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Nathan Myhrvold, who made his name with inventions at Microsoft, is focusing these days on a different kind of technological advance: the threat from biological weapons. Myhrvold's in Washington this week to meet with national security leaders. He wants to convince them to spend time and energy on terrorist attacks that could cause the greatest damage.

The National Security Agency violated special court restrictions on the use of a database of telephone calls, but the NSA says it fixed those problems. That's the bottom line from more documents declassified by the director of National Intelligence. The document dump is part of an effort to share more details about NSA surveillance activities that were uncovered by former government contractor Edward Snowden.

MK Asante grew up in in north Philadelphia or as he calls it, "Killadelphia." In his new memoir, Buck, he details how he went from a drug dealing delinquent to becoming a poet and professor. Host Michel Martin talks to Asante about why he turned his life around.

Film director Haifaa Al Mansour comes from a small town in Saudi Arabia where, she says, there are many girls who have big dreams, strong characters and infinite potential. She's made a movie about one of them, titled Wadjda. Host Michel Martin speaks to Al Mansour about the film and being a female movie director in Saudi Arabia.

A chance encounter with a little girl in an ice cream store inspired R.J. Palacio to write a novel about a boy born with distorted facial features. She says it got her thinking about what it's like to "have to face a world every day that doesn't know how to face you back."

An initiative in New York City is designed to nudge the families of overweight kids and teens to change the way they eat with fruit and vegetable prescriptions. The big incentive? Free produce as well as tips on how best to cook and economize.

The four top congressional leaders held a closed-door meeting Thursday to assess where they stand on the coming government funding and debt-ceiling deadlines. As has become typical in recent years, some conservative House Republicans appear to be the stumbling block with their insistence that any deal repeal or defund Obamacare.

Dolby, who invented some of the technologies that revolutionized film and sound recording, was instrumental in developing surround sound technology. Dolby had been living with Alzheimer's and was diagnosed with leukemia this summer.

Wal-Mart says its plans to open six stores in the nation's capitol are back on after the mayor vetoed a so-called living wage bill that targeted big box retailers. The focus now turns to the District's 13 member City Council. The bill passed in July with eight votes — nine are needed to override a veto.

People of the Jewish faith are seeking atonement during Yom Kippur, but one congregation is giving the holiday a new twist. Members are using social media to tweet for forgiveness. Host Michel Martin speaks with Cantor Debbi Ballard to find out how the process works.