Search results for

The State Department tried disseminating a positive message about the United States in Arab countries. The idea was to counter anti-American sentiment by explaining U.S. values rather than U.S. policy. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

The Senate passes a measure to temporarily block funding for the Pentagon's Total Information Awareness program. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and others want further review of the domestic information-gathering effort, fearing its impact on civil liberties. Wyden speaks with NPR's Bob Edwards.

McDonald's and other fast-food chains find themselves in a tough position as they try to satisfy health-conscious customers while maintaining support for "old favorites" that aren't so healthy. The issue is gaining visibility as researchers focus on the health dangers of fatty foods. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

Health care workers in Connecticut are set to be the first U.S. civilians to receive smallpox vaccinations. It's the first step in a new federal program aimed at protecting Americans against a biological attack. NPR's Richard Knox reports.

Mutual funds hold enormous power in the corporate world by controlling large chunks of stock in various companies. Until now, they haven't been required to divulge how they use their proxy voting power. But a new SEC rule will make mutual funds report those votes once a year. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

The military gives small doses of amphetamines to fighter pilots who must endure long flights without sleep. The policy is based on research by the Air Force and Columbia University that shows small doses improve performance. But the use of the drugs has been called into question at a hearing for two pilots who mistakenly bombed Canadian forces in Afghanistan. NPR's Joseph Shapiro reports.

Commentator Ruben Navarrette says he and his father, a veteran police officer, support the death penalty for the same reasons they support an Illinois decision to commute the sentences of death row inmates: so that the innocent have nothing to fear.

South Korea is sending a special envoy to its communist northern neighbor to discuss North Korea's nuclear weapons program. And South Korea's president-elect Roh Moo-hyun is proposing a summit with the north's reclusive leader, Kim Jong Il. NPR's Eric Weiner reports.

Host Bob Edwards talks with GQ sports commentator Peter Richmond about this Sunday's Super Bowl.

South Korean President-elect Roh Moo-hyun's proposed summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il would be the latest effort at serious talks between the bitter rivals. Sandwiched between China and Japan, Koreans on both sides of the DMZ have a long history of negotiating from a position of relative weakness. Their strategies reflect that history. NPR's Eric Weiner reports.

Host Bob Edwards talks with Don Russell, a-k-a "Joe Six-pack," beer columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News. He was recently named beer writer of the year by the North American Guild of Beer Writers. Russell came up with the idea for the column as a counterpoint to the Philadelphia Enquirer's wine column.

The independent nature of the annual Sundance Film Festival has been eroded in recent years as more films shown there have already landed distribution deals. But despite criticism that it's become too "corporate," Sundance still produces surprises. Hear NPR's Bob Edwards and Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan.

Turkey and five Middle Eastern nations urge Iraq to do more to satisfy U.N. disarmament demands. The appeal follows a foreign ministers' meeting in Istanbul. But the six participants -- Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Syria -- also voiced opposition to any new war in Iraq. NPR's Ivan Watson reports.

NPR's David Molpus talks with members of the 24th Marine Expeditionary. He hears how they're preparing themselves for the possibility of war with Iraq, how spouses at home are explaining their absence to toddlers, and how one couple has made up a personal code for private e-mail messages.

As the Bush administration presses Iraq to divulge weapons secrets or face attack, Deputy U.S. Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz uses a speech in New York to describe what he calls "real disarmament." He cites South Africa, Ukraine and Kazakhstan as good examples of nations that have openly and voluntarily given up nuclear arms. NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports.

Mayor-turned-talk-show host Jerry Springer once again generates speculation that he may return to politics in his native Ohio. Sen. Voinovich, please be on the lookout for flying chairs.

The big drugmaker Pharmacia will allow generic versions of its AIDS drug Rescriptor to be sold in poor countries. But only in poor countries. In a new approach to AIDS treatment, Pharmacia says generic manufacturers can make copies of its drug, but in a different shape and color. The company hopes that distinction would make it difficult for illegal shipments of the generic versions to be sold on the black market in the U.S. and other wealthy countries. NPR's Snigdha Prakash reports.

The United States Olympic Committee is wracked by turmoil. Again. Members of the group charged with promoting America's Olympic fortunes are bickering so incessantly that Congress will hold a hearing next week. A top corporate Olympic sponsor says the bureaucratic infighting could wind up harming athletes. NPR's Howard Berkes reports.

A Swedish man, desolate after his wife filed for divorce, takes a pre-emptive step to make sure the old flame didn't wind up with any money out of the deal. And in Copenhagen, Denmark, a stuffed bear suffers a terrible fate.

NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Jim Thompson, CEO of the Federation of State Medical Boards, about a doctor in California who had his license revoked for prescribing medication through the Internet without examining patients.

People in Mozambique are enthralled by the continuing drama of five men charged with killing Carlos Cardoso, a journalist who exposed deep-rooted corruption. The riveting real-life drama stars the president's son as the evil mastermind behind the murder of a crusading journalist who came too close to the truth. This story of greed, betrayal and AK-47's has supplanted the popular Brazilian soap operas on battered televisions and crackling radios in this sweltering port city. NPR's Jason Beaubien reports.

In case you haven't heard, it's really cold in the Northeast. As temperatures plunge, the need for homeless shelters goes up. In Massachusetts this increase in demand coincides with budget cuts imposed because of a state fiscal crisis. Monica Brady-Myerov of member station WBUR reports.

The Bush administration is developing a new plan to add prescription drug coverage to Medicare. This time, it's likely the new coverage will be connected to sweeping reform of the Medicare system -- including a look at what role managed care might play. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Lynn Neary talks with Wall Street Journal sportswriter Stefan Fatsis about this Sunday's Super Bowl. The NFL is having a successful year and ABC, which is broadcasting this weekend's game, is selling ads at huge rates and expecting a huge audience. The weekend is also a forum for off-the-field issues and the league, which has been criticized for lagging behind in minority hiring, has had an opportunity to trumpet some advances in that area.

The White House apparently has cancelled a poetry symposium after a number of American poets threatened to turn the event into an anti-war protest. The Feb. 12 symposium on Poetry and the American Voice was one of a number of literary gatherings organized by First Lady Laura Bush. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.