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The case of the family found dead on a hiking trail in August had perplexed investigators and the public. On Thursday, Sheriff-Coroner Jeremy Briese confirmed the cause of death.

Western states are at the top of the list for hunger. The loss of traditional jobs, high cost of living and remoteness of many rural communities all are part of the reason. NPR's Robert Smith reports.

Absentee ballots in Louisiana aren't counted if they're cast by someone who then dies before election day. State Sen. Reggie Dupre, Jr. wants to reverse that law. The Republican from Houma says if someone takes the time to vote, it should count, even if the voter doesn't live to see election day. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Dupre about the bill he's co-sponsored.

The Bush administration approves a policy that could make it more difficult for Medicaid patients to receive emergency care. Federal law had required managed-care plans covering Medicare and Medicaid to cover trips to emergency rooms for those patients. The new Bush policy permits some limits on Medicaid ER use. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Michele Norris talks with Wall Street Journal sportswriter Stefan Fatsis about the basketball showdown between two seven-footers, Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers and Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. The on-court confrontation has been heightened by off-court jousting -- in particular, Shaquille O'Neal's mimicking of Yao Ming's accent. Some have taken offense.

Harvard scientists discover problems using stem cells to treat diseases such as diabetes. Two years ago, scientists said they successfully nudged stem cells into producing insulin. Now, the newest research suggests those cells weren't really making insulin. NPR's Joe Palca reports.

Pakistan demands exemption from a U.S. registration program for non-citizens, and Indonesia tells its citizens not to travel here. The program requires visiting males from 25 Middle Eastern and Asian countries to be fingerprinted, photographed and interviewed as an anti-terror measure. The Justice Department says the effort is starting to pay off. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports.

Modern technology creates problems between book publishers and libraries. The Association of American Publishers worries about the onset of the "e-book." Meanwhile, libraries are committed to giving the public access to old-fashioned books and e-books alike. NPR's Rick Karr reports.

A Senate committee unanimously recommends Tom Ridge be confirmed as head of the new Department of Homeland Security. A final Senate vote is anticipated next week. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

A Texas travel agency offers a package to a nudist resort in Cancun. And passengers on a chartered plane are invited to get an early start on dishabille as soon as the "fasten seat belt" light goes off.

Edouard Vuillard was not as widely known as the Impressionist masters, but he created more than 3,000 paintings between the late 1800s and his death a half-century later. NPR's Susan Stamberg tours the most comprehensive exhibition of the French artist's works, premiering at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

NPR's Michele Norris talks with Gen. James Helmly, the chief commander of the U.S. Army Reserve about the increased reliance the military places on reserve components. Currently 47 percent of the military is made up of these reserve members. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, there has been an increased perception that the reservists are being overused. Indeed these citizen soldiers are being deployed for more missions and for longer periods. They can be called to duty for up to two years, which makes it harder and harder for these folks to re-integrate into society. Gen. Helmly addresses some of these concerns.

Campbell was born in Austria, the second daughter of Georg and Maria von Trapp and a younger stepsibling to the older von Trapp children who went on to be depicted in the musical and beloved movie.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports that the Bush administration will weigh in on a critical affirmative action cases before the Supreme Court. The case involves a suit brought against the University of Michigan and its law school by white students who oppose the university's policy that gives minority students an advantage in applying for admission. The Bush administration is prepard to argue on behalf of the white plaintiffs.

Raquel Maria Dillon reports Boston area critics of the Roman Catholic Church have turned their sites north, to the Bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire. John McCormack was a top aid to Cardinal Bernard Law, who stepped down last month as a result of the priest sex abuse scandal. The protesters say McCormack is also to blame for the abuse, and they want him to step down.

Many species of shark are in decline, a development some researchers have been slow to note. The shark plays a pivotal role in the health of all marine life, and some fear the population dip could throw the underwater ecosystem out of balance. NPR's Richard Harris reports.

At the San Francisco Zoo, six new penguins have had the rest of the group swimming in circles for the past month. The newcomers appear to have sparked a "migration" trend after the rest of the flock had enjoyed 19 years of sedentary life. The behavior is rare in captivity. NPR's John Ydstie speaks with zookeeper Jane Tollini.

The Bush administration files a friend-of-the-court brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the University of Michigan's affirmative action program. Three white students allege the university uses a quota system that unfairly benefits minority applicants. NPR's Libby Lewis reports.

DuPont and other multinational corporations announce the launch of the Chicago Climate Exchange. The effort is the first major attempt at establishing a market for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. NPR's David Schaper reports.

A second high-ranking committee member quits over inaction against USOC's chief executive officer. The committee's ethics compliance officer, Patrick Rodgers, leaves saying CEO Lloyd Ward should have been sanctioned for conflict-of-interest violations. NPR's Tom Goldman reports.

NPR's Michele Norris talks with Kathryn Blume, co-founder of The Lysistrata Project, a coordinated schedule of world-wide readings of the play Lysistrata on March 3, 2003. The ancient Greek play tells the story of a woman who organizes a stand against war, getting women on both sides of a conflict to withhold sex from their husbands until the men agree to sign a peace treaty. She hopes the readings will mobilize an international theatrical voice against the Bush administration's war on Iraq.

NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Craig Timberg, reporter for The Washington Post about officials of the teachers union in the nation's capital coming under scrutiny for allegedly misusing funds.

Host John Ydstie talks with WorldCom employee Jeff Regan about how the new economy affects his job and his family. Regan is a 14-year company veteran who suddenly finds himself worrying about being able to pay monthly bills. Despite his new financial struggles, he remains hopeful of his and his company's future. This interview begins an occasional series of conversations with people and their financial concerns.

A growing cadre of religious leaders is claiming that Jesus would certainly veto a war against Saddam Hussein. As an anti-war coalition put it in a full-page ad in The New York Times "it is inconceivable that Jesus Christ... would support this proposed attack." Commentator Joe Loconte says that the teachings of Jesus make it clear that evil can possess individuals and entire regimes, and that evil must be resisted, sometimes by force.

Media reports have highlighted a potential danger for children who carry overstuffed backpacks around, citing a rash of back injuries. One study shows a greater danger from tripping over the cumbersome carry-alls. But there's more to the story. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.