Search results for

The House of Representatives will vote tomorrow on the first trillion-dollar portion of President Bush's proposed tax cuts, and approval is expected. But the Bush administration and House Republican leaders want a show of bipartisan support to build momentum for a later showdown in the Senate. And, so far at least, only a handful of Democrats are expected to cross the aisle. NPR's David Welna reports.

NPR's Jack Speer reports that many businessess are eagerly anticipating the release of U.S. census numbers. Companies use the information to track demographics, helping them to plan where to open branches and to what group of people they'll market their products. The Census Bureau say no one should be worried about privacy, since an individual's information cannot be tracked.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports from Jerusalem on the installation of Israel's new government, led by right wing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The government includes moderate leftists and right wing extremists and it will command a decisive majority in Israel's parliament.

NPR's Pam Fessler reports on the findings of the 2000 census that the Hispanic population of the U.S. is growing faster than had been thought, and is roughly even with the black population. The official report on Hispanic population growth has not been released yet, but the increase was indicated in a chart released with another census report last week.

Robert Siegel talks with Andy Bowers from Pearl Harbor about the Navy inquiry into the collision between a U.S. submarine and a Japanese fishing boat. Today is the third day of hearings into the Feb. 9 accident that killed nine Japanese men and boys.

If all goes according to plan, the space shuttle Discovery will take off early tomorrow morning. It's carrying hardware and a replacement crew for the international space station. NPR's Chris Joyce reports.

Robert Siegel talks with Ian F. Hanley Lopez, professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley, about changing definitions in the United States of who is white. Lopez is the author of White by Law: The Legal Construction of Race.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr says that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is forming a government against a backdrop of fear and that there are few signs that the new premier will soon be able to put the Israeli people at ease.

Alan Cheuse reviews a book of short stories called Island, by Alistair MacLeod that take place in his homeland of Nova Scotia.

NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that the high cost of housing and lack of community has led two Silicon Valley mayors to leave the area. Some fear that it could be the start of a trend if the region doesn't act now to ensure quality of life for people at all income levels.

Globalization appears to be a mixed blessing: the global economy is making life better for some people, and hurting others, sometimes in unexpected ways. Daniel Zwerdling of NPR News and American RadioWorks has a story about how an obscure kind of international trade -- used tires -- might be making the country more vulnerable to disease. (12:30) Read more about Mosquitoes and Tires.

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports that an exhibit currently at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art features a small Dutch canvas believed to be a previously unrecognized work by Johannes Vermeer. If this Lady at the Virginal is indeed a Vermeer, Sotheby's say it could be worth as much as $60 million. The exhibit of works by Vermeer and his contemporaries moves to London's National Gallery in June.

Commentator Shai Oster visited a Chinese fortune teller and learned the secret to a long life.

David Greenberger reviews the new CD from singer/songwriter Dave Fischoff, called The Ox and the Rainbow. Fischoff has a distinctive, quiet, spare sound, with intimate arrangements. His songs usually consist of a solo guitar and no other voices but his, with a deep resonating bass drone that makes his work more mysterious and melancholy. The CD is on Secretly Canadian Records; they're a small independent label from Bloomington, Ind.

The Census Bureau officially announced today that the number of Hispanics in the U.S. has increased dramatically since the last census. The figures show Hispanics drawing roughly even with non-Hispanic blacks. The growth rate for the whites was much slower than for minority groups. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

In the 1950s, young Franco Americans growing up in Maine were often forbidden to speak French in school. Many gave up speaking their unique brand of Acadian French altogether, for fear of prejudice. Now, Charlotte Renner reports on a group of middle-aged women who are trying to relearn their native language.

Subcommander Marcos, leader of Mexico's Zapatista rebels, winds up a two week trek to Mexico City with a rally of supporters at Mexico City's central square. NPR's Gerry Hadden reports that Marcos and his followers will enter into negotiations for Indian rights and autonomy with President Fox and his new government.

Noah Adams talks with Tom Gjelten about a deadly training accident involving U.S. troops in Kuwait. A U.S. Navy plane accidentally dropped munitions on a bombing range in Kuwait killing at least six people, including four Americans, Pentagon officials said.

Host Bob Edwards talks with Commentator John Feinstein about the Number One regional picks of the NCAA Basketball Committee. (4:34).

President Bush visited Florida for the first time as president today, speaking at Tyndall Air Force Base and addressing a joint meeting of the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce in Panama City. The president was greeted by his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, upon his arrival. But some local Democrats are still nursing wounds from the state's five-week vote-counting debacle last year, and they had a greeting for the president today, too. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

Noah Adams talks with San Francisco public librarian Jerry Roth about today's vote to allow the San Francisco Public Library to hire a collection agency to recover thousands of unreturned items. Each year, the library system loses nearly half-a-million dollars in books, CDs, videos and other materials.

NPR's Emily Harris reports on the low income housing issues facing the new Bush administration. President Bush has proposed budgeting more money to provide more down payment help for low income people who can buy a house -- and to provide more subsidies for renters. But housing activists say neither program would address the current shortage of low income housing.

Noah Adams talks with Donna Thomasses, founder of Million Moms March about some of the changes the Million Mom March Organization has made. A year ago, the organization had thousands of members, but, this year, the organization has laid off 30 employees due to lack of funds. Thomasses says there are still chapters nationwide with volunteers doing the work, and now the national organization is looking for new ways to fulfill its mission.

AIDS activists protest in Washington, D.C., today. South African Ambassador Sheila Sisulu joins representatives from ACT UP, Oxfam, and Doctors Without Borders at a rally "to demand an end to 'medical apartheid'". The rally included a march to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association.

Noah Adams talks with David Smith, assistant principal of Whitwell Middle School in Whitwell, Tenn., about the school's paper clip project. He says that, after the Columbine High School shooting, the principal wanted to find a program to teach students about tolerance. The idea: teach the kids about the Holocaust, in a hands on, interactive way. Smith came up with the idea of collecting 6 million paper clips, to represent the 6 million Jews who died during the Holocaust. He explains who he got the idea, and how the collection involves student research and communication with people from around the world. More info available at: www.marionschools.org/holocaust.