National and World News from NPR

Almost 25 years since the first organic farm took root in Hong Kong, the appeal of organic food is finally catching on. But restaurateurs, chefs, suppliers and organic experts say scant supply is leaving consumers hungry for more, and what is available still costs too much.

Syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh called a Georgetown student a "prostitute" and a "slut" after she testified before a Senate committee and called for federal health care coverage to include the cost of contraception. Limbaugh apologized, but it has prompted a re-examination of the term, "slut."

President Obama recently said, "Iran's leaders should understand that I do not have a policy of containment; I have a policy to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon." Some say containment represents a viable option against Iran, but others argue that Cold War strategies do not apply to Iran.

Adult children caring for elderly parents may feel guilty, isolated and resentful. But some parents being cared for do too. Dr. Lillian Rubin knows that struggle well, as she has found herself at odds with her well-meaning daughter over what her daughter wants for her, and what she actually needs.

A growing field of medical research aims to pinpoint exactly why pets can make us happier and healthier. Some studies show that animal interaction can increase a person's level of oxytocin, a hormone associated with love and trust. And the animals also benefit from positive human interaction.

During his first news conference of the year, President Obama defended his decision not to intervene militarily in Iran and Syria.

"Sometimes [force] is necessary but we don't do it casually," he said. "There is a cost and we don't play politics with it."

Obama described the situation in Syria as "more complicated" than the situation in Libya and said deploying the military is not the only way to solve problems.

While the controversy continues to swirl around radio talkmeister Rush Limbaugh and his admittedly inappropriate comments about Georgetown Law Student Sandra Fluke, an analysis from the left-leaning Brookings Institution adds an economic twist to the debate over coverage of contraception.

The FBI is offering a $1 million reward for information leading directly to the safe return of one of its retired agents.

Robert Levinson disappeared five years ago this week on Kish Island, Iran. He worked at the FBI for 22 years before he retired, taking as a private detective. It was that job that sent him to Iran in March 2007, where he went missing.

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., which in 2008 filed for the biggest bankruptcy in U.S. history and whose collapse roiled world markets, says it has exited bankruptcy and will make its first payment to creditors on April 17.

The Wall Street Journal reports: