Susie Warhurst

As part of The Takeaway's innovation discussion the program looks at how new cell phone technology is having some big implications for the developing world. It’s a powerful tool because of its prevalence — cell phone use in the developing world has surged in recent years, meaning it could be the gateway to solving long standing challenges. Dr. Ashifi Gogo is CEO of Sproxil, a multi-national company that uses cell phones to help consumers spot counterfeit drugs in the developing world. Ramesh Raskar is an associate professor at MIT Media Lab.

The NBA remains stuck in a lockout this morning as negotiations between players and owners have failed to produce a new collective bargaining agreement. Tomorrow is scheduled be the first day of the 66th season, but instead the stadiums will remain closed and fans will stay at home. It’s a big disappointment for fans, but for many people, their livelihoods are on the line too.

All month we’ve been talking about innovation — speaking to innovative people and discussing innovative ideas. Now we hear from  a woman who has designed a product for diabetics that not only solves a problem but is changing attitudes too. Jessica Floeh is the creator of Hanky Pancreas, a line of insulin pump accessories — scarves, neck pieces and other decorative items — that make the functional medical device fashionable.

The world’s population is set to reach seven billion on Monday. And all this week, we’ve been talking about what this monumental number means for our people, resources and our planet. Should we be concerned about our booming population? Will we be able to feed a more populated World whilst protecting the environment? And how will global economies adjust?

Abigail Breslin was just 10 years old when she got the breakthrough role that changed her life. She appeared in the cult film "Little Miss Sunshine" as the youngest of a very dysfunctional family who pull together to help her achieve her dream of entering a beauty pageant. As a result, she became the youngest actress ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. She’s now fifteen years old and is starring in "Janie Jones," an independent film about another dysfunctional family.

For years we've been moving away from using paper and coins to pay for goods, and toward a cashless society. Now many people use debit cards as a convenient way to shop. But news from the Bank of America yesterday could change the way people feel about that. The banking giant announced it would impose a new monthly fee of $5 for checking accounts that use debit cards. Other banks are likely to follow suit. Why are we seeing increased banking charges and what can consumers do about it?

For the past decade, "SpongeBob SquarePants" has been one of the highest rated children's television programs. The show, which centers on a cheerful sea sponge who this in a pineapple on the ocean floor, has become popular with both adults and children, but that may not be a good thing. A new study out yesterday says that the cartoon has an immediate and detrimental impact on kids' attention spans. Is SpongeBob really that bad for kids?

Economists are predicting yet another week of drama in the Global financial markets. European leaders continue to disagree on the best way to handle the sovereign debt crisis and bail out Greece and other countries needing financial assistance. Meanwhile in the U.S., President Obama hopes his new jobs act will set the economy on a path to recovery — if Congress passes it. All this uncertainty in the political arena does nothing to help steady the markets, which continue to be extremely erratic. The month of August saw stocks in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index lurching hundreds of points within individual days and making huge swings in the course of a week.

Last week, we discussed the state of the nation’s job market, and the news was not good. No new jobs were created in August, meaning unemployment is stuck at 9.1 percent. How to get the job market moving will be the subject of intense debate this week, as Congress returns from its summer recess and the President outlines his strategy. We’ll also see the first meeting of the deficit reduction committee responsible for cutting $1.5 trillion from the budget. So it’s a big week for Congressmen and women, who recently haven’t shown a fondness for compromise.

It’s now six years since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and caused one of the worst natural disasters in the nation’s history. And over the weekend the people of New Orleans and Louisiana braced yet again for another onslaught. Tropical Storm Lee caused torrential downpours across the region and flooding in some low lying communities, such as the town of Jean Lafitte, where mandatory evacuations were in place and the waters rose high.

It’s back to school season, so The Takeaway is doing a special series on educational issues in America. Many school districts are facing deep budget cuts, while also feeling the pressure to raise student achievement. That puts a lot of pressure on teachers, students, and administrators alike. Today, two students whose school choir lost funding due to budget cuts last year are speaking out. Rather than throw in the towel, the students went to great lengths to try saving the choir — as well as several other extra-curricular programs at their school.

Historically black colleges and universities were established prior to the establishment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made previously established "separate but equal" racial segregation laws null. The schools were intended to provide higher education to the black community, at a time when black students weren't permitted to attend many institutions. Today, 105 historically black colleges and universities still exist in America, but many of them are now actively looking to enroll non-black students. Why is this? And how will this initiative change historically black colleges?

Official statistics show that since 1999 over 64,000 Chinese babies, most of them girls, have been adopted by Americans. China’s one child policy has caused an increase in the number of children abandoned, many of whom end up in orphanages. But China has changed a great deal in the last two decades, and so has its attitude towards adoption. The Chinese government recently paid for 90 adopted Chinese children and their families to travel from the U.S. to the country of their birth on a "heritage tour" — billed as an opportunity for these children to learn more about their roots.

This week, millions of eager fans will be flocking to see the film “The Help.” Based on the best-selling novel by Kathryn Stockett, “The Help” is about African-American domestic workers in Mississippi during the 1960s. As an act of civil disobedience, the women tell their stories to a young, white editor in their community, who goes on to publish them.

Coming up, Today sees the launch of a much anticipated collaboration between two musical giants. Jay Z and Kanye West have joined forces to produce ‘Watch the Throne’. What can we exp...

"Beware the beast Man, for he is the Devil’s pawn." That’s a quote from the 1968 classic science fiction film, "Planet of the Apes." The movie starred Charlton Heston, and imagined a post-nuclear world ruled by powerful apes. The film spawned a media franchise of sequels, and television series. But "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," which debuts this weekend, contemplates how the primates might take power today.

This weekend will mark 100 years since the birth of an American comedy icon: Lucille Ball. The actress, comedian and star of the enduring 1950s sitcom "I Love Lucy" changed the comedic landscape. The hit television series followed the hilarious adventures of Lucy and her husband Ricky. Lucy often became the subject of her own jokes, and her physical presence and timing made her popular with viewers all over America, inspiring future generations of comedians and writers.

International celebrity culture often feels like a very modern phenomenon, but the concept was not foreign to society in the 1860s, when there was one couple everybody wanted to meet: General Tom Thumb and his wife, Lavinia Warren. Both were famous because of their short stature — Lavinia was just 32 inches tall — and they toured the country as "curiosities." Their wedding in 1863 caused a national sensation that extended as far as the White House, where President Abraham Lincoln hosted a reception in their honor. Tom Thumb is now a household name, though most people have never heard of Lavinia. 

Last week, Nafissatou Diallo — the hotel maid who has accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, of attempted rape — spoke to the media about the incident. She claims to have been badly misquoted in a taped conversation being used by the defense to discredit her. The conversation was in her native dialect, Fulani, a West African language. Her claims highlight the difficulties of translation, and the weighty responsibility on translators and interpreters to get the tone and the meaning of words correct in cases like this.

Public sector lay-offs have disproportionately affected the black middle class. What is the solution?