Papayas Recalled Over Salmonella Risks

Even papayas can’t spread salmonellla, it turns out. There’s a recall of papayas from Mexico after testing by the Food and Drug Administration found samples from Agromod Produce had the same strain of bacteria seen in outbreaks of salmonella affecting 97 people in 23 states. McAllen, Texas-based Agromod Produce distributes four papaya brands: Blondie, Mananita, [...]

When Patents Attack

Update, July 26: This story from Planet Money’s Alex Blumberg and NPR’s Laura Sydell aired this weekend on This American Life. (Check out TAL’s “Ways to Listen” page to find how you can hear the story.) A shorter version of the piece is also airing today on All Things Considered. Here’s the story. Nathan Myhrvold [...]

McDonald’s Move May Make Healthy Business Sense

When McDonald’s announced Tuesday that it would make the standard child’s Happy Meal more healthful, company officials said they were responding to the desires of its customers. But the move also makes business sense, analysts say. “This is good publicity and if you sell more happy meals, you’re likely selling more Big Macs to the [...]

U.S. Looks For Ways To Break Libya Stalemate

It’s been more than four months since NATO launched an attack on Moammar Gadhafi’s forces in Libya. Since then, opposition forces have gained ground with help from NATO airstrikes, but Gadhafi’s military is holding firm so far. President Obama and other leaders have called on Gadhafi to leave, but he’s clearly not listening. Now, the [...]

Rep. David Wu Is Resigning; Was House’s First Chinese-American Lawmaker

Rep. David Wu, the first Chinese-American to serve in the House, announced Tuesday that he will resign, ending what seemed to be headed toward becoming another embarrassing congressional sex scandal. The Oregon Democrat faced a House ethics investigation after allegations surfaced that he had what is being widely described as an “unwanted sexual encounter” with [...]

What A Credit Ratings Cut Could Mean For The U.S.

With a debt ceiling deadline approaching, party leaders spent the day counting votes. There are two plans: One, the handiwork of House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), the other from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). The problem is that it’s not clear that either can muster the votes necessary for approval. On Monday night, [...]

On U.S. Debt, An Early-Warning Indicator Flashes Red

A week from now, the U.S. Treasury may default on some debts as it hits against a $14.3-trillion debt ceiling. Despite that once-unthinkable possibility, financial markets appear calm. The stock market has not crashed and interest rates have held steady. Still, one indicator is showing investors are getting nervous: the cost of insuring U.S. government [...]

Teen Fights To Succeed In Rural S.C. Community

Third of a five-part series A fifth of the nation’s public school students attend rural schools, but nearly a third of those kids don’t graduate. In fact, many schools that researchers have labeled “dropout factories” are in rural communities. No state has more than South Carolina, which has 50. In this state, lots of teenagers [...]

The Many Melons Of Summer

When I was growing up on our farm in east Tennessee, we always had a melon patch. I’m not sure what varieties my parents tried besides cantaloupes and watermelons, but knowing them, it was probably most anything they could get seeds for. Disease, pests and lack of water eliminated most varieties after a single attempt; [...]

When Bigotry Becomes Madness

Christian extremist Anders Behring Breivik has confessed to committing the recent Norway attacks. Did insanity or pure evil trigger his actions? Host Michel Martin and psychiatrist Dr. Carl Bell discuss whether there’s a link between extreme racism and mental illness. Bell is among the authors ofThe Oxford Handbook of Personality Disorders. [Copyright 2011 National Public [...]