NPR Topics: News http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1001&ft=1&f=1001 NPR news, audio, and podcasts. Coverage of breaking stories, national and world news, politics, business, science, technology, and extended coverage of major national and world events. Copyright 2010 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif News http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1001&ft=1&f=1001 Votes Slow To Tally In Iraq Six days have passed since Iraq's nationwide elections, and there are still no real results. Last Sunday, about 62 percent of eligible voters defied threats of violence to cast a ballot. Guest host Jacki Lyden gets the latest from NPR's Quil Lawrence in Baghdad. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648065&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648065&ft=1&f=1001 Six days have passed since Iraq's nationwide elections, and there are still no real results. Last Sunday, about 62 percent of eligible voters defied threats of violence to cast a ballot. Guest host Jacki Lyden gets the latest from NPR's Quil Lawrence in Baghdad.

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]]> German Sex Abuse Scandal Includes The Pope A growing scandal in Europe over child sexual abuse by priests now extends to the Vatican and Pope Benedict. Friday, the Pope's former archdiocese in Germany acknowledged that while he was archbishop, a priest who was suspected of abusing children was transferred to another job &mdash; where he committed more abuses. Guest host Jacki Lyden talks to Peter Wensierski of <em>Der Spiegel</em> about the sex abuse scandal. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648105&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648105&ft=1&f=1001 A growing scandal in Europe over child sexual abuse by priests now extends to the Vatican and Pope Benedict. Friday, the Pope's former archdiocese in Germany acknowledged that while he was archbishop, a priest who was suspected of abusing children was transferred to another job — where he committed more abuses. Guest host Jacki Lyden talks to Peter Wensierski of Der Spiegel about the sex abuse scandal.

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]]> Iraq's Neighbors Watch As Votes Are Counted The results of Iraq's election could have broader repercussions in the Middle East. Jacki Lyden speaks with Rami Khouri, editor-at-large of the Beirut-based <em>Daily Star</em> newspaper, about reaction in the Arab world to the Iraq elections. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648069&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648069&ft=1&f=1001 The results of Iraq's election could have broader repercussions in the Middle East. Jacki Lyden speaks with Rami Khouri, editor-at-large of the Beirut-based Daily Star newspaper, about reaction in the Arab world to the Iraq elections.

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]]> Settlement Beckons To Sick Sept. 11 Responders In New York City, the workers who cleaned up Ground Zero and got sick from the toxic air at the site now face a difficult choice. Ten thousand police, firefighters and construction workers filed lawsuits against the city after 9/11. They've now been offered a multi-million dollar settlement &mdash; but almost all of them must agree before they can accept it. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648111&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648111&ft=1&f=1001 In New York City, the workers who cleaned up Ground Zero and got sick from the toxic air at the site now face a difficult choice. Ten thousand police, firefighters and construction workers filed lawsuits against the city after 9/11. They've now been offered a multi-million dollar settlement — but almost all of them must agree before they can accept it.

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]]> Obama's Attorney General Under Attack This week, Attorney General Eric Holder has been dealing with attacks from Republicans about his handling of terrorism detainees. In addition, the conservative <em>National Review</em> magazine unearthed a Supreme Court brief that Holder did not tell Congress about during his confirmation process. The Senate Judiciary Committee's top Republican said Holder must address the issue immediately. Guest host Jacki Lyden talks with NPR's Ari Shapiro. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648079&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648079&ft=1&f=1001 This week, Attorney General Eric Holder has been dealing with attacks from Republicans about his handling of terrorism detainees. In addition, the conservative National Review magazine unearthed a Supreme Court brief that Holder did not tell Congress about during his confirmation process. The Senate Judiciary Committee's top Republican said Holder must address the issue immediately. Guest host Jacki Lyden talks with NPR's Ari Shapiro.

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]]> Report Shows Racial Wealth Gap Widening The gap between the personal wealth of white and black Americans has grown wider. That's the takeaway from a report, released this week by the Insight Center for Community Economic Development. Guest host Jacki Lyden speaks with Dr. Julianne Malveaux, an economist and president of Bennett College, about the so-called "racial wealth gap." Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648115&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648115&ft=1&f=1001 The gap between the personal wealth of white and black Americans has grown wider. That's the takeaway from a report, released this week by the Insight Center for Community Economic Development. Guest host Jacki Lyden speaks with Dr. Julianne Malveaux, an economist and president of Bennett College, about the so-called "racial wealth gap."

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]]> Ex-Gang Member's Turnaround Lost To Violence In Los Angeles, a 16-year-old boy is facing murder charges for what started as a simple act of vandalism. He was spray painting a wall when he was confronted by Ronald Barron. Barron had committed plenty of crimes in his lifetime as a member of a violent gang. From member station KPCC, Alex Cohen has a profile of an ex-gang member who turned his life around only to become a victim of the violence he was trying to prevent. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648085&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648085&ft=1&f=1001 In Los Angeles, a 16-year-old boy is facing murder charges for what started as a simple act of vandalism. He was spray painting a wall when he was confronted by Ronald Barron. Barron had committed plenty of crimes in his lifetime as a member of a violent gang. From member station KPCC, Alex Cohen has a profile of an ex-gang member who turned his life around only to become a victim of the violence he was trying to prevent.

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]]> Spring Brings Baseball And March Madness Baseball's spring training is upon us, time for exhibition match-ups, autograph signings and bullpen sessions, all leading up to Opening Day. It's also time for March Madness to begin, with Selection Sunday this weekend. Guest host Jacki Lyden talks with sports writer Howard Bryant of ESPN.com and <em>ESPN the Magazine</em> about baseball's spring training season, controversial comments made by Los Angeles Angels' outfielder Torii Hunter, and the beginning of March Madness. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648123&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648123&ft=1&f=1001 Baseball's spring training is upon us, time for exhibition match-ups, autograph signings and bullpen sessions, all leading up to Opening Day. It's also time for March Madness to begin, with Selection Sunday this weekend. Guest host Jacki Lyden talks with sports writer Howard Bryant of ESPN.com and ESPN the Magazine about baseball's spring training season, controversial comments made by Los Angeles Angels' outfielder Torii Hunter, and the beginning of March Madness.

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]]> Coffee Party Founder Wants Common Grounds In just a few weeks, fans of the Coffee Party on Facebook mushroomed from a few hundred to more than 100,000 &mdash; making documentary filmmaker Annabel Park the accidental leader of a political movement. Coffee Parties are meeting all across the country Saturday. What exactly are they going to do? Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648089&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648089&ft=1&f=1001 In just a few weeks, fans of the Coffee Party on Facebook mushroomed from a few hundred to more than 100,000 — making documentary filmmaker Annabel Park the accidental leader of a political movement. Coffee Parties are meeting all across the country Saturday. What exactly are they going to do?

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]]> By Law, Trains Slipping Silently Through Towns For many small towns, the long, haunting sound of a train whistle is a sign of old world charm. But for people living near those train whistles, the charm wears off quickly. Flagstaff, Ariz., is the latest town to silence its train whistles, after federal rules have allowed this safety feature to be replaced by wayside whistles and cameras. Nationally, there are fewer towns willing to tolerate the noise. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648093&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648093&ft=1&f=1001 For many small towns, the long, haunting sound of a train whistle is a sign of old world charm. But for people living near those train whistles, the charm wears off quickly. Flagstaff, Ariz., is the latest town to silence its train whistles, after federal rules have allowed this safety feature to be replaced by wayside whistles and cameras. Nationally, there are fewer towns willing to tolerate the noise.

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]]> Week In Review This week, President Obama postponed his Asia trip to push for a health care vote. Vice President Biden visited Israel and arrived to find Israel had just approved a new batch of settlements &mdash; something the Obama administration has been pushing them to halt in the interests of the peace process. Guest Host Jacki Lyden reviews the week's top news stories with NPR Senior Washington Editor Ron Elving. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648097&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648097&ft=1&f=1001 This week, President Obama postponed his Asia trip to push for a health care vote. Vice President Biden visited Israel and arrived to find Israel had just approved a new batch of settlements — something the Obama administration has been pushing them to halt in the interests of the peace process. Guest Host Jacki Lyden reviews the week's top news stories with NPR Senior Washington Editor Ron Elving.

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]]> Beyond The Hype: How Much Health Care Could Cost The Obama administration has been hammering health insurance companies all week over proposed rate hikes. But the insurers have fired back, saying their hands are tied because the cost of health care keeps going up. NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner wades through the talking points with guest host Jacki Lyden and tells us what the proposed health bills would actually do to address costs. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648101&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124648101&ft=1&f=1001 The Obama administration has been hammering health insurance companies all week over proposed rate hikes. But the insurers have fired back, saying their hands are tied because the cost of health care keeps going up. NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner wades through the talking points with guest host Jacki Lyden and tells us what the proposed health bills would actually do to address costs.

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]]> Who Needs Labels When You Got ASCAP? Many kids dream of being rock stars, but very few make it. Still, that isn't discouraging new songwriters. Two of the nation's largest performing rights organizations, ASCAP and BMI, say their membership has skyrocketed in the last decade. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124126711&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124126711&ft=1&f=1001 Many kids dream of being rock stars, but very few make it. Still, that isn't discouraging new songwriters. Two of the nation's largest performing rights organizations, ASCAP and BMI, say their membership has skyrocketed in the last decade.

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]]> Ancient Shipwrecks A Wonder Of The 'Baltic Triangle' A dozen ancient shipwrecks have been discovered in the Baltic Sea, just east of Sweden. The well-preserved ships are hundreds of years old. The oldest wreck may date back 800 years. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124637816&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124637816&ft=1&f=1001 A dozen ancient shipwrecks have been discovered in the Baltic Sea, just east of Sweden. The well-preserved ships are hundreds of years old. The oldest wreck may date back 800 years.

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]]> Anti-Government Demonstrators Head To Bangkok Thousands of red-shirted anti-government protesters converged on the Thai capital Saturday, giving the government an ultimatum to dissolve Parliament or face mass marches on key spots in the city. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:26:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124647216&ft=1&f=1001 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124647216&ft=1&f=1001 Thousands of red-shirted anti-government protesters converged on the Thai capital Saturday, giving the government an ultimatum to dissolve Parliament or face mass marches on key spots in the city.

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