NPR News

Pages

Business
12:01 am
Thu January 26, 2012

Quiznos Gives Up Control To Stave Off Bankruptcy

Credit Rob Kim / Landov
A man walks by a Quiznos franchise in New York City. The sandwich chain has given up part of its ownership to a private equity firm in order to restructure its debt and avoid bankruptcy.

Quiznos narrowly avoided bankruptcy this week when the sandwich chain shifted ownership to private equity firm Avenue Capital in exchange for erasing some debt.

The recession and poor management have hit the Denver-based sub-maker hard. The company once boasted more than 5,000 restaurants, but 40 percent of them have now shut their doors.

Andre Bonyadian owns nine Quiznos franchises in and around Los Angeles.

Read more
Business
12:01 am
Thu January 26, 2012

To Grow Business, Starbucks Thinks Outside The Cup

Credit Ted S. Warren / AP
Barista Nicole Adams serves up a drink in March at a Starbucks in downtown Seattle. The company is expanding its coffee options to include a light roast and plans to create a new health and wellness brand.

Just four years ago, Starbucks seemed to be losing its mojo. Howard Schultz, the man who made Starbucks a household name, returned to the company as CEO. He closed hundreds of stores, streamlined operations and set the company on a path to record revenues and strong profits.

Starbucks serves 60 million beverages a week, which adds up to big profits. The company reports its earnings Thursday. In a bid to further expand its consumer base, Starbucks has a new roast and plans to produce more retail products to sell outside of its coffeehouses.

Read more
Middle East
12:01 am
Thu January 26, 2012

Growing Pressures Prompt Plunge In Iranian Currency

The value of Iran's currency — which had been sliding steadily for months — took another plunge this week. Faced with new economic sanctions from the U.S. and Europe, the rial now seems to be in free fall.

But at least part of the dive could be linked to currency manipulation by the government itself in an effort to fund candidates in upcoming elections.

In images posted on the Internet, hundreds of Iranians are seen gathered outside the headquarters of the Bank Melli in Tehran Monday. They wanted to buy dollars, but there were no dollars to be had.

Read more
The Two-Way
6:40 pm
Wed January 25, 2012

Dick Tufeld, Voice Of The Robot in 'Lost In Space,' Has Died

The man who made "danger, Will Robinson!" a phrase that some of us will never forget has died.

Dick Tufeld, the voice of the robot in the classic '60s TV show Lost in Space, passed away Sunday in Los Angeles, The Associated Press reports. He was 85.

Read more
Music Interviews
6:35 pm
Wed January 25, 2012

Michelle Kwan's Slow And Steady Workout Jams

Credit Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
Michelle Kwan performs at an exhibition in 2005.
The Salt
6:20 pm
Wed January 25, 2012

Alice Waters: Picture Perfect As The Constant Gardener

Credit John Rose / NPR
Chefs Jose Andres and Alice Waters pose along side her newly installed portrait, by photographer Dave Woody, at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, on Jan. 20, 2012.

Alice Waters has moved from the kitchen to the garden to the soap box in her 40 years as a pioneer of the sustainable and locally grown food movement. But on one recent night, The Salt found her "hanging" in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington.

Read more
Business
6:01 pm
Wed January 25, 2012

Shoe Company Practices Insourcing For The Sole

The American economy lost more than 5,000 jobs to offshore outsourcing in 2010, and in Tuesday's State of the Union address President Obama made it clear that he wants them back.

"We can't bring every job back that's left our shores," he said. "But right now, it's getting more expensive to do business in places like China. Meanwhile, America is more productive."

Read more
Presidential Race
5:51 pm
Wed January 25, 2012

Rep. Ron Paul: The Interview Transcript

Robert Siegel interviewed Rep. Ron Paul on All Things Considered on Jan. 25. This is an edited transcript of their conversation.

ROBERT SIEGEL: Representative Paul, welcome to the program once again.

REPRESENTATIVE RON PAUL (R-TX): Thank you. Good to be with you.

Read more
Shots - Health Blog
5:35 pm
Wed January 25, 2012

Start Early To Curb Heart Risks For A Lifetime

Credit Yvan Dub / iStockphoto.com

Originally published on Wed January 25, 2012 7:03 pm

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. But who's at the most risk?

A study in the lastest New England Journal of Medicine offers a simple way to predict the risk of a fatal or debilitating heart attack or stroke for a middle-aged person over the rest of his or her life.

Read more
Shots - Health Blog
5:13 pm
Wed January 25, 2012

With Age, Men May Lose Thinking Ability Faster Than Women

Credit iStockphoto.com
Physical health problems may help drive men's mental decline.

Men are more apt than women to lose thinking ability as they age, according to new research. And that mild cognitive impairment often leads to dementia.

But people can reduce their risk of mild cognitive impairment by staying healthy and educated, according to Rosebud Roberts, a professor of epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic who led the study. "There is a lot that people can do," she told Shots.

Read more

Pages