- A 10th-Grader's Stomach Lie Detector Test
Trisha Pasricha's 10th-grade science fair project, a lie detector test that measures changes in the stomach to determine whether the subject is telling the truth -- won second prize at the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Madele...
- A Blow-Out to End All Blow-Outs
Recent archeological studies have revealed the wild party habits of ancient Peruvians. Around 1,000 years ago, over the span of several days, a beer-fuelled party went hand in hand with the destruction of an outpost. Researchers believe female brewer...
- A Domestic Diva Talks Relish
It's pink and lumpy. It's an NPR Thanksgiving tradition. And this year it's the subject of a conversation with world-famous entrepreneur Martha Stewart....
- A Former President Warns of 'Endangered Values'
Blurring the line between church and state threatens civil liberties and privacy, says former president Jimmy Carter. That's the case he makes in his new book, Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis....
- A Hospital in Zambia, 'On the Frontlines of AIDS'
In his new documentary On the Frontlines of AIDS, filmmaker Sorious Samura chronicles his experience working as an orderly at a hospital in Zambia. Television critic Andrew Wallenstein reviews the film, which airs Monday on the Discovery Times...
- A Look at Suicide Bomber Networks
A suicide bomb often seems to be the work of one person, motivated by religious fervor. After his study of suicide bombings worldwide, Robert Pape at the University of Chicago argues that they are the product of organizations more connected by strate...
- A Musical Trip to the Mongolian Steppe
Two years ago, singing herdsmen from Mongolia traveled to Nevada for a musical exchange with a group of singing cowboys. In September, the herdsmen hosted their American counterparts on the Mongolian steppe....
- A Solo Paul Weller Returns with 'As Is Now'
British punk/soul/mod rocker Paul Weller's 30-year career included leading the seminal band The Jam, and the neo-soul outfit Style Council. He's had a solo career since 1992 and his new CD is called As Is Now. Day to Day music critic C...
- A Survey Course on Alito Legal Views
Most people agree that U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito has a conservative legal history. But how conservative is he? Nina Totenberg surveys Alito's legal opinions....
- A Trombone for All Jazz
Jazz trombonist and composer Roswell Rudd celebrated his 70th birthday on Nov. 17, 2005. Rudd's new CD, Blue Mongol, features his work with The Mongolian Buryat Band, a group of throat singers. Rudd is known for his work with groundbreaking gr...
- A WW II Memorial for Germans Rankles Some
A controversy has grown over plans for a memorial center dedicated to the 12 million Germans who became refugees after World War II. Many were forced to flee the Soviet army or were expelled from homes in Eastern Europe. The planned center has raised...
- AIDS Epidemic Worsens in Southern Africa
The global HIV epidemic continues to expand, with more than 40 million people now estimated to have the AIDS virus, the United Nations says. The epidemic shows no signs of abating in southern Africa, but in some countries prevention efforts are final...
- Accident Contaminates Major Chinese City's Water Supply
In northeastern China, a city of nearly 4 million people has temporarily lost its water supply. Environmental officials say an industrial accident polluted a river that normally serves as the water source for the city, Harbin. Anthony Kuhn has the de...
- African Lawyer Wins Press Freedom Award
Beatrice Mtetwa is a media lawyer who defends journalists in Zimbabwe. She recently received the International Press Freedom Award....
- After Riots, Leaders Appeal for Calm in Paris
Politicians and community leaders appeal for calm in Paris after six nights of rioting. The violence comes after two teenagers of African origin died while apparently fleeing police. Most of the protesters are immigrant youths, who say they suffer di...
- After the Riots, France Reassesses
Much of the chaos that engulfed Paris earlier this month has subsided, but the issues that sparked the riots still exist. Host Steve Inskeep talks with reporter Eleanor Beardsley about what it was like to cover the riots and what is happening politic...
- Agencies Urge Immediate Relief for Pakistan
In Pakistan, there's a race with winter to provide shelter for millions left homeless by last month's earthquake. The United Nations recently increased the projected monetary need to $500 million....
- Alito Could Move Court Dramatically to the Right
Conservatives have welcomed the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, seeing it as a rare opportunity to move the Supreme Court in a decidedly more conservative direction....
- Alito's Potential Impact on States' Rights Issues
Renee Montagne talks with Michael Gerhardt about how Samuel Alito may shape decisions on states' rights if his nomination to the Supreme Court is confirmed. Gerhardt teaches constitutional law at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill....
- Amid Ongoing Riots, Chirac Vows to Restore Order
French president Jacques Chirac breaks his silence on the rioting that has shaken his nation for more than week. Chirac vows to restore order but also pledges to support equal opportunity for all....
- Amid Rapid Growth, Challenges for China's Economy
The large-scale growth of China's economy has attracted notice from businesses and investors worldwide. But pressures -- from corruption to bureaucracy and the role of the state -- offer new complications. Nicholas Lardy examines future challenges to...
- An American Doctor in Quake-Ravaged Pakistan
American medical personnel with ties to Pakistan organized relief efforts after last month's earthquake devastated much of the northern part of the South Asian nation. Madeleine Brand speaks with Dr. Atif Malik about the injuries he saw, and the need...
- An Assembly Line Worker's View of GM Cuts
General Motors, the world's largest automaker, on Monday announced plans to cut 30,000 jobs and close as many as 12 North American production plants and operations in an effort to cut its record losses. Madeleine Brand speaks with Beth Holcomb, a wor...
- An Uneventful Royal Visit
Linda Wertheimer talks with Alan Hamilton, reporter for The Times of London, about this week's relatively uneventful U.S. visit by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall....
- Analysts Rue Loss of Alliance with Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan was seen as a key U.S. ally for the war in Afganistan. But last week, U.S. warplanes withdrew, complying with a summer order from the former Soviet Republic. Some say it's a key U.S. loss in Eurasia....
- Another Way to Observe Holidays: 'Buy Nothing Day'
As consumers swarm malls the day after Thanksgiving, some argue that Americans should refrain from the holiday spending spree. Kalle Lasn is the creator of "Buy Nothing Day" -- a campaign to counter the "Black Friday" shopping rush....
- As Thousands Travel, Airlines Hope for No Snags
Thanksgiving is next week -- and that means it will be the busiest travel week of the entire year. NPR's Scott Simon talks with Kenneth Button, director of George Mason University's Transportation Policy, Operations, and Logistics Center, about airli...
- Attacks Kill More Than 50 Across Iraq
More than 50 people were killed in attacks across Iraq Thursday. In the deadliest strike, a suicide bomber drove into a group of U.S. soldiers handing out toys and candy outside a hospital south of Baghdad. Dozens were killed; most were women and chi...
- Audio Postcard: The Pine Nut Harvest
The harvest of the expensive pine nut happens only about once every five years. Reporter Beth Hoffman spends a day with a Navajo storyteller and pine nut harvester in Utah....
- Author and Son Describe Difficulty of Iraq Service
The anxiety of having a loved one serving in the Iraq war affects thousands of American families. Novelist Frederick Busch's son is a Marine who has completed two tours in Iraq. Frederick Busch detailed his need for static-laden telephone conversati...
- 'Battle for the Soul of Capitalism'
John C. Bogle, founder of the investment firm Vanguard, believes that money managers and middlemen have put their own financial interests above those of the investors who they represent. He makes the case in his new book, The Battle for the Soul o...
- Beignets Back, Nagin Wants Residents Back, Too
For all of the disagreement about how to revitalize New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, there is one thing that most everyone can agree on: Mayor Ray Nagin has a leviathan task on his hands....
- Betting Underground in Semi-Legal Gambling Lairs
Major League Baseball officials have chastised New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez for frequenting "underground" card rooms. Mike Pesca gets the lowdown on these semi-legal gambling lairs from the people who frequent them....
- 'Beyond Prison': James Gilbert's Return to Society
In the first part of our week-long series Beyond Prison, New Hampshire Public Radio's Dan Gorenstein introduces the story of former inmate James Gilbert, his incarceration and return to society....
- Blair Under Fire for Support of Iraq War
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, like President George Bush, is facing a serious crisis of public confidence as a result of his stance on the war in Iraq. Earlier this month, Blair lost a crucial vote in parliament, his first such defeat in eight y...
- Book Examines Life of 'Last Playboy'
Portland Oregonian movie reviewer Shawn Levy talks about his book, The Last Playboy. It is a biography of legendary playboy Porfirio Rubirosa; he was a racecar driver, diplomat and absolute scoundrel -- marrying rich women like Doris Du...
- Bosnian Leaders Strike Unifying Agreement
The leaders of Bosnia's three major ethnic groups -- Muslims, Serbs and Croats -- agree to rewrite the constitution to more strongly unify the country. The historic move comes 10 years after the Dayton peace accords ended Bosnia-Herzegovina's brutal ...
- 'Branding' Musical Tastes with Compilation CDs
Starbucks, Pottery Barn and other retailers have been releasing mood and holiday-themed compilation CDs. Musician and writer David Was explains why releasing records this way proves almost risk-free, and he muses on how matching tunes with commercia...
- Bringing Holiday Trees to Market
That holiday tree in your living room seems fresh, but it was probably plucked from the farm earlier this month. Tom Banse has an insider's look at the industrial operation to bring trees to market....
- Britain Charges Nigerian Governor with Money Laundering
British authorities charged a Nigerian governor with money laundering, but he escaped disguised as a woman and returned to Nigeria. The case is tarnishing the vow by Nigeria's president to curb theft of public resources by some state governors. Steve...
- Burma Continues Detention of Nobel-Winning Activist
Officials in Burma say that Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is going to remain in detention for another year. The 61-year-old Suu Kyi has spent roughly 10 of the last 15 years in prison or under house arrest after the military refused to ...
- Bush Attacks Critics of Iraq War at Rally
President Bush used Veterans Day to strike back at critics of the war in Iraq. He told an audience of veterans and military workers in Pennsylvania that his political rivals are sending the wrong message to troops -- and the enemy -- by questioning...
- Bush China Trip to Focus on Economic, Religious Reforms
President Bush will embark on a trip to Asia next week with a stop in China. The president plans to press Chinese President Hu Jintao to allow greater religious freedom and to link China's currency to market forces....
- Bush, GOP Face Low Poll Numbers
The House of Representatives passed a bill this week to cut $50 billion from domestic programs. The cut comes at a time when both President Bush and the Republican-led Congress are down in the polls and seeking ways to turn around their fortunes. Pol...
- Bush Leaves D.C. Troubles Behind for S. America
President Bush is beginning a five-day trip to Latin America on Thursday. The journey includes an appearance at Friday's opening session of the Summit of the Americas, an event that aims to create jobs and promote democracy throughout Latin America. ...
- Bush Leaves Summit Without Trade Agreement
The 34-nation Summit of the Americas concludes in Mar del Plata, Argentina, with little apparent progress on a free-trade area promoted by President Bush. The meeting was overshadowed by violent anti-Bush protests....
- Bush Met by Protests in Argentina
President Bush's attendance at the Summit of the Americas triggered violent protests in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, the site of the summit. Tens of thousands of demonstrators paraded through the streets calling for Americans to get out of Iraq and Afgh...
- Bush Outlines Plan for Potential Flu Pandemic
President Bush on Tuesday announced plans to protect Americans from a possible avian flu pandemic. Noah Adams speaks with NPR health correspondent Julie Rovner about the looming threat of avian flu, which has killed at least half of those infected by...
- Bush Urges Political, Religious Freedoms for China
President Bush, meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing, pressed his government to expand political and religious freedoms. The president began his day worshipping at a Protestant church -- one of the few state-sanctioned Christian church...
- Bush, on Asia Trip, Rebuffs U.S. War Critics
President Bush, on a trip through several Asian countries, answers American critics of his handling of the U.S.-led war in Iraq. In his first public response to a fiery debate in Congress, Bush said leaving Iraq would aid terrorism....
- Bush on the Defensive About Iraq War
Steve Inskeep talks to Senior Correspondent Juan Williams about how declining poll numbers and lack of political confidence in President Bush are creating new focus on the Iraq war....
- Bush to Advocate 'Guest Worker' Program
President Bush is set to speak about immigration issues Monday in a trip to Arizona. He advocates a "guest worker" policy as the best way to balance labor and border security concerns. Alex Chadwick talks to NPR senior Washington, D.C., editor Ron El...
- Calcutta Plans to Ban Rickshaws
India's economic boom has reached Calcutta, a city better known for crushing poverty. The city wants to ban hand-pulled rickshaws, calling them medieval and inhumane. Officials promise to provide alternative employment, although those promised jobs m...
- Calif. Unions, Schwarzenegger Battle over Prop. 75
California's Proposition 75, the so-called "Paycheck Protection" initiative, would require unions to get a worker's written permission before spending union dues on political contests. Tamara Keith of member station KPCC reports on the fight between ...
- Calif. Voters to Decide Prescription Drug Battle
California voters will face a confusing pair of initiatives on Tuesday. Propositions 78 and 79 both appear to offer drug discounts. But Kenny Goldberg of member station KPBS reports that one is supported and funded by large pharmaceutical companies a...
- California Political Opponents Employ Web Animation
In California, the television airwaves are inundated with ads for and against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ballot initiatives in next Tuesday's vote. The campaigns are also using a relatively new medium to get their messages out: Internet animation. ...
- California Teen Returns Home to Afghanistan
After the fall of the Taliban, California teen Said Hyder Akbar returned to the home country he'd never known: Afghanistan. His audio diaries of summer trips there form the basis of his book, Come Back to Afghanistan....
- California Voters Weigh Abortion Notification Measure
California's Proposition 73 would require parents to be notified before an abortion could be performed on a minor. Conservative and religious groups nationwide are rallying behind the ballot measure as the state's Nov. 8 special election approaches....
- California's Capital Sees Big Benefits in More Trees
Sacramento, Calif., claims more trees per capita than any other city in the world. It's now embarking on a 40-year plan to double the city's tree canopy. The potential benefits of urban forests include lower temperatures, improved air quality and --...
- Calls for Calm in Paris After Two Weeks of Riots
Politicians and community leaders have appealed for calm in Paris, after nearly two weeks of rioting. The violence began following the death of two teenagers of African origin who were electrocuted last Thursday night while apparently fleeing police....
- Can Layoffs Help GM Stay Afloat?
Host Steve Inskeep talks to Joseph White, Detroit bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, about whether the layoffs address the fundamental problems at GM, and whether it will fend off bankruptcy....
- Canada Settles with Native Groups for Past Abuses
Michele Norris talks with Gloria Galloway, a reporter with the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, about a $1.9-billion settlement between the Canadian government and its aboriginal people. The settlement helps to conclude a long-running co...
- Car Makers Scramble to Overcome Industry Ills
Madeleine Brand speaks with Car and Driver editor in chief Csaba Csere about structural problems that plague the U.S. domestic car industry and actions Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler might take to overcome them....
- Caviar Ban Threatens Mississippi Paddlefish
Some fishermen on the Mississippi remember using buckets of paddlefish eggs as pig slop. Then the U.S. government banned caviar imports from the Caspian Sea. NPR environmental correspondent John Nielsen reports on how that ban made paddlefish caviar ...
- Celebrating Saints, Souls in a Ravaged New Orleans
November 1 is All Saints Day and November 2 is All Souls Day in the Roman Catholic calendar. Traditionally, the Catholic faithful of New Orleans spend those days cleaning and decorating the tombs of their loved ones. Eve Troeh reports on this year's...
- Changes Seen in Al Qaeda Structure
Since Sept. 11, Osama bin Laden has been the face of the movement. But with an increase in insurgent activity in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has appeared to be a key player in al Qaeda's activities....
- Chechnya Holds Parliamentary Vote
Over the weekend, the Russian republic of Chechnya held parliamentary elections. The Kremlin -- and some voters -- say the new parliament may help bring peace to the violent region. Human rights groups have denounced the vote as a political farce....
- Checking in at the Texas Pretty Mule Contest
The West Texas Beautiful Burro and Mule Contest is held Saturday in Jeff Davis County, Texas. Judges will decide which burros and mules are best dressed, most congenial, have the loudest bray, the longest ears, perform the best tricks or are conside...
- Chertoff on Bolstering U.S. Border Security
In an exclusive interview with NPR, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff talks about agency plans to tighten the southern U.S. border and ending the "catch and release" policy. The policy of releasing illegal immigrants has been criticized as...
- Children's Opera 'Brundebar' Revived
Children's author Maurice Sendak has designed the scenery for a production of Brundebar, a Czech opera originally performed by children in a World War II concentration camp....
- China Honors Reformist Whose Death Sparked Protests
China's Communist party pays homage to one of its most reform-minded leaders, a man the party had practically erased from history. But Friday's ceremony for Hu Yaobang, whose death helped spark the Tiananmen Square protests, wasn't the endorsement of...
- China's Oil Demand and the Global Market
China's tremendous demand for oil has contributed to an effect on prices at the pump for U.S. consumers. Analysts debate whether a slowdown in growth for China's oil dependency could help stabilize world oil markets....
- Chinese Chemical Spill Moves Toward Russia
As a chemical spill in the Songhua River heads toward Russia's Far East, the nearly 4 million people of Harbin, China, do without running water for a fourth day. The BBC's Louisa Lim tells Scott Simon that Chinese newspapers are criticizing the centr...
- Chris Douridas: Finding Music Gems in Japan
Chris Douridas, a music supervisor for feature films and host of the music show New Ground at member station KCRW, recently went to Japan and brought back some real gems -- he shares his musical finds....
- Christopher Kimball Saves the Thanksgiving Feast
Thanksgiving can turn into a nightmare when your best-laid plans go awry in the kitchen. That's where Christopher Kimball can help. He is the creator of Cook's Illustrated Magazine and hosts the PBS television show America's Test Kitchen- Church-State Tensions and Christianity in China
President Bush worshipped at a state-sanctioned church in Beijing Sunday morning, a gesture meant to encourage greater religious freedom in China. Debbie Elliott takes a closer look at the practice of Christianity in China with Carol Lee Hamrin, co-e...
- Clear Channel to Spin Off Units
Clear Channel Communications is the nation's largest broadcaster. It's also the world's biggest live concert promoter and the world's largest owner of billboards. But Clear Channel reported a 21 percent drop in earnings last quarter and the company h...
- Cold Weather Worsens Plight of Pakistan Quake Survivors
In areas devastated by the South Asia earthquake earlier this month, many people in remote villages are beginning to feel the brunt of cold weather. Relief efforts have slowed down and survivors are also succumbing to illness....
- Commentator Offers Policy Advice to Bush
A Wall Street Journal /NBC poll this week showed President Bush's approval rating at its lowest point ever. This week, Richard Haas outlined recommendations for the president in a New York Times op-ed piece. Haas is now president of t...
- Congress Tackles Spending, Anti-Torture Measures
Republican leaders in Congress are vowing to resuscitate White House-backed spending and tax cut bills that they had to pull late last week for lack of support. Also, a showdown looms over a Senate-endorsed anti-torture provision that faces a threate...
- Conservatives Assuaged by Alito Nomination
Conservatives are claiming victory in the Supreme Court nomination of Samuel Alito, after having revolted against President Bush's choice of Harriet Miers. National Political Correspondent Mara Liasson looks at the pull of conservatives at a particul...
- Contaminated Water Plagues El Salvador
El Salvador gets nearly six feet of rainfall each year, but clean water is in short supply. Contaminated water kills thousands there every year. But simple projects that build deep wells are beginning to succeed where expensive, modern water systems ...
- Corruption Hampers Bulgaria's EU Ambitions
The Bulgarian government announced plans Monday to charge dozens of suspected crime bosses in an attempt to stamp out organized crime. The poor Balkan state wants to join the European Union in January 2007, but the EU has urged it to crack down on it...
- Corruption on the Rise in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin took office five years ago promising to fight the country's rampant corruption. But experts say corruption has actually skyrocketed since then. Many in Russia say corruption affects all aspects of life there -- from a...
- Credit Card Companies Raise Minimum Payments
Under pressure from government regulators, banks are raising the minimum payments cardholders are required to make each month. The move is intended to reduce the nation's long-term debt; but in the short-term, consumers are feeling the pinch when the...
- 'Da Vinci Code' Drops from Best Seller List
For the first time in more than two years Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code will not be on The New York Times best seller list....
- David Ruiz, Ex-Con and Prison Reform Activist
Prison reform activist David Ruiz died recently at age 63. Ben Philpott of member station KUT in Austin, Texas, has a remembrance of Ruiz, who went to prison multiple times for aggravated robbery but spent his years in prison educating himself and ad...
- Dayton Peace Accords, 10 Years Later
Monday marks 10 years since the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords on Bosnia. The agreement reconfigured the former Yugoslav Republic, where Serbs, Croats and Muslims had engaged in a terrible civil war. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns discu...
- Deadly Bombs Strike Market Near Baghdad
At least 13 civilians are dead after bombs detonated at a market southeast of Baghdad. The violence comes a day after the worst death toll for Iraqis since September. At least 78 people were killed and well over 100 wounded in two blasts at a Shiite ...
- Debate Over Conditions in India's Call Centers
A debate has begun in India over whether the country's educated and talented young people working in call centers are victims of exploitation. A report from a government-funded think tank compared some centers with "Roman slave galley ships" and says...
- Demand for Educational Software Drops
Renee Montagne talks with New York Times technology columnist David Pogue about why sales of educational software have dropped recently, and what gadgets and Web sites parents are turning to....
- Democrats Learn Lessons on Religion from Kaine Victory
The election this week of Tim Kaine as Governor of Virginia may mark the Democratic party's first step toward an important goal -- talking to the American people about faith....
- Dems, GOP Fight Over Federal Spending for the Poor
A House-passed version of a spending-cuts bill would trim billions of dollars from programs aimed at the poor. Republicans say those programs dont work as well as they should. But Democrats have decried the Republicans' choice of which programs to ...
- Dengue Fever: 'Escape from Dragon House'
Sarah Bardeen reviews Escape from Dragon House, a new CD from the group Dengue Fever. The six-member band fuses Cambodian pop with psychedelic rock, creating an only-in-California sound that's gaining new fans....
- Deportations from Germany Rattle Afghans
Afghans who have taken refuge in Germany from war and oppression are being forcibly deported back to their native country. The deportations have rattled the Afghan community, especially minority Hindus who say they will face religious persecution if ...
- Detroit Cobras, Covering Classics
Baby is the new album by the group The Detroit Cobras, who specialize in playing raucous cover versions of other musicians' songs....
- Developing Countries See Health-Care 'Brain Drain'
An exodus of health care professionals from developing countries has been documented in a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study found that immigrants from India, the Philippines and Nigeria account for the largest n...
- Dianne Reeves Prepares for National Tour
Jazz singer Dianne Reeves has received a lot of exposure recently through her singing in the film Good Night and Good Luck. Before the movie, she already had a devoted following after winning Best Jazz Vocal Performance Grammys for each of her...
- Dig It: 'The Ultimate Issac Hayes'
The music icon's career has stretched from the heyday of 1960s soul through the "blacksploitation" film era, to newfound popularity as the voice of Chef in the irreverent animated series South Park. A newly released three-disc set follows Haye...
- Disease Results in Second Wave of Quake Victims
Pakistan is still trying to come to terms with the suffering of earthquake survivors. By conservative counts, 56,000 people died after the quake struck the remote Himalayas three weeks ago. The United Nations is warning that a second wave of deaths ...
- Dresden Church Reopened After World War II Destruction
When the Allies bombed Dresden, Germany, during World War II, much of the city was left in ruins. The Church of Our Lady -- a grand baroque building -- fell after burning. Now, 60 years later, the famous church has been rebuilt and a national celebra...
- EU Probes Claims of Secret CIA Prisons in Europe
The European Union will investigate reports that the CIA has set up secret detention centers in Eastern Europe to hold high-level terrorist suspects for interrogation. A major human-rights group says it has evidence that Poland and Romania are involv...
- Efforts to Boost U.S. Border Control Face Challenges
The Department of Homeland Security is increasing its presence along the U.S.-Mexican border. But qualifications for border patrol agents are tough, and recruiters struggle to meet their quotas. Those who do complete training at the U.S. Border Patro...
- Embedded in Fallujah, Reporter Dexter Filkins
Filkins accompanied a Marine company for eight days in November as they conducted an offensive on Fallujah. He followed the Marines from the outskirts of the city into the maze of streets, dodging suicide bombers, waking at 1:30 a.m. to a rebel attac...
- Embracing the Joys of 'Petro-Tainment'
Despite the high price of gas at the pump, more and more outdoor chores and sports seem to involve gas-fueled gizmos. North Carolina writer Scott Huler talks about how Americans are embracing "petro-tainment."...
- Emergency Measures Appear to Decrease Violence in France
The violence that has swept across France for almost two weeks appears to be waning as the government imposes emergency measures. It's been over two weeks since riots were sparked by the accidental deaths of two teenagers allegedly hiding from police...
- Estonian Traders Accused of Hacking Business Wire
The Securities and Exchange Commission is accusing two Estonian traders of breaking into the computer systems of Business Wire, a leading distributor of corporate press releases. They are accused of using the information to make profitable trades....
- Ethiopia Grapples with Violence, Democracy
The Ethiopian government releases hundreds of people who were arrested after riots earlier this month. But thousands more remain in detention, including top leaders of the political opposition. Some Ethiopians are worried the crackdown could thwart e...
- European Outrage Grows over CIA Prisons, Flights
Reports that the CIA has established secret prisons for terrorism suspects in Eastern Europe and has used European airports to transport those suspects have sparked outrage in many European nations, and some formal investigations....
- Ex-Powell Staffer Discusses Cheney Role in Iraq War
Steve Inskeep talks with Larry Wilkerson, former chief of staff for former Secretary of State Colin Powell, about the influence of Vice President Dick Cheney's office over Iraq war policy. Wilkerson claims the vice president and others bypassed the r...
- Examining the Roots of the French Riots
French journalist and philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy talks about the causes of the uprising among second-generation North and West-African immigrants in France. Levy says until now, the French preferred to ignore the problems among immigrant ghettos...
- Fed Expected to Raise Interest Rates Again
The Federal Reserve Board meets Tuesday, and policymakers are expected to raise interest rates again. The session comes at a time when the economy is in generally good shape, but faces potential problems with high energy prices and rising inflation....
- Female Suspect Described Details of Jordan Bombings
Jordan authorities have identified three men and one woman, all Iraqi, as the perpetrators in last week's deadly hotel bombings. The woman, who appeared on Jordanian television Sunday, said her bomb failed to detonate....
- Fiji's 'The Land Has Eyes'
The Land Has Eyes is the first Fijian film to be submitted for nomination for an Oscar. Linda Wertheimer speaks with its director, Vilsoni Hereniko....
- Finding Community in a Small Town Thrift Store
Essayist Kate Krautkramer talks about how the thrift store in her small Colorado community has become an unlikely gathering place for the town's citizens -- and a caretaker of its history....
- For Internet Retailers, It's 'Cyber Monday'
Brick-and-mortar retailers celebrated a boost in business on "Black Friday" last week, the day when shoppers move from Thanksgiving cleanup into holiday shopping mode. But for online merchants, Monday is the real kickoff of the holiday shopping seaso...
- For Niger, Improved Health Care May Cut Famine
During famine, children technically don't starve to death, they die from disease. In Niger, the organizers behind an educational campaign on disease prevention -- aimed at mothers -- hopes it will lessen the toll of hunger crises....
- Foundation Rewards Bible References in Media
The Amy Foundation offers thousands of dollars in cash prizes for journalists who put Bible verses and communicate "biblical truth" in stories for secular publications....
- France Begins Looking at Troubled Communities
As the riots in France die down, President Jacques Chirac says France must respond quickly to the problems faced by inhabitants of poor neighborhoods. But many people question whether these difficulties can or will be addressed quickly by the present...
- France Steps Up Security to Stem Violence
French police have banned gatherings and increased security in Paris this weekend to prevent further violence. NPR's Adam Davidson discusses the impact of increased police presence on some of the communities most affected by the riots of the past two...
- French Riots Spark Political Crisis
France is reeling after nine nights of violence in poor immigrant communities. In one of the Paris suburbs hit by rioting, citizens marched for peace Saturday. The street violence has sparked a political crisis, with calls for the interior minister ...
- Future of the Newspaper Industry
Renee Montagne talks to Jeff Kahler, a consultant to many daily newspapers about the future of the newspaper industry. The industry is facing decreasing circulation and threats from other outlets, like the Internet....
- GM Employees Face News of Layoffs
General Motors has announced that it will cut 30,000 jobs by 2008. Now, its workers are coming to grips with the idea that they may lose their jobs, and questions remain about how much the cuts will help the struggling automaker going forward. Jerome...
- GOP's Tancredo: Tougher Immigration Policy Needed
President Bush travels to Arizona Monday to speak about border security and immigration reform. Alex Chadwick discusses the federal government's immigration policies with Rep. Thomas Tancredo (R-CO), founder and chairman of the Congressional Immigrat...
- 'Gang of 14' Meets on Alito Nomination
Renee Montagne speaks with Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), who is among the Senate's "Gang of 14." The group avoided a showdown in the Senate earlier this year over judicial nominees, and recently met to discuss the Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito....
- Gaza Border Crossing Into Egypt Opens
For the first time since 1967, Palestinians can cross form Gaza to Egypt without encountering Israeli troops. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas officially opened the Rafah border terminal on Friday. The crossing will be monitored by European Union tro...
- Gaza Crossing Opens in Ceremony Only
Palestinian Authority leaders celebrate the re-opening of the Gaza Strip's border crossing with Egypt, a main gateway to the outside world for Palestinians. But no one was allowed to pass through Rafah on Friday. European Union inspectors, who will h...
- Germans End Power Struggle to Form Government
Germany's two main political parties have voted to end nearly two months of uncertainty with an agreement to share power in a new coalition government. Many Germans, however, fear the deal won't help pull the country out of its five-year economic sl...
- Germany's Coalition Government Suffers Setbacks
The proposed coalition government between Germany's two strongest political parties is in crisis. The relationship between the Christian Democratic Union(CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has been complicated by one party official's resignat...
- Getting the Cuban Perspective of Guantanamo Prison
Tourists in Cuba often ask about the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, where terror suspects are held. U.S. security measures haven't stopped Cuban authorities from offering tours that deliver visitors to the edge of the base. Once there, tourist...
- Gitmo Diaries: Life Inside the U.S. Prison in Cuba
Now that civilian lawyers have won the right to visit detainees at Guantanamo Bay, information about the U.S. prison has begun to surface. In a three-part series, attorneys representing 11 Yemeni prisoners recount their observations as they visit the...
- Global AIDS Fund Boosts Health, Economy in Ghana
Funding from wealthy nations has helped Ghana create promising programs to fight HIV/AIDS. It's also led to unexpected economic development -- a new African drug company to produce AIDS and malaria medicines....
- Government to Redistribute Katrina Contracts
The Bush administration is preparing to rebid some contracts awarded after Hurricane Katrina, and offer the work to minority-owned and small businesses. The move comes after complaints that too few federal dollars and jobs are flowing where they are ...
- Groucho the Parrot Ruffles Feathers
A parrot named Groucho sang to members of the Pennsylvania State Senate this week. At least one lawmaker wasn't amused....
- HOOKWORM
NPR's Joe Palca travels to a remote area of Brazil where up to 90% of the rural population is infected with the hookworm parasite. While rarely fatal, hookworm causes serious anemia and cognitive damage, especially among children, and affects 740 mi...
- Haiti Elections Postponed Until January
The presidential election in Haiti has been postponed for the fourth time amid continuing violence and a lack of trained poll workers and equipment. Elections, set for Dec. 22, are now scheduled for Jan. 8. Michele Norris talks with Mark Schneider, s...
- Harley Race's Night-School Pro Wrestling Classes
Eight-time National Wrestling Alliance champion Harley Race runs a professional wrestling school in Missouri. He holds his classes on this unique form of brutal ballet in the evening, because all his students have day jobs. Frank Morris of member sta...
- Health for the Masses: China's 'Barefoot Doctors'
On the eve of its Cultural Revolution, China had few doctors to tend to its largely rural population. Mao Zedong's solution: a force of peasant workers trained in the basics of medicine....
- Hearing Voices: Arab Students in America
Students visiting America from across the Arabic-speaking world share their perspectives on the misunderstandings between their home nations and the United States. The story is presented by producer Barrett Golding of the Hearing Voices radio project...
- Holding Fast to the Sound of New Orleans
Musician Robert Walter moved to New Orleans earlier this year, hoping to infuse his funk-jazz sound with the city's rich musical history. Walter found the sound he was looking for -- his new album Super Heavy Organ is backed by well-respected ...
- Holiday Gadget Wish List
Technology correspondent Xeni Jardin reviews the gadgets that could top holiday wish lists this year....
- House Budget Cuts Aid to Poor, Nixes ANWR Drilling
The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a Republican-backed budget bill late Thursday night that includes cuts of $50 billion, mostly from programs for the poor and to help students go to college. The plan targets Medicaid, food stamps and ...
- House Lawmakers Pass Spending Cuts
In a narrow 217-215 vote, the House eked out passage of a bill Thursday that cuts about $50 billion in federal spending over the next five years. Much of the cuts were to popular social welfare programs such as Medicaid, food stamps and foster care....
- How Alito Could Affect Abortion Law
We begin a series of conversations about how the confirmation of conservative judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court could affect the court's rulings in several areas. Steve Inskeep and Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg discuss Alito's poss...
- 'Imperialist' U.S. at the Summit for the Americas
President Bush travels Thursday to the Argentine city of Mar del Plata for the fourth Summit of the Americas. In the region, the U.S. is widely valued for sending aid totaling nearly $1 billion a year. But many also detest the U.S. government for bei...
- In Baltimore, Worries over the Lost Art of Pastries
Reporter Melody Simmons noticed something strange at her Baltimore church's annual Greek festival -- nearly all the women making the festivals' prized pastries were elderly. Do today's younger Greek-American woman even know how to make the traditiona...
- India, Pakistan's Post-Quake Peace in Jeopardy
The devastating earthquake in South Asia has brought together bitter rivals Pakistan and India. But this week, India blamed a series of attacks in New Delhi on Kashmiri militants with ties to Pakistan -- raising concerns that the earthquake's peace d...
- Inside the Sect: 'Opus Dei'
Vatican reporter John Allen's new book is Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church. The book is billed as the first serious journalistic investigation of the highly secreti...
- Intelligent Design in American Classrooms
Steve Inskeep discusses the current state of intelligent design in American classrooms with Barbara Bradley Hagerty and with Greg Allen, who covered the intelligent design movement in Kansas....
- Interviews: Uncovering a Mayan Massacre
Deep in the jungle of Guatemala, archeologists have uncovered the site of an ancient massacre of Maya nobles. The discovery provides a snapshot of the Maya civilization as it began to collapse....
- Ira Flatow on Science: Is Pluto a Planet?
Astronomers recently discovered two more moons orbiting Pluto in addition to its already-discovered moon, Charon. Madeleine Brand talks with Ira Flatow, host of NPR's Talk of the Nation Science Friday, about the discovery and how it's fueled r...
- Iran's New President Stirs Political Turmoil
There are signs of a possible power struggle emerging in Iran following the election of conservative President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. The president is believed to have a close relationship with a right-wing cleric who analysts suspect may have ambitions...
- Iraq Casualty Turns Wedding Plans to Tragedy
Twenty-two-year-old Robert Pope didn't wait until he was home from Iraq to get married. He married his wife Lynnea by proxy, and made plans to hold a real wedding when he got back to Long Island. Instead, his family held a funeral for Army Cpl. Pope...
- Iraq Focus Persists as Bush Attends Asian Summit
A respected Democratic lawmaker's call for U.S. troops to withdrawn from Iraq has drawn a response from the White House. The Iraq war topic continued to stay in the spotlight as President Bush attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in S...
- Iraq Prepares for Assembly Elections
Campaigning is about to begin for national assembly seats in Iraq. The elections will create the first permanent government in Iraq since the invasion in 2003. Many parties are involved and participation so far is enthusiastic....
- Iraq and the Murtha Plan: Stay or Go?
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), an ex-Marine and Vietnam vet who initially supported the Iraq war, surprised Congress and the White House with a proposal to abruptly pull U.S. forces out of the region. Mike Heidingsfield, who has trained Iraqi security forc...
- Iraq's Chalabi Says He Did Not Mislead U.S.
Ahmad Chalabi, deputy prime minister of Iraq, says he did not vet the information his group provided the Bush administration on weapons of mass destruction. That information has since been discredited. Chalabi says his relations with Washington s...
- Japanese Gull a Long Way from Home in Vermont
A black-tailed gull known as a "Japanese gull" has been seen and photographed in Vermont, thousands of miles from its Asian habitat. Noah Adams talks with Audubon Society member Carl Runge about the sighting, and how the gull may have strayed so far ...
- 'Jarhead': Less Than the Sum of Its Parts
Anthony Swofford's memoir of his time as a Marine in the first Iraq war, Jarhead, has been adapted to the screen. Critic Kenneth Turan says the movie has brilliant parts and excellent co-stars, but the picture rarely makes the emotional connec...
- Jewish Settlements Expand in West Bank
While Israel withdrew thousands of Jewish settlers from Gaza last September, settlements in the West Bank continue to expand. According to Israeli statistics, the Jewish population of the West Bank has expanded by 12,000 so far this year; Palestinian...
- Joan Didion, Writing a Story After an Ending
Joan Didion's memoir The Year of Magical Thinking is about grieving for her husband, fellow writer John Gregory Dunne. He died suddenly at the end of 2003, while their daughter was hospitalized with pneumonia....
- John Crawford: The Accidental Soldier
With two credits to go before college graduation, John Crawford was called to active duty and sent to the front lines in Iraq. Crawford had joined the Florida National Guard in order to pay his tuition and didn't expect to go to war. His new memoir i...
- Johnny Cash: In His Own Words
The new film Walk the Line is based on the life of legendary musician Johnny Cash. We begin a two-day look at the life of the much-celebrated "Man in Black" with an interview with Cash himself. This interview originally aired on Nov. 4, 199...
- Johnson & Johnson Merger Hits Snag
Manufacturer Johnson & Johnson is threatening to pull out of a $25.4 billion merger with the Guidant Corporation, despite having received federal approval for the deal on Wednesday....
- Johnson-Sirleaf's Vision for Leading Liberia
Ed Gordon talks with Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the apparent president-elect of Liberia. The former finance minister's victory in the African nation's November 8 runoff vote is being contested by her main rival, former soccer star George Weah. If her vic...
- Jordan Arrests Woman in Hotel Bombings
Sunday morning Jordanian authorities announced that they had in custody one of the bombers -- a woman who is married to one of the suicide bombers. She was caught after she failed to detonate her explosives belt during a wedding reception in one of ...
- Jordan Says Bombings Point to Al Qaeda
Jordanian officials say three "non-Jordanian" suicide bombers carried out Wednesday's deadly attacks on hotels in Amman. At least 57 people were killed. The Jordanian government says al Qaeda in Iraq is responsible, as the group had claimed....
- Judith Miller Defends Her Reporting at the 'Times'
Former New York Times reporter Judith Miller says she disagrees with criticism of her reporting on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. She maintains that her sources got their facts wrong, and denies that her stories were improperly vetted....
- June Carter Cash: A Pioneer, A Partner
Singer June Carter Cash was a Grammy-winning singer, a songwriter, musician, actress and author. She was married to Johnny Cash, and she came from the Carter Family, the country music pioneers. She died of complications from heart surgery at age 73, ...
- Jury Finds Abu Ali Guilty on Terrorism Charges
Larry Abramson tells Robert Siegel about the guilty verdict in the trial of Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, an Arab-American accused of joining al Qaeda and plotting to assassinate President Bush....
- 'Just Another Soldier' Revives a Banned Blog
While serving in Iraq, Army National Guardsman Jason Christopher Hartley kept a blog of his experiences -- until his commanders forced him to shut it down. Now back from Iraq, Hartley has incorporated his blog into a new memoir....
- Kayla Williams: 'Love My Rifle More Than You'
Kayla Williams is a former U.S. Army soldier who served in the Middle East as an Arabic interpreter. She recounts her decision to enlist and her experiences during the Iraq war in a new memoir....
- Kazakhstan Not Laughing at TV's 'Ali G'
Kazakh officials have threatened to sue British comedian Sasha Baron Cohen, a.ka. "Ali G," and his fictional alter ego, Kazakh television journalist Borat. Kazakhs say the Borat character promotes an inaccurate portrayal of them as backwards, illiter...
- Knightley in 'Pride and Prejudice'
The Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice takes to the screen again, in an adaptation starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet; Matthew MacFadyen as Mr. Darcy; and Donald Sutherland as Elizabeth's father....
- Kristol Sees the Upside to the Bush White House
William Kristol is the founder and editor of The Weekly Standard. Kristol also wrote The War Over Iraq: America's Mission and Saddam's Tyranny. Kristol also led the Project for the Republican Future to help win Republican congressional ...
- Las Vegas Documentary Goes Beyond Casinos
People think of Las Vegas as Sin City, a version of Disneyland, or maybe a little of both. Director Stephen Ives talks about Las Vegas: An Unconventional History, his new PBS documentary....
- Latin America Summit Ends with No Free-Trade Zone
Negotiators were unable to agree on a U.S.-favored free-trade zone covering most of North and South America at this week's Summit of the Americas in Mar Del Plata, Argentina. Twenty-nine of 34 nations, led by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, support the ...
- Lawmakers Criticize Bush Administration on Sudan
Both Congress and human rights groups are accusing the Bush administration of softening its position on Sudan. A letter to Secretary of State Condoloeezza Rice from lawmakers says the United States appears to be acting conciliatory at a time when vio...
- Lawmakers React with Caution to Bush Flu Plan
President Bush has called for more than $7 billion to find and guard against any dangerous new strain of influenza. The lawmakers who would have to approve that request generally welcomed the initiative, but some have criticized elements of the plan....
- Lawsuit Demands Refunds on Cell Phone Insurance
A federal lawsuit accuses three companies that provide cell phone insurance of deceptive and unfair trade practices. The suit seeks refunds of millions of dollars in monthly premiums....
- Legitimacy of Iraq's Special Tribunal
The trial of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein resumed Monday in a specially-built courtroom in the Green Zone. As the proceedings got under way, Saddam referred to police guards at the trial as "conquerors and occupiers." Steve Inskeep talks wit...
- Letters: Primate Research, Ramadan, Libbys and Lewises
Steve Inskeep and Renee Montagne read from listeners' responses to the broadcast, touching on new research about chimp behavior, the celebration of Ramadan and the name of an NPR reporter reporting on the indictment of White House official Lewis Libb...
- Letters
Scott Simon reads from the listener e-mail bag....
- Libby Story Stretches from Iraq to Domestic Politics
A timeline of events shows that the Valerie Plame leak story began with an assertion that Iraq was seeking to develop weapons of mass destruction. It now encompasses the indictment of a key Bush administration official....
- Limits on Eminent Domain May Go Too Far, Experts Warn
The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year upheld the right of local governments to seize private property to spur economic development. Since then, Congress and at least 38 states have moved to defend property rights. Some experts warn the flurry of n...
- Lobbyist Guilty Plea Widens Influence-Buying Probe
Michael Scanlon, a partner of indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and an ex-aide to indicted former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, pled guilty to conspiracy on Monday. Madeleine Brand talks to Time magazine's Karen Tumulty about Scanlon's plea u...
- Local Opinion Mixed on Arctic Drilling
Drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge is again up for discussion in Congress. For decades, oil development has had the strong backing of the Inupiat Eskimo communities that dot Alaska's North Slope. But that support is beginning to erode...
- Locking In College Tuition Rates vs. 529 Accounts
Madeleine Brand discusses saving for college with Day to Day personal finance contributor Michelle Singletary. Singletary suggests saving with a so-called 529 account, and talks about the advantages of being able to "lock in" college tuition r...
- Looking to a Post-Castro Cuba
In late July, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice appointed Caleb McCarry as the Cuba Transition Coordinator. The Cuban government condemned the move, calling it Washington's interference in the affairs of the communist island. Lourdes Garcia-Navarro...
- Louisiana Lawmakers Approve Levee Oversight Plan
Louisiana's state legislature has approved plans to create a new board for overseeing levee projects across the southern part of the state, but it set aside a more far-reaching levee reform bill. Tuesday is the final day of a special legislative sess...
- Louisiana Lawmakers Sue over Budget Cuts
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco has ordered deep budget cuts in the face of a state deficit of nearly $1 billion. In Baton Rouge, a group of state legislators is suing Blanco, claiming that her cuts exceeded her authority....
- Martha Stewart's Chef Takes the Spotlight
The new book by Susan Spungen, the former chef and "food stylist" for the domestic diva's homemaking empire, focuses on low-stress entertaining. Spungen says the book helps readers get in touch with their inner Martha -- only without the ankle bracel...
- Mass-Transit Strike Stalls Philadelphia Commute
Madeleine Brand speaks with Susan Philips of member station WHYY in Philadelphia, Penn., about the mass-transit strike that has stalled thousands of commuters in the city. Transit workers vow to remain on strike for months if they don't get an accept...
- Medical Care Draws Cuba, Venezuela Closer
Venezuelan President Chavez and Cuban President Fidel Castro have worked on many joint ventures in recent years -- for example, Cuban doctors have been sent to Venezuela in return for cheap oil. In the latest venture, Cuban doctors are providing free...
- Medical Workers, Global Health's 'Boots on the Ground'
The mission of improving health around the world largely rests with "boots on the ground" -- the trained people who deliver medical care. As part of NPR's series of reports on global health, Day to Day presents audio vignettes on the challenge...
- Medicare Web 'Drug Finder' Hits Snags
Next week Medicare will begin enrollment for its new prescription drug benefit. With literally dozens of different enrollment plans available, Medicare unveiled a new Web site this week meant to simplify the process. But a new survey finds that it's ...
- Mexico Looks to Next Presidential Election
All three of Mexico's main parties have selected their candidates for next year's presidential elections. So far, the leftist party candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is ahead in the polls. His position has been helped in no small part by the disa...
- Mexico Slaps Record Fine on Coca-Cola
Mexico imposes its biggest anti-monopoly fine ever, about $68 million, against Coca-Cola Export Corp. and dozens of its distributors and bottlers. The case originated from a woman who fought back against being told what to sell at her one-room store ...
- Miers' Pullout Creates Political Fallout
What is the fallout from White House counsel Harriet Miers' decision to withdraw from consideration for a Supreme Court post? What's next in the nomination process?...
- Milosevic's Trial Drags On with Little Media Attention
The trial of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic -- the key prosecution in a string of indictments stemming from abuses during the Balkan wars -- continues to drag on with little media attention. Debbie Elliott gets an update on the trials an...
- Mississippi Reporter Heats up Cold Cases
Investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell writes for The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., and specializes in unearthing new evidence from Civil Rights era criminal cases. His coverage has led to the convictions of four Ku Klux Klan members, start...
- Mitch Hurwitz, Creator of 'Arrested Development'
Mitch Hurwitz is the creator and executive producer of the TV series Arrested Development. The FOX show, which has won critical praise for its irreverently dysfunctional family, airs on Monday nights....
- Modern Marines and Modern Conflict in 'Jarhead'
Jarhead tells the story of a Marine sniper whose unit is sent to the Middle East for the Iraq conflict of 1991. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, who narrates the film; Jamie Foxx; and Peter Sarsgaard. It was directed by Sam Mendes, who won an Oscar f...
- Months After Katrina, Still Pushing to Find the Missing
As many as 5,000 people remain missing in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Workers at the Find Family National Call Center in Louisiana's capital of Baton Rouge are struggling to reunite people with missing loved ones. The number to call: (866) 326-...
- Moroccan Soldier Describes Decades of Imprisonment
Lt. Ali Jaouhar, a former soldier in the Moroccan Army, was held as a prisoner of war in the western Sahara for 23 years. His is one of five men visiting Washington, D.C. who have the tragic distinction of being among the world's longest-held POWs....
- Moving Alaskan Villages Away from the Encroaching Sea
Decades of rising ocean temperatures have melted sea ice that once protected dozens of towns along Alaska's northwestern coast from the high seas and winds of November. Efforts are now under way to move entire villages further inland. Alaska Public R...
- Mr. Coffee and Joltin' Joe DiMaggio
Vincent Marotta, the man who created Mr. Coffee, also convinced baseball great -- and noted java drinker -- Joe DiMaggio to become its spokesman. Marotta tells Linda Wertheimer the story of the device that replaced the percolator....
- Mulling the Limits of Freedom of Speech in Churches
The IRS is investigating whether a church in Pasadena, Calif., is abusing its non-profit status by promoting its outspoken antiwar stance. The development has other churches debating how their leaders should walk the line between free speech and pre...
- Murtha's Constituents Weigh In on the War
In a vote of 403 to 3, the House of Representatives defeated a resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The Republican sponsored resolution came a day after Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) announced he now thinks U.S. troops...
- Musical Ability and the Brain
Scott Simon talks with Stanford University professor Keith Devlin about new research that shows some correlation between cognitive ability and the ability to play a musical instrument....
- NPR RSS Error
This is an invalid RSS feed address. For the most up-to-date list, please go to: http://www.npr.org/rss/...
- Nagin Holds Meeting with Evacuees in Houston
In Houston Sunday, about 600 Katrina evacuees attended a town hall meeting with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. He said progress is being made in rebuilding of the city and urged them to come back and help rebuild the city. Ed Mayberry of Houston Public...
- New Orleans Restaurant Owners Ponder Whether to Reopen
Two months after Hurricane Katrina, less than 15 percent of New Orleans' restaurants have reopened. Louisiana's restaurant association says that up to 1,000 restaurants in the area are finished. One family has gone back to the city to see whether reo...
- New Orleans Restaurant Owners Weigh Closing
When people think of New Orleans, they often think of food. Before Katrina, the restaurant industry was one of the city's largest employers. But two months after the hurricane, only about one in six of the city's restaurants have reopened....
- New Orleans Seeks to Oust Charities from Park
Volunteers give hot meals and free medicine to whomever shows up at Washington Square Park in New Orleans. But the city is now trying to oust the charity workers and wants to start charging people who've been camping in a city park....
- New York City Tests Mass Flu Vaccination
New York City Health Department staged a flu-vaccination day this week. The vaccinations were an attempt to test the city's readiness to deliver pandemic flu medications en masse in the event of a bird-flu crisis....
- Newspapers Seek to Offset Circulation Losses
Declining circulation and ad revenues have led to cuts in the newsrooms of many major American newspapers. New York Times business columnist Joe Nocera tells Scott Simon what the companies are doing to survive....
- 'Next Attack' Charges Bush with Failure
Writers Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon are the co-authors of The Next Attack: The Failure Of The War On Terror and a Strategy For Getting it Right. The book criticizes the Bush administration's responses to the terror attacks of Sept 11, 200...
- 'No Man's Land:' Love, Loss in Vietnam
No Man's Land is the story of love and loss in postwar Vietnam. Michael Sullivan profiles its author, dissident Duong Thu Huong. The Vietnamese government has banned her books and jailed her for a time, but she refuses to accept exile....
- No Treat: Annoying Halloween Music
Annoying Music Show host Jim Nayder has some Halloween offerings that few would consider treats. On his list: A horrid version of "Harvest Moon," Geese doing the Stones and a rock n' roll ditty about vomit....
- Olympic Luge Hopeful Hurtles Toward the Finish
It is less than three months before the Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, and Patrick Quinn is closer than he has ever been to achieving his Olympic dream. He hopes to represent the U.S. in doubles luge at the Games....
- On Halloween in New Orleans, Many Allusions to Katrina
New Orleans always served as an appropriate backdrop for Halloween; but two months after Katrina, the city has a particular eeriness. There was even trick-or-treating in select areas, and costumes that made macabre reference to Katrina....
- 'One Billion Customers': Insights into China's Market
Former Wall Street Journal China bureau chief James McGregor, now a businessman, gained valuable insight into the emerging markets in China. His new book, One Billion Customers: Lessons From the Front Lines of Doing Business in China, d...
- Opening Days Past at New Orleans Race Track
Thanksgiving traditionally marks opening day at the Fair Grounds horseracing track in New Orleans. But Hurricane Katrina ripped apart the grandstands and flooded the infield of the nation's third-oldest track. We look back at previous opening days, w...
- Organic Farmers Divided over Synthetics
Organic foods are mainstream... an established and fast-growing sector of the food business. But synthetic substances are creeping into food that is branded "organic," and the issue has split growers....
- Orville Babcock's Indictment and the CIA Leak Case
In the wake of the indictment of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, Mike Pesca revisits the story of Orville Babcock. He was the top aide for President Ulysses Grant, and the last senior White House official to be ...
- Pakistan Earthquake Update: Death Toll Rising
The death toll from last month's earthquake that devastated much of northern Pakistan continues to rise. Madeleine Brand speaks about the ongoing plight of the victims with Reuters chief correspondent Simon Cameron-Moore, reporting from a relief oper...
- Pakistan Earthquake's Youngest Survivors
The earthquake that rocked Pakistan on Oct. 8 killed some 17,000 children, according to officials. Ivan Watson visited with some of the young survivors who are struggling to recover from their physical injuries and emotional trauma....
- Pakistani Quake Survivors Welcome U.S. Aid
The United States sent helicopters and military hospital units to assist relief efforts following the worst earthquake in Pakistan's history. Desperate earthquake survivors welcome the American assistance, despite criticism from Pakistani hard-liners...
- Pakistani Woman Speaks Out Against Discrimination
Mukhtar Bibi was raped on the orders of a village council in Pakistan, after her younger brother was accused of making advances toward a woman from a powerful tribe. Mukhtar has since become an outspoken critic of the violence and discrimination in h...
- Pakistan's Quake Death Toll Climbs
The official death toll from last month's earthquake in northern Pakistan keeps rising: The number was raised Wednesday to 73,000. The obstacles remain daunting in getting aid to communities that are still cut off from help....
- Parental Fears Snarl Efforts Against Polio
Last March, Indonesia saw its first polio case in 10 years. Now, 300 children have been crippled and 60,000 infected. Before health officials can stamp polio out, they'll have to win over parents distrustful of the vaccine....
- Paris Suburbs Engulfed in Riots, Unrest
The suburbs of Paris have been engulfed in riots and civil unrest for much of the week. Madeleine Brand discusses the cultural and political climate that sparked the riots with Francois Sergent, reporter for the French daily newspaper Libération<...
- Paying for Holiday Shopping
NPR's Renee Montagne reports on how consumers plan to pay for their holiday gifts....
- Penn. Voters Eject School Board Amidst Evolution Debate
Residents of Dover, Penn., voted out almost every member of their local school board last week. Eight people ran against a policy requiring the mention of intelligent design in classrooms, and all of them won. Steve Inskeep talks to one of the newly ...
- Pentagon, U.N. Disagree over Guantanamo Access
The Pentagon and U.N. human rights investigators are in a standoff over access to the more than 500 people being held at the Guantanamo Bay military detention center. Last week, the Defense Department invited the United Nations to visit the base, but...
- Pilgrims on the Path of Krishna
Framed by the stones of ancient temples and bathing pools, marching Hindu pilgrims chant praise to Krishna and his consort, Radha. They touch the holy water of the Yamuna River and walk barefoot down the same paths they believe Krishna himself once t...
- Political Impact of a White Male Supreme Court Nominee
With his choice of Judge Samuel Alito as Supreme Court nominee, President Bush tried to reassure his political base. But he may also have lost a chance to reach out to other voters when he abandoned the idea of choosing a woman or minority for the co...
- 'Politics, Family and Fate' at the Zoo
The Woman at the Washington Zoo: Writings on Politics, Family, and Fate was written by Marjorie Williams. Williams died last year of cancer....
- Politics With Juan Williams: GOP Setbacks
Democrats won gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia this week. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress saw several major setbacks, including scrapped plans for oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Madeleine Brand reviews the we...
- Politics with Juan Williams: A Tough Week for Bush
President Bush has had a busy week dealing with the fallout from I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby indictment in the CIA outing case, the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court -- and now, the Summit of the Americas. Madeleine Brand speaks with...
- Politics with Juan Williams: Budget, Iraq Intel Battles
Madeleine Brand speaks to NPR senior correspondent Juan Williams about the week in politics, including the battle in the House and Senate over federal budget cuts, the war of words over pre-war intelligence and the ongoing debate over when to withdra...
- Politics with Juan Williams: Exiting Iraq
NPR senior correspondent Juan Williams talks about the week's political news. Among the topics: calls grow for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq; and the debate continues over prewar intelligence....
- Post-Riot Debate in France Focuses on Jobs
The recent riots in France have quieted down, but the repercussions are still being debated. One of the main issues prodding the rioters was the lack of jobs -- the jobless rate is more than 10 percent in France, far higher than in the United States....
- Prenatal Care Behind Bars
Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in upstate New York houses the oldest prison nursery in the country. Pregnant inmates are given prenatal care and parenting classes. Some women are permitted to keep their babies with them in prison for up to 18 m...
- President Bush Regroups in Texas During Holiday
President Bush is spending Thanksgiving with his family at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. NPR White House correspondent David Greene discusses the president's holiday plans, anti-war protesters and Iraq policy....
- Preview: Representing Detainees at Guantanamo
Day to Day previews a three-part series on the lawyers who represent detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Monday's show profiles Sarah Havens and Doug Cox, who represent a group of Yemenis held at the U.S. detention center....
- Prime Minister Wins Sri Lankan Presidential Election
Sri Lanka's hard-line prime minister has been elected in a tight presidential race. The vote was seen as a referendum to push for the island's faltering peace process and rescue the tsunami-hit economy....
- Producer Bettag Bids Farewell to 'Nightline'
Host Steve Inskeep talks with Tom Bettag, senior executive producer of ABC's Nightline, whose final show will be broadcast Tuesday. The two discuss the changes to television journalism over the last two decades and the commercial pressures tha...
- Producer Rick Rubin on the Man in Black's Legacy
Rick Rubin worked with Johnny Cash for the last 10 years of the singer's life. The two collaborated on four critically acclaimed, Grammy-winning albums. At the time of Cash's death, they were collaborating on a fifth record....
- Professor: Bush Is an 'Orthodox Innovator'
Host Renee Montagne talks with Yale professor of political science Stephen Skowronek about President Bush's tendency to take his orthodoxy from predecessor Ronald Reagan....
- Professor, a Former Marshall Clerk, on Alito
Professor Cass Sunstein discusses the nomination of Samuel Alito to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Sunstein a professor at the Law School at the University of Chicago, is a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood ...
- Profile: Liberia's Landmark President-Elect
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf stands ready to become Liberia's -- and Africa's -- first-ever female elected president. The 67-year-old Harvard-trained economist won the country's runoff election earlier this month and faces the challenges of unifying a count...
- Profile: Rick Wagoner: CEO of General Motors
General Motors last week announced plans to eliminate 30,000 jobs and close plants over the next two years. Industry analysts say the cuts are a good first step to return the automaker to profitability, but most say the job of fixing GM is far from o...
- Progress, Problems in Iraq's Reconstruction Effort
Steve Inskeep talks with Stuart Bowen, special inspector general of Iraq reconstruction, about how relief and reconstruction projects are going in the battered country. Bowen is reporting progress, though billions of dollars have been diverted from r...
- Proposal Would Redirect School Funds to Classrooms
Some lawmakers across the country are pushing for a proposal that would require school districts to spend 65 percent of their budget on classroom expenses. For example: teachers' salaries, classroom supplies and technology. Missy Shelton of member st...
- Protecting Saddam's Defense Lawyers
Two members of toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's defense team have been murdered in the past three weeks. Madeleine Brand speaks with Reuters Iraq bureau chief Alistair Macdonald about protective measures required for defense lawyers in Saddam's ...
- Pumpkin Party Turns Gourds into Missiles
Millsboro, Del., is home to Punkin Chunkin 2005 World Championship. This year was the 20th for a contest to see who can build a machine to hurl a pumpkin the farthest. It's part science, part sport and all party....
- Questions Arise on Potential Alito Financial Conflicts
Nina Totenberg reports on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's failure to disqualify himself from a mutual fund case in which he had a possible conflict of interest....
- Race and Mental Health in Katrina's Aftermath
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, almost half the residents of New Orleans are in need of mental health services. Health experts say African Americans experiencing emotional problems are not likely to seek care. This is the final of four reports in a...
- Rating Hurricane Katrina Benefit Songs
Music critic Sarah Bardeen reviews some of the music written for Hurricane Katrina benefit efforts. Bardeen says that some of the tribute songs make for compelling music, but others fall well below the mark....
- Reading About War at West Point
Elizabeth Samet, an English professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, tells Scott Simon about some of the literature she offers to cadets -- many of whom are about to go off to Iraq. One choice: poet Randall Jarrell's "The Death of the Ba...
- Religious Education Issues Divide Spain
Spanish Catholics are opposing education reforms of the Socialist government, which makes religion classes optional. The previous administration had promised to make religious education compulsory....
- Remembering Rock Music Tour Manager Daniel Harrison
Music journalist Ashley Kahn pays tribute to concert producer and tour manager Daniel Harrison, who was murdered in New York last weekend. He worked with some of the biggest names in the music business....
- Report: Alito Wrote Abortion Not Protected Right
The Washington Times has obtained a 1985 document in which Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito states that, in his view, the Constitution does not protect a woman's right to abortion. Hear Alex Chadwick and Slate legal analyst Dahlia Lit...
- Report: Bush Considered Bombing Al Jazeera
A British media report suggests President Bush considered bombing the headquarters of Arab satellite network Al Jazeera. London's Daily Mirror reports that a British government memo indicates that Prime Minister Tony Blair persuaded the presid...
- Report: CIA Holding Terror Suspects in Secret Prisons
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that the CIA is holding al Qaeda suspects in secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe. Madeleine Brand talks about the report with Len Downie, executive editor of The Washington Post, and what...
- Republican Lawmakers Push for Tax-Cut Extensions
Lawmakers have not finished work yet on a tax bill that would, among other things, extend tax cuts that are scheduled to expire. Steve Inskeep talks with David Wessel, deputy Washington bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, about the stat...
- Residents Say Levee Leaked Months Before Katrina
New Orleans residents who live along the 17th Street Canal say water was leaking from the canal and into their yards months before Hurricane Katrina. Investigators say a leak may have been an early warning sign that the soil beneath the levee was uns...
- Resistance Army Leader in Kenya after 'Holy War'
Alice Lakwena is the spiritual founder of Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Although the army has been charged with war crimes, NPR's Eric Westervelt reports Lakwena lives quietly in a U.N. refugee camp in neighboring Kenya....
- Returning Home to a 'New' New Orleans
New Orleans is the hometown of our editor, Gwendolyn Thompkins, and she went back recently to to see how the city is making out. With more than 300,000 people gone, she says, New Orleans really is 'new'. She sent back these impressions....
- Revelations from a Nun in 'Tulip and the Pope'
The Tulip and the Pope is the new memoir from Deborah Larsen. The story explores young women on the road to becoming nuns in the 1960s. Larsen's previous work includes the novel The White....
- Review: Support for Iraq and a Tweak to a Leak
NPR's Scott Simon reviews the week's news with NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr. Among the topics: calls to bring U.S. troops home, and the admission by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward that he knew of Valerie Plame's work at the C...
- Reviewing Alito's Dissents
Linda Wertheimer talks to University of Chicago Professor Cass Sunstein about Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's judicial philosophy. Much can be learned about Alito by studying the cases in which he wrote dissenting opinions from the court's majo...
- Rice Discusses Iraq, Terrorism with Saudi Minister
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Sunday with Saudi Arabia's foreign minister for talks that ranged from fighting terrorism to supporting reconstruction in Iraq. The Saudis promised to encourage Sunni Muslims in Iraq to take part in the process...
- Rice Makes Iraq Visit Ahead of Elections
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced visit to Iraq Friday in an attempt to ease sectarian tensions before next month's elections. Rice's first stop was the northern, Sunni-dominated city of Mosul. Later, she headed for Baghdad to m...
- Rice Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to Iraq Friday. Rice's trip comes amid further questioning of the Bush administration's handling of intelligence before the war with Iraq. Robin Wright of The Washington Post discu...
- Rice Meets with Sharon, Abbas
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice conferred Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. The discussions focused on what both sides might need to do to move the peace process forward....
- Roseanne Cash Remembers Her Father, Johnny
Roseanne Cash was the daughter of Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto. She began her career touring with her father, and released her first single in 1979. She's a Grammy-winning country music artist with over 40 hit singles. Her next album, Black Cadi...
- Russia Tightens Grip on Non-Governmental Groups
Russia has voted to increase government oversight over charities and non-governmental organizations. Critics say it's the latest attempt by Russian President Vladimir Putin to restrict democracy in the country....
- S.F. Bay Bridge Replacement Project Hits a Snag
A project aimed at replacing the Bay Bridge between Oakland and San Francisco with a more earthquake-resistant bridge has run into difficulty. Shia Levitt reports from San Francisco about the project and its woes....
- Saddam Trial Postponed After Brief Session
In Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, the trial of Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants resumed Monday after a 40-day recess. Proceedings were then postponed until Dec. 5, to allow time to replace two defense lawyers who had been murdered....
- Saddam's Trial Delayed to Find Defense Lawyers
The judge presiding over the trial of Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants adjourned the proceedings Monday for a week after just three hours of proceedings. The judge will allow time to find replacements for three defense attorneys for the former ...
- Saddam's War-Crimes Trial to Resume Next Week
The trial of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is scheduled to resume Monday in Baghdad. Saddam and seven co-defendants face charges related to the 1982 killing of more than 140 Shiite villagers in the town of Dujail, north of Baghdad....
- San Diego to Choose a Mayor, Again
The citizens of San Diego will go to polls next week to choose a mayor. The Republican establishment wants Jerry Sanders to replace Dick Murphy, who resigned earlier this year amidst ongoing financial and political corruption scandals. He faces surf...
- Sandy Denny: A Giant in British Folk Music
British singer and songwriter Sandy Denny played a seminal role of the folk-revolution in the 1960s. From her solo work to songs like "Who Knows Where the Time Goes," recorded with Fairport Convention, Denny was loved for her wistful, honest singing ...
- Sarkozy at the Center of French Riot Debate
Riots have eased across France, but there is still trouble on the streets. Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who shocked some by calling the rioters "scum," has been at the center of the debate over the country's tensions....
- Scandals Damage GOP Candidates in Ohio
Ohio has been a strong Republican state, but the GOP has been challenged by recent scandals. Among them, Gov. Bob Taft has pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor ethics charges. Republicans admit that scandals have hurt them, but insist there is time to ...
- Schwarzenegger Promotes California in China
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger begins a six-day trade mission to China to promote California products in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Schwarzenegger is already attracting huge crowds in Beijing. KPCC's Rob Schmitz reports....
- 'Sciences Po' Experiments with Affirmative Action
"Sciences Po" -- the nickname for France's Institute for Political Studies -- is trying out a modest version of affirmative action. Frank Browning reports on plans to enroll underprivileged, often immigrant students at the elite university known for ...
- Search for Perpetrators of the Rwandan Genocide
Commentator Leroy Sievers covered the Rwandan genocide and its aftermath for ABC's Nightline. Recently he travelled to Congo to look for the perpetrators, this time working for the International Crisis Group, an anti-conflict organization. He ...
- 'Second-Term Scandal' Rocks White House
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the most powerful aide to the most powerful vice president in the nation's history, is indicted by a federal grand jury. The news further rocks a White House struggling with a variety of second-term problems....
- Secret CIA Prisons Raise Human Rights Concerns
The CIA is holding top al Qaeda suspects in secret prison compounds in Eastern Europe as part of a string of so-called "black sites" set up after the Sept. 11 attacks, The Washington Post reported this week. Linda Wertheimer talks with Post...
- Senate Approves $35 Billion in Spending Cuts
The Senate passed a measure Thursday that cuts federal spending over the next five years by about $35 billion. Some moderate Republicans were concerned about the cuts, which hit programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, student loans and farm subsidies...
- Senate Democrats Force Closed Session
A partisan dispute over pre-war intelligence on Iraq led to an unusual closed session Tuesday. Democrats demanded answers from majority Republicans about reasoning for the war and the indictment of Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis L...
- Senator Recommends 'Fireside Chats' on Iraq
As lawmakers ask for more information from the Bush administration on progress in Iraq, Sen. John Warner (R-VA) suggests that President Bush should follow the lead of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and hold "fireside chats" with Americans....
- Senegal's Koranic Schools Seen as Haven for Beggars
Students of traditional Koranic schools once garnered respect in the Muslim world. But that image is under threat in the Senegalese capital Dakar. There, students are increasingly viewed as beggars instead of diligent disciples....
- Sharon Leaves Likud to Form New Political Party
In a major shake-up of Israeli politics, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announces he is leaving the hard-line Likud Party he helped found and forming his own political party to stand in parliamentary elections in March. He said Likud in its present stat...
- Slate's Dispatches: Thankful for Kindness of Strangers
Madeleine Brand speaks with displaced New Orleans resident and Slate contributor Blake Bailey about how his dispatches for the online magazine inspired strangers to come to his aid....
- Slate's Explainer: Laptops and Airport Security
Will your laptop slow your progress through airport security this holiday weekend? Slate senior editor Andy Bowers has an "explainer" on why laptops get special attention from security screeners....
- Slate's Explainer: Rise in Prison Breakouts
A rash of prison escapes has made national news recently -- Slate senior editor Andy Bowers explains that even with the uptick in breakouts, escaping from prison is never easy....
- Slate's Frame Game: Politics and Catholic Judges
If confirmed, Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito will become the fifth Roman Catholic currently serving on the high court. Noah Adams speaks with Slate columnist Will Saletan about what the predominance of Catholic justices says about the pres...
- Slate's Jurisprudence: Alito's Hot-Button Issues
Slate legal analyst Dahlia Lithwick talks with Noah Adams about some of the issues that Judge Samuel Alito will be compelled to address during his confirmation hearings. Some hot-button issues include his judicial approach to cases involving a...
- Slate's Moneybox: Bush's Tax Code Overhaul
Noah Adams speaks with Slate financial columnist Daniel Gross about a Bush administration proposal to overhaul the tax code -- a plan that includes changes to the popular mortgage interest deduction....
- Slate's Press Box: 'Boomers' Losing Grip on Media
For decades, members of the baby boom generation have dominated much of the media. References to their favorite movies, TV shows and albums are sprinkled liberally through all forms of news coverage. But Slate media critic Jack Shafer has foun...
- Slate's Summary Judgment: 'Derailed,' 'Zathura,' 'Get Rich or Die Tryin''
Slate contributor Mark Jordan Legan offers a roundup of what movie critics are saying about the weekend's new film releases: the Jennifer Aniston flick Derailed, Zathura and the Fifty Cent rap biopic Get Rich or Die Tryin'...
- Slate's Summary Judgment: 'Rent,' 'The Ice Harvest,' 'Yours, Mine & Ours'
Slate contributor Mark Jordan Legan offers a roundup of what movie critics are saying about the weekend's new film releases: Rent, The Ice Harvest and Yours, Mine & Ours....
- Sony Music CDs Under Fire from Privacy Advocates
After an uproar that started on blogs, privacy and security experts are charging that the technology Sony BMG Music Entertainment has built into some of its music CDs is invasive and exposes users to threats from hackers and viruses....
- South African Bushmen Decry Relocation
The government of Botswana is relocating the last few dozen San Bushmen out of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. For more than 20,000 years, the San have lived in the region as hunter-gathers. The government says the Bushmen are no longer true hunte...
- South Asian Quake Survivors Still in Dire Need
The official death toll from the Oct. 8 earthquake in South Asia has risen to more than 73,000. Relief agencies are making an urgent plea for more money to prevent survivors from dying when the harsh Himalayan winter sets in. Jan Egeland, coordinator...
- Spiffy: 'The Complete Calvin and Hobbes'
On Nov. 18, 1985, a new comic strip made its newspaper debut: Calvin and Hobbes. For 10 years the duo captured the imaginations of adults and children alike. Now every published panel of the strip has been collected in The Complete Calvin a...
- Spill May Have Long-Lasting Impact
There are many toxic chemicals in a 50-mile slick now moving down China's Songhua River, but benzene is the most abundant and may be the most dangerous. Problems from the spill are likely to persist for some time. John Nielsen reports....
- Spy Cameras, Portraits Offered in Collector's Sale
Over the course of 50 years, Jack Naylor has amassed the world's largest private collection of cameras and photographs. It includes spy cameras, a 157-year-old photo of circus performer Tom Thumb and an underwater camera used by Jacques Cousteau. And...
- Staying Out of Holiday Debt with Credit Cards
The day after Thanksgiving, also known as "Black Friday," is one of the busiest days of the year for shopping. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Scott Bilker, founder of DebtSmart.com, who says this holiday season, shoppers should charge everything to the...
- Stigma Can Prevent Much-Needed Mental Help
When a member of her family was diagnosed with a mental illness, author and commentator Bebe Moore Campbell learned that shame was one of the biggest obstacles to treatment. She calls for Americans -- particularly people of color -- to de-stigmatize...
- Stories of Self-Awareness and Gay Culture
We hear readings from When I Knew, Robert Trachtenberg's colorful collection of vignettes from gay men and women about coming to terms with their sexuality. And Andrew Sullivan discusses the subject of gayness with Linda Wertheimer....
- 'Sudan: The Land and the People'
Tim Carney, the last American ambassador to Sudan before the United States downgraded relations in 1997, wants to promote a broader view of the country through a new collection of photographs. NPR foreign correspondent Michele Kelemen reviews Carney'...
- Supporters, Friends Talk Up Judge Alito
Friends and colleagues are lining up to sing the praises of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito as a judge, and as a person. Lawmakers are just beginning to explore Alito's record, which includes a long trail of legal opinions from 15 years on a feder...
- Surviving Backyard Football During the Holidays
Madeleine Brand speaks with former New York Jets assistant physician Shawn Rassman about how to avoid injuries during backyard football games this Thanksgiving....
- Suspected 'Dirty Bomber' Indicted for Conspiracy
A federal grand jury in Miami has indicted suspected "dirty bomber" Jose Padilla on charges he conspired to "murder, kidnap and maim" Americans as an Al Qaeda recruit. Madeleine Brand speaks with Larry Abramson about the indictment of Padilla, a U.S....
- Syria to Investigate Alleged Role in Assassination
This weekend, Syria's president ordered his government to open an investigation into alleged Syrian involvement in the assassination of a Lebanese politician. Until now, Syria has vehemently denied any involvement in the crime and has denounced the ...
- Taking On the Billie Holiday Catalog
Jazz singer Dianne Reeves is touring with a Billie Holiday tribute show, performing songs first made famous by Lady Day. Part of the challenge: protecting her voice. Reeves recently recorded the soundtrack to the film Goodnight, and Goodluck....
- Talking Baseball a Year-Round Sport in Cuba
Baseball is known as America's national sport. But there is another country that also stakes that claim - Cuba. Its baseball season begins this month, but Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports that arguing about baseball is a year-round sport....
- Target Pharmacists Can Refuse 'Plan B' Prescriptions
Independent companies are now joining the political fray over the emergency contraception medication known as Plan B. The Target retail chain now allows pharmacists at its stores to refuse to fill Plan B prescriptions, saying they are respecting the ...
- Tensions Escalate Between Ethiopia and Eritrea
Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea are to attend United Nations-led talks Friday to discuss escalating border tensions. From 1998 to 2000, the two African nations fought a border war that killed tens of thousands of people....
- Thanksgiving Football Preview
Football games come after the turkey for many Americans. Host Renee Montagne talks to commentator John Feinstein about the array of Thanksgiving weekend games....
- Thanksgiving in Iraq: A Solder's Perspective
Thousands of American men and women are spending Thanksgiving in Iraq this year. Madeleine Brand speaks with Staff Sgt. Chad Brown of the U.S. Army 4th Brigade Combat Team, stationed in Baghdad....
- The Bock-Harnick Team Sees 'Fiddler' Return
One of the most beloved musicals by composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick is back on Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof, at the Minskoff Theatre. It stars Harvey Fierstein as Tevye -- and Rosie O'Donnell as Golde. The show includes a new...
- 'The Boondocks': Black-and-White TV Humor
An animated version of the popular newspaper comic strip The Boondocks premieres November 6 on Cartoon Network's sister station Adult Swim. NPR television critic Andrew Wallenstein reviews the new series, and talks about whether Aaron McGruder...
- The Cash Story: 'Walk the Line'
Walk the Line is the new biopic about music icon Johnny Cash, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the "Man in Black" and Reese Witherspoon as his wife, June Carter....
- The Embodiment of Earthly Divinity
The focus of many worshippers in Vrindavan is the Radha Raman Temple, where a black stone statue of Krishna sits enshrined and wrapped in saffron robes. Many consider the small stone statue to be Krishna himself....
- The Hunt for Stolen Art
Linda Wertheimer speaks with Robert Wittman, senior investigator of the FBI's new Art Crimes Unit, about searching for -- and recovering -- stolen art and artifacts around the globe....
- The Marketplace Report: An Early XMas Blitz
Noah Adams talks to Bob Moon of Marketplace about how the nation's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, is beginning its holiday campaign on Tuesday, weeks earlier than in recent years....
- The Marketplace Report: Bush Tax Reform Proposals
Madeleine Brand talks to Bob Moon of Marketplace about specific recommendations made this week by a presidential panel on tax reform. One idea to modify mortgage interest deductions would hit home owners in states with high housing costs harde...
- The Marketplace Report: Court Victory for Vioxx
Madeleine Brand talks to Bob Moon of Marketplace about a major victory for drug maker Merck. A jury on Thursday found the company adequately warned consumers about the risks of their painkiller Vioxx. Merck pulled Vioxx from the market last y...
- The Marketplace Report: EU Aid for France?
The European Union has proposed spending $58 million to speed the recovery of French communities damaged by the rioting of the past two weeks. Stephen Beard, European bureau chief for Marketplace, discusses the plan....
- The Marketplace Report: GOP Budget Cuts Stalled
Republicans in the House of Representatives are reconsidering $50 billion in proposed budget cuts that would have reduced spending on Medicaid, student loans and food stamps. John Dimsdale of Marketplace discusses specific obstacles Republican...
- The Marketplace Report: Holiday Season Forecast
The National Retail Federation, the world's largest retail trade organization, raised its Christmas season growth forecast to 6 percent from its September forecast of 5 percent. Madeleine Brand talks to Bob Moon of Marketplace about these stro...
- The Marketplace Report: Merck to Cut 7,000 Jobs
Officials for pharmaceutical giant Merck announced plans to cut 7,000 jobs in coming years. Alex Chadwick speaks with John Dimsdale of Marketplace about the job cuts and Merck's fiscal health....
- 'The Marketplace Report:' 'Must-Have' Holiday Gadgets
This holiday shopping season has kicked off with an obvious "must-have" toy or gadget. Difficulties have already been reported regarding the early contender for the "must-have" title -- Microsoft's new X-box gaming system. Hear Bob Moon of Marketp...
- The Marketplace Report: Pubs Open All Night in U.K.
Madeleine Brand speaks with Stephen Beard of Marketplace, reporting from London on a major change in British liquor laws that will allow some pubs to stay open all night. Fans of the change cheer the new freedom, while opponents worry that it ...
- The Marketplace Report: Skipping Airport Lines
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is planning to launch a program next year that will allow pre-screened travelers to skip long lines at airport security checkpoints. Madeleine Brand speaks with Bob Moon Marketplace about how ai...
- The Marketplace Report: Tycoon Charged with Fraud
Canadian newspaper tycoon Conrad Black faces 11 charges of fraud in the United States. Madeleine Brand speaks with Marketplace London bureau chief Stephen Beard about Black's denial of charges he and three other executives fraudulently diverte...
- 'The Modern Jewish Girl's Guide to Guilt'
At the center of the book is the battle between obligation to one's community and the obligation to one's individual interests and needs. It's that tension that produces guilt -- and it's the springboard for a collection of delightful essays....
- The Outlook for Holiday Retail Sales
Will high gas prices and conflicting economic news shake retail sales this holiday season? Madeleine Brand asks Howard Davidowitz, chairman of the retail consulting firm Davidowitz & Associates....
- The Poetry of an Indicted War Criminal
NPR's Scott Simon muses on the new poetry collection of deposed Serbian leader Radovan Karadzic. In 1995, the U.N. war crimes tribunal indicted Karadzic, a Bosnian Serb, for his role in a 1995 massacre in Srebrenica and the 1992 siege of Sarajevo. He...
- The Politics of Choosing Justices
President Bush's three recent Supreme Court nominations reveal the complications and motives involved when politicians choose the nation's top judges, legal observers say. Political science professor David Yalof is an expert on the history and evolut...
- The Short List: A Bilingual Day of the Dead
Mexico celebrates the Dia de los Muertos ("Day of the Dead") holiday on Tuesday and Wednesday, when many families honor their ancestors with outings to cemeteries. Maria Elena Fernandez, Chicano studies professor at California State University, offer...
- The Unger Report: Political Yoga
Humorist Brian Unger proposes an unconventional solution to the ongoing political strife in Washington: Get Democratic and Republican leaders together for a long weekend... of yoga....
- 'Theology on Tap' in New Hampshire
In Manchester, N.H., the Catholic church's latest venue is the Strange Brew Tavern, where envoys from St. Marie's Parish hold forth on Thursday nights with a Fra Angelico, a Q-and-A session for young adults. It's part of the church's nationwide Theol...
- Thousands Protest Bush at Latin America Summit
President Bush faces tens of thousands of protesters and harsh questioning at the two-day Summit of the Americas in Argentina. The U.S. war in Iraq and the president's free-trade efforts have drawn sharp criticism from union leaders, anti-globalizati...
- Thousands of Jordanians Protest Amman Bombings
Jordanians take to the streets in spontaneous demonstrations, following a series of terror attacks against the small kingdom on Wednesday. Fifty-seven people were killed and more then 100 wounded when suicide bombers attacked three luxury hotels in...
- 'Times-Picayune' Staff Returns to New Orleans
The staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper has returned to their offices in the city, after temporarily moving operations to the capital of Baton Rouge in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's storm damage. Noah Adams checks in with edito...
- Too Many Choices when Shopping for TVs
Conventional, projection or high-definition? Flat screen, plasma or LCD? And what about size? Author and commentator Marcos McPeek Villatoro reflects on the bewildering choices faced when shopping for a new television....
- Top Stem-Cell Researcher Resigns After Ethical Lapse
A South Korean stem-cell scientist accused of ethics violations apologizes to the public and resigns. He acknowledged that two scientists working for him voluntarily donated their own eggs for his stem-cell research....
- Toxic Flow Leaves Chinese City Waiting for Water
A 50-mile-long slick of toxic chemicals flowing through a river in northeast China has left the 9 million residents of Harbin scrambling for water. Harbin, a major industrial city, shut off its municipal water system days ago, and water supplies are ...
- Tracking $30 Billion Spent in Iraq
Stuart Bowen is the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. His office has just released its seventh Quarterly Report to Congress. The report documents how $30 billion set aside for Iraqi reconstruction was spent -- and how to prevent wast...
- Trade Deficit a Top Subject of Bush's China Trip
President Bush will visit China for three days beginning Saturday. NPR Washington, D.C., editor Ron Elving looks at what to expect from the president's trip, which will likely include a discussion of the enormous trade deficit between the United Stat...
- Trailer Park Residents Look for Land Stability
People who live in manufactured housing parks -- usually called trailer parks -- often own their homes, but not the land it sits on. This leaves residents vulnerable to changes in ownership. Dan Gorenstein of New Hampshire Public Radio reports some e...
- Treating Despair Amid Death in Iraq
Dr. Baher Butti, a psychiatrist who works in a mental health clinic in Baghdad, tells Linda Wertheimer how the ongoing violence of the conflict in Iraq affects the people he treats....
- Turkey Will Survive: A Holiday Greeting
Friday is one of the year's busiest shopping days. If you want to get a jump on things, Target is offering to wake you up. And if it's still too early for December holidays, you can send the Thanksgiving e-card that American Greetings says is the mos...
- Turkey's Censorship Could Harm Bid to Join EU
According to the PEN association of writers, about 60 publishers, writers, and journalists are under judicial process in Turkey. Many are charged with the crime of "insulting the Turkish state." European officials have warned Turkey that assaults on ...
- U.K. Loan Program Encourages Art Ownership
A new program funded by the British government offers interest-free loans to residents of the United Kingdom who want to buy contemporary artwork. Madeleine Brand speaks with Mary-Alice Stack, development manager of the innovative program Own Art, wh...
- U.N. Watchdog Reopens Iran Nuclear Talks
The International Atomic Energy Agency meets in Vienna on Iran's program for developing nuclear weapons and a Russian plan to oversee that the country develops nuclear power, without acquiring nuclear weapons. Greg Webb, editor for Global Security Ne...
- UNICEF Chief: Crisis Acute in Quake-Ravaged S. Asia
UNICEF chief Ann Veneman recently returned from the quake-ravaged areas of Pakistan, where the official death toll now stands at 73,000 -- half of those victims children. Madeleine Brand talks with Veneman about the children who died in the earthquak...
- UPS Chases Business Beyond Parcels
Last year UPS delivered over 3.5 billion packages, the equivalent of nearly 10,000 every minute. But the company is working hard to find customers who want UPS to do more than move boxes from one point to another....
- U.S. Military Works to Combat IEDs in Iraq
A leading danger for American troops in Iraq are IEDs, or improvised explosive devices. Steve Inskeep talks to Army Brig. Gen. Joseph Votel says the military is developing better defenses, even as the number of attacks and deaths go up....
- U.S.-Venezuelan Relations in Spotlight at Summit
The leaders of more than 30 Western Hemisphere nations, including President Bush, are arriving at the Argentine seaside resort of Mar del Plata for Friday's Summit of the Americas. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, an outspoken critic of Mr. Bush, wi...
- Unrest in Paris Spreads to Other Cities
On the 10th consecutive night of urban unrest that started in Paris' immigrant-populated suburbs, the violence spreads to other French cities. For the first time Saturday night, the rioting reaches central Paris, where scores of cars were burned. And...
- Use or Abuse of the Word 'Literally'
The use -- and some would say, misuse -- of the word "literally" has many lovers of the English language in an uproar. But Jesse Sheidlower, editor-at-large of the Oxford English Dictionary, asks critics to -- literally -- hold their fire....
- Venezuelans Divided Over Land Redistribution
The Venezuelan national guard is helping divide up the country's large ranches so that the land can be parceled out to the poor. But ranch owners say the government is riding roughshod over private property and planting the seeds of more national div...
- Vietnam, Hardest Hit by Bird Flu, Steps Up Fight
The confirmation of human cases of bird flu in China has brought the virus back on the public's radar. So far, there's no sign of human-to-human transmission. Vietnam, which has had the most human victims of the bird flu, has stepped up the fight aga...
- Vietnam Takes Steps to Head Off Flu Pandemic
With intense, daily contact with poultry in cities and villages, Vietnam may be the perfect incubator for the next flu pandemic. But health experts hope they can head off a global outbreak by setting up an early detection system....
- Waging Peace in War on Terror
A proverbial hearts-and-minds campaign is being waged from a U.S. military base in the tiny African nation of Djibouti. U.S. soldiers are digging wells and building schools throughout the region, not kicking down doors in search of terrorist suspects...
- Wal-Mart Shoppers Hunt for 'Black Friday' Bargains
Wal-Mart is wooing budget-conscious consumers with big discounts. Last year, the retailer's decision not to offer day-after Thanksgiving bargains led to disappointing holiday sales in 2004. We visit a Wal-Mart in suburban Chicago where shoppers are h...
- Water Supply Restored to Chinese City After Spill
Water has been restored to Harbin in northeast China, five days after a chemical plant accident polluted a river that runs past the city toward Russia. The toxic slick is expected to reach the Russian city of Khabarovsk in about two weeks....
- Week in Review: Troubles for Bush
Linda Wertheimer reviews the week's news, including President Bush's new low poll numbers, with NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr....
- Week in Review
NPR's Scott Simon reviews the week's news with Barbara Slavin of USA Today....
- 'West Wing' Set for Live Debate
On the upcoming live episode of NBC's The West Wing, Congressman Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Senator Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) will meet in a one-hour presidential debate. Sunday evening, their conflict will be aired live....
- Where Terrell Owens Went Wrong
Philadelphia Eagles football star Terrell Owens won't be playing in Monday night's match up with the Dallas Cowboys. His public comments about his teammates last week earned him a suspension. Writer Jimi Izrael offers his thoughts about where Owens...
- White House Wants CIA Exempt from Torture Ban
The Bush administration wants the CIA exempted from new rules approved by the U.S. Senate that would ban "cruel and degrading" treatment of war prisoners. The House and Senate are now addressing the issue in a joint conference committee....
- White Voters in Mississippi Allege Voting Discrimination
The 1965 Voting Rights Act is being used, unconventionally, to defend white voters. The Justice Department is pursuing the case in Noxubee County, Mississippi, on behalf of a group of white residents. The suit alleges that black election officials h...
- Winkler, the Fonz, Resurfaces as a TV Lawyer
Henry Winkler plays a doctor on the new CBS sitcom Out of Practice, which premiered last month and can be seen Mondays at 9:30 p.m. Winkler also spent two seasons playing a lawyer on the TV series Arrested Development....
- Women Lobby for Olympic Ski Jumping Event
The Olympics currently bar women from ski jumping. A number of women skiers are campaigning to get their own ski jumping event in the next Olympic Games. North Country Public Radio's Brian Mann reports....
Back to index page | Back to archive list