its Stock Price Soars
November 7, 2013 • Trading in shares of the social-networking site Twitter began Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange. It's been the best year for initial public offerings since 2007. And the Twitter IPO was the most eagerly awaited of the year.
What's In A (Panda Cub's) Name?
November 6, 2013 • The Smithsonian's National Zoo has put forward five names for the new panda cub. The zoo is asking the public to vote on the names, which are: Bao Bao, Ling Hua, Long Yun, Mulan, and Zhen Bao.
LGBT Workplace Protections Move Forward In Senate
November 4, 2013 • The Senate voted Monday to move ahead on legislation that would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill won the approval of enough Republican senators late Monday to cross the 60-vote threshold and move onto a floor vote. Such a thing would have been impossible even a few years ago.
Miami Suspends Player As NFL Investigates Bullying Allegations
November 4, 2013 • Miami Dolphins linebacker Richie Incognito was suspended Sunday after the team and the NFL said they were investigating bullying and abuse allegations made by his teammate. Dolphins offensive tackle Jonathan Martin left the team last week on a leave of absence.
JPMorgan Chase Agrees To Pay $5.1 Billion To Feds
October 25, 2013 • JPMorgan Chase agreed pay $5.1 billion to settle litigation over mortgage assets sold during the housing bubble. The deal, announced late Friday afternoon, is to resolve claims the company misled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac before the housing market crashed. It is part of a tentative $13 billion deal the company is trying to reach with federal and state agencies over its mortgage liabilities.
Remembering Uncle Allan And His Folk-Filled Sandal Shop
October 25, 2013 • Melissa Block remembers her Uncle Allan. He died this week at the age of 90. Allan Block was a self-taught leather worker and old-time fiddle player who owned a small sandal shop in Greenwich Village during the heyday of the folk music scene in the 1950s and 60s. Folk musicians such as Joan Baez and Bob Dylan were known to stop by. Business would stop, as Allan and other musicians would have a free-wheeling folk music jam. As the late folksinger Dave Van Ronk once told a writer: "God help you, if you wanted to buy a pair of sandals."
U.S. Spying Takes Center Stage At EU Summit
October 24, 2013 • German Chancellor Angela Merkel is furious about the U.S. eavesdropping on her calls. She is the latest to protest loudly to the U.S. as the EU gathers for a regular summit. The meeting should have focused on immigration and the economy, but will be sidetracked by the continued NSA spying anger.
Drones On Agenda In Pakistan PM-Obama White House Meeting
October 23, 2013 • President Obama held talks at the White House Wednesday with Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. U.S. drone strikes on militants along the Pakistani-Afghan border were on the agenda.
E-Cigarettes: A Nearly $2bn Industry, A Regulatory Wild West
October 21, 2013 • Electronic cigarettes are popping up in more and more stores around the country and consumers are "vaping" in bars and restaurants with gusto. Sales of the devices are expected to reach nearly $2 billion this year. Until now, the top tobacco companies have been out of the game, but both Altria, which owns Phillip Morris, and R.J. Reynolds are now launching their own brands. Back in 2009, the FDA warned that e-cigarettes could pose health risks. This month, the agency is expected to release a set of proposed regulations on the devices.
Listen To Melissa Block's Coverage Of The E-cigarette Industry
HealthCare.gov Glitches Lead Many To Rely On Pen And Paper
October 14, 2013 • When HealthCare.gov opened for people to start signing up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act, there were glitches. Now, two weeks later, people are still having problems with the federal government's health exchange website, so some are turning to an older, trustier technology to apply: pen and paper.