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Students at Lowell High School in Michigan sit down for lunch. Shorter lunch breaks mean that many kids don't get enough time to eat and socialize.

These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes

In a new poll, parents complain that their children are not getting nearly enough time for a basic school ritual: eating lunch. And that's worrying parents and administrators, given that about one-third of American kids are overweight or obese.

Ski Resorts Work To Turn China's Middle Class Into Snow Bunnies

Colorado ski resorts are ramping up efforts to draw skiers from emerging markets like China. About 12 percent of skier visits to the state's ski areas come from overseas. And, with China's growing middle class, Colorado resorts are looking to profit. At one resort, employees are decked in headsets, learning Mandarin Chinese in an effort to improve customer service.

A train leaves the Rangeland Energy company's crude oil loading terminal near Epping, N.D. So far this year, 60 percent of all oil produced in North Dakota left the state by rail. One economist says there aren't enough oil tankers to fill the demand.

Pipeline On Wheels: Trains Are Winning Big Off U.S. Oil

Railroads are increasingly becoming the preferred means of shipping the masses of oil being produced in North Dakota and surrounding states. The railroad industry is eager to fill in for the lack of pipeline capacity. But some say the train growth needs to slow down.

There are more than 4,000 garment factories in Bangladesh. One way or another, most of them trace their lineage to Abdul Majid Chowdhury, Noorul Quader and the 128 Bangladeshis who traveled to Korea 30 years ago.

Nixon And Kimchi: How The Garment Industry Came To Bangladesh

The business that transformed the nation is the product of an obscure but hugely influential trade deal — and a cultural struggle over Korean food.

In August, Attorney General Eric Holder told federal prosecutors to no longer hit low-level drug offenders with charges that carry mandatory minimum sentences. But it's not yet clear how broadly that directive is being interpreted.

Report: Threat Of Mandatory Minimums Used To Coerce Guilty Pleas

And the study by Human Rights Watch finds that defendants who take their fate to a judge or jury face prison sentences on average 11 years longer than those who plead guilty.

Solid friendships can help buffer life's stress.

Teens Who Feel Supported At Home And School Sleep Better

The notoriously short night's sleep that many tired adolescents get isn't all about surging hormones and too much homework, according to a sociologist who looked at shifting sleep patterns from ages 12 to 15. Teens who report good relationships with family and schoolmates tend to sleep better.

U.S. Economy Grew At 3.6 Percent In Third Quarter; Jobless Claims Dip

U.S. real gross domestic product rose from a 2.5 percent gain in the second quarter. And the number of people filing first-time claims for unemployment insurance fell to 298,000 last week.

Chinese banks cannot trade in Bitcoins, the digital currency that doesn't recognize international boundaries, China's top regulators said Thursday.

China Bans Bitcoin Trading By Banks

The exchange rate of Bitcoin, the digital currency whose value has sharply risen this year, took a hit following a government ban. Chinese citizens are not forbidden from using the currency.

Abortion In Haiti: Dangerous And Illegal

In Haiti, abortion is illegal and women are turning to dangerous ways to end unwanted pregnancies. Host Michel Martin talks with Jacqueline Charles, of the Miami Herald, about the issue.

Obama Tells Government To Ramp Up Its Renewable Energy Use

Under the new plan, each federal agency would have until 2020 to get 20 percent of its power from renewable sources such as solar and wind.

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