A drought in East Africa pushed millions toward starvation this year. The U.N. says relief efforts are paying off, with some areas of Somalia no longer seeing famine. But relief may be undermined by political instability and threats from the militant group al-Shabab. Guest host Tony Cox checks in with Jeffrey Gettleman of The New York Times.
Dan Brown, author of the blockbuster The Da Vinci Code, is back with his first novel in four years. Inferno follows academic hero Robert Langdon on a chase through Italy as he attempts to avert a biological catastrophe.
Designer Katie Shelly's upcoming cookbook offers 50 illustrated recipe "blueprints" for basic meals — from simple snacks to more hefty dishes like eggplant Parmesan. She hopes they'll inspire any level of cook to improvise in the kitchen.
NPR's Peter Overby reports on the Congressional testimony of IRS officials in response to the scandal over special scrutiny of tea party groups. Underneath all the politics, there's a policy question that hasn't been addressed.