Search results for

Writers can be inspired by their surroundings — but Indonesian volcanoes? Researchers say Mary Shelley's Frankenstein may have been inspired by an icy, dark summer caused by Mount Tambora's eruption.

The Senate has postponed a vote on its controversial immigration bill to June in order to have fuller debate. Opposition is widespread from unions, activists, businesses, and others. In the meantime, floor debate resumes today with dozens of amendments expected to be proposed.

The Dow Jones Board, and specifically the Bancroft family, announced Thursday a desire to entertain purchase offers, including one from Rupert Murdoch that will be tough to beat. What would The Wall Street Journal look like if Murdoch, who has a long track record at The Times of London, becomes boss.

Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker faced two Senate panels that included no fewer than five senators vying to become U.S. president. Yet they were spared much of the typical campaign trail rhetoric about the war.

Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker faced two Senate panels that included no fewer than five senators vying to become U.S. president. Yet they were spared much of the typical campaign trail rhetoric about the war.

President Bush will address the nation Thursday night. He's expected to announce the beginning of a drawdown of U.S. troops from Iraq — including 5,700 troops to be pulled out in December.

In New Mexico — the largest producer of chiles in the United States — the spicy peppers are more than just a crop: They're a culture, a way of life. And this time of year, the aroma of roasting chiles permeates the air throughout the state.

Steve Inskeep talks to Ken Menkhaus, professor of Political Science at Davidson College in North Carolina. He analyzes the U.S. military strike in Somalia.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday said Washington will listen to Chinese complaints about curbs on U.S. exports as she ended a visit to Beijing aimed at reviving strained relations.

Eating the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish has its benefits for the developing brain, but some women are advised to eat only limited amounts due to concerns about mercury. But one lab is cooking up brain food from where fish get it: algae.

Hockey's Stanley Cup Finals get under way Saturday night. The Detroit Red Wings are hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins in what experts are calling a match-up made in "hockey heaven." Damien Cox, a columnist for the Toronto Star talks with Guy Raz about the series.

The Senate passed the Wall Street rescue plan Wednesday by a significant margin. Presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain were among the 74 senators who approved the bailout. The legislation moves to the House, where party leaders are more confident it will pass this time due to tax breaks added to the $700 billion plan.

The U.S. House has rejected the $700 billion Wall Street bailout plan, ignoring calls for quick passage from the Bush administration and a bipartisan line of congressional leaders. Stocks started to plunge before the final gavel.

In New Orleans, there is a sense of relief that Hurricane Gustav didn't roar ashore as hard as it could have. The city avoided a direct hit, and its improved levee system has held.

President-elect Barack Obama is expected to nominate Hilda Solis as labor secretary. The Democratic congresswoman was just elected to her fifth term representing heavily Hispanic portions of eastern Los Angeles County and east L.A. She is the daughter of Mexican and Nicaraguan immigrants.

The conflict in Gaza presents a challenge for the incoming Obama administration, which already was facing a packed Middle East agenda. Leslie Gelb tells Steve Inskeep that the question now is whether the situation in Gaza will make it harder for President-elect Barack Obama to keep his campaign promises of active peacemaking between the Israelis and Palestinians. Gelb is a former state and defense department official and president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Tuesday for her confirmation hearing. The New York senator, and former first lady, got a generally warm reception from her colleagues. Some were a bit cooler, though, about foreign donations to her famous husband's foundation.

Caroline Kennedy has ended her bid to win appointment to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton and once held by her late uncle, Bobby Kennedy. In a statement released early Thursday, Kennedy says she told New York Gov. David Patterson she is withdrawing for personal reasons. She was considered a favorite for the New York Senate seat, though she has never held elective office.

Caroline Kennedy has asked Gov. David Paterson to withdraw her name from consideration for the New York Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton. A source familiar with the matter says she is no longer pursuing the seat for personal reasons. Robert Siegel speaks with New York Post reporter Fred Dicker about the story.

A large credit union in Seattle has started an ad campaign that stresses its nonprofit bona fides. Sprint advertises calling plans that are right "for these times." Does austerity sell? Or is that a ridiculous contradiction?

Attorney General-designate Eric Holder says "waterboarding is torture." He spoke about it at his confirmation hearing Thursday. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to hear from other witnesses Friday.

Israel and Hamas have ignored a U.N. Security Council call for an immediate cease-fire. Israel continued attacks in Gaza and Hamas kept up with its rocketing of Israel. Meanwhile, U.N. officials said they plan to resume aid to Gaza as soon as practical.

The playful second book in the author's Harlem Trilogy shows Ray Carney scheming how to get his teenage daughter into the concert of her dreams. Alarming capers ensue.

With the bursting of the economic bubble in Iceland at the end of 2008, many people have been thrown out of work. Lines now form every week at a soup kitchen that hands out free food, and there is a growing acknowledgment that Icelanders need to get back to their core industries such as fishing and agriculture.

The joke used to be that some women went to college to get their M.R.S. — that is, a husband. But a study by the Pew Research Center finds that women today are more likely to marry men who have lower education levels and lower income levels than they do.