National

National

Calif. Toxin Law Warns Consumers, But Can Burden Businesses

6:55pm January 05, 2014

by NPR Staff

Proposition 65 requires businesses to post public announcements about toxic chemicals in in their products. The law has been on the books for more than 20 years, and though it protects consumers, some say lawsuits over compliance disproportionately affect small businesses.

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The Everly Brothers, Phil (left) and Don, perform in 2004 in London.

Phil Everly: Harmony To His Brother's Melody

7:59pm January 04, 2014

by Sam Sanders

The Everly Brothers influenced an entire generation of popular musicians. Don's voice usually handled the melody, but Phil gave the higher accompanying harmony to that melody, which defined the brothers' sound. Phil Everly died Friday from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 74.

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Ground zero for a new approach to prescription drug disposal.

California County Pushes Drugmakers To Pay For Pill Waste

8:43pm January 03, 2014

by Pauline Bartolone

An Alameda County ordinance puts the responsibility for drug disposal squarely on the companies that made the medicines. States and the federal government have considered similar measures, but none has passed.

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The National Security Agency headquarters at Fort Meade, Md. The agency has been trying to build a quantum computer, The Washington Post reports — but that news doesn't surprise experts in the field.

National

The NSA's Quantum Code-Breaking Research Is No Secret

8:43pm January 03, 2014

by Geoff Brumfiel

So the world's most clandestine spy agency is working on something called a quantum computer. It's based on rules Einstein himself described as "spooky," and it can crack almost any code. That's got to be top-secret stuff, right? Guess again.

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National

Big Cities See Violent Crime Rates Fall In 2013

8:43pm January 03, 2014

by Cheryl Corley

Cities across the country saw sharp drops in violent crime rates in 2013. For some big cities, murder rates reached historic lows. The numbers reflect a decades-long decline, which shows that plenty of neighborhoods in urban areas are safe while some remain troubled by violent crime.

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National

Northeast Hit With Snow And Powerful Winds

2:16pm January 03, 2014

A very cold winter storm is engulfing much of the Northeast, dumping more than 20 inches of snow in some areas and bringing strong winds along with it. Schools are closed in Boston and New York City. Thousands of flights have been canceled. Officials around the region are asking people to stay home and let road crews do their work.

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For The Unemployed, Ideas To Help Bridge The Gap To Work

8:01pm January 02, 2014

by Chris Arnold

More than 1 million people lost their unemployment benefits as 2014 began. Whether or not those benefits get extended, economists say there are ways to change the program that will make it work better. One suggestion is work sharing, which has helped reduce Germany's unemployment.

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National

Midwest, Northeast Brace For First Major Snow Storm In 2014

6:18pm January 02, 2014

The first major snow storm of the new year is expected to hit 22 states Thursday and Friday. About 100 million people are expected to be affected.

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The Widening Wealth Gap: Bringing Income Inequality Into Focus

6:18pm January 02, 2014

The widening gap between the rich and poor in the U.S. has become a central touch point for economists, pundits and politicians across the U.S. New York City's newly sworn-in mayor, Bill deBlasio, was elected after campaigning against a city divided between the haves and have-nots. President Obama has called tackling inequality the defining challenge of our time, saying that growing inequality and a lack of upward mobility jeopardizes the American dream. But what, exactly, is income inequality? Audie Cornish puts that question to Drew DeSilver, a senior writer for the Pew Research Center's Fact Tank blog.

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National

Is It Legal For Undocumented Immigrant To Practice Law?

3:44pm January 02, 2014

by Emily Green

Opponents argue that admitting Sergio Garcia to the bar would violate a federal law prohibiting entities funded with state money from granting undocumented immigrants professional licenses. The California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case on Wednesday.

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