Talk of the Nation

Cheatgrass, an invasive weed, is choking out native sagebrush in the Great Basin--and setting the stage for hotter, more catastrophic fires there. Jen Pierce, an expert on ancient fires, and Mike Pellant, of the Great Basin Restoration Initiative, talk about how fires are reshaping landscapes in the American West.

In school cafeterias across the country, students are seeing big changes on their lunch trays. Responding to the growing childhood obesity epidemic, the USDA approved new rules for the federal school lunch program, the first such changes to student lunches in more than a decade.

China has been plagued by political scandal and controversy, just as the Communist government prepares for its once-a-decade transfer of power. It's an important moment for the government, which faces questions about how its economy will be governed and how it will handle deal with foreign powers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the U.N. Thursday. He pressed his case for stronger "red lines" to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Aaron David Miller of the Woodrow Wilson Center talks about recent U.N. speeches and debate over Iran's nuclear program.

Several states have passed what are known as parent-trigger laws, which give parents a path to make operational changes in failing schools. Education Week reporter Sean Cavanagh talks about where parent-trigger laws are in place and what we know about whether or not they are working.

With less than six weeks left until Election Day, both presidential campaigns are focusing their efforts on reaching out to voters in crucial swing states. Campaign observers and insiders weigh in on how strategies change as candidates race toward November.

Federal prosecutors and law enforcement are working to eliminate human trafficking. How that happens and how they help victims, from the sex trade to agricultural work, differs. Writer Noy Thrupkaew, WGBH reporter Phillip Martin and Amy Bennett Williams of The News-Press explain.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took the podium before the U.N. General Assembly and laid out his vision for a new world order free of the "hegemony of arrogance." The U.S. delegation boycotted the speech, a day after President Obama addressed world leaders from the same stage.

We often hear about children with intellectual disabilities who face challenges as they grow into adulthood. Less often, we hear about their siblings. They often experience a unique set of emotions, responsibilities and opportunities when it comes to their siblings with special needs.

At the United Nations, President Obama said the attacks that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in Libya "were attacks on America." Also in New York, Mitt Romney said U.S. foreign aid plays an important role, but that U.S. policies must promote independence, not reliance on aid.

NATO has suspended some joint operations and training with the Afghan Army and police. While the suspension is temporary, it raises serious questions about the role of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and whether or not Afghans will be ready to take control of their own security in 2014.

NPR's Neal Conan reads from listener comments on previous Talk of the Nation show topics, including underappreciated jobs, what it's like for Americans to live abroad when the U.S. is the target of civil unrest, where we find atonement, and how to pitch a knuckleball.

As the lockout of NFL officials over a labor dispute continues, the replacement refs have been roundly criticized for an increase in bad calls and a general loss of control on the field. NPR's Mike Pesca explains the issues with replacement refs and the ongoing dispute with the regular officials.

Kick a golf ball back onto the green. Sneak a peek at an opponent's cards in a friendly poker game. Grab a few hundred extra dollars in Monopoly. Duke University professor Dan Ariely studies cheating, and has figured out what drives us to to do it, and how we justify our actions.

In The New York Times, history professor Richard Striner disagrees that too much emphasis has been placed on the Emancipation Proclamation. Rather, he argues, "the truth is that Lincoln's proclamation was ... a huge gamble by a leader who sought to be — and who became — America's great liberator."