Search results for

Twenty years ago, tons of toxic gas escaped from a Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal, India. It was one of the worst industrial accidents in history, with a death toll of more than 15,000. Many survivors say they have yet to receive compensation. Hear Miranda Kennedy.

First Lady Jill Biden visited Romania and is spending time with Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia today.

In 1932, The New York Times' Walter Duranty won a Pulitzer for stories defending Soviet policies that led to the deaths of millions of Ukrainians. The Times disavows his work but not the prize.

Sports guru George Johnson recaps the latest in sports news and controversies, and speculates on who will be named this season's National Football League Most Valuable Player. Hear Johnson and NPR's Tavis Smiley.

NPR's Alex Chadwick and Day to Day technology contributor Xeni Jardin hit the streets to try out a few new gadgets, including a hand-held traffic reporting device and a multimedia gizmo that plays music, movies and television shows.

Iraq's interim leader works to persuade Iraqi expatriates to participate in January's parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Ayad Allawi also met with some Iraqi tribal leaders in the Jordanian capital, hoping to win their support for efforts to end the insurgency. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports.

Day to Day technology contributor Xeni Jardin reports on new technology that movie industry officials hope will decrease the number of people using camcorders to make illegal copies of feature films.

Since anthrax spores sent through the mail killed five people in late 2001, the federal government has boosted spending on biodefense research and pending by billions of dollars. But some experts wonder if this isn't overkill, and whether some new efforts are doing more harm than good. NPR's David Kestenbaum reports.

Ayesha Rascoe talks with Shannon Brewer of the Jackson Women's Health Organization. The Mississippi clinic is at the center of a Supreme Court case that could result in the end of Roe v. Wade.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist was at the White House Monday talking to President Bush about his second-term agenda. Frist talks about the president's legislative priorities and how to overcome a Democratic filibuster. Hear Frist and NPR's Juan Williams.

A combination drug may soon become the first prescription medicine approved specifically for African Americans. The medicine, called Bidl, treats heart failure. Trials show the drug works much better than conventional therapies, but some worry the results could perpetuate myths about racial differences. Hear NPR's Snigdha Prakash.

Previous presidents have made trips to Canada relatively soon after being elected, but this is President Bush's first official trip. NPR's Melissa Block talks with Jeffrey Simpson, national affairs columnist with the Globe and Mail about recent relations between the U.S. and Canada.

Slate columnist Daniel Gross examines whether a disappointing start to the holiday shopping season for Wal-Mart could present opportunities for other retailers. The nation's largest retailer reported less-than-normal sales as the busiest American buying period begins.

With allegations of massive fraud surrounding Iraq's oil-for-food program, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) calls for the resignation of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Annan's son has been implicated in the scandal. NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports.

Boeing's former chief financial officer pleads guilty in the growing scandal over the firm's defense contracts with the federal government. A top Air Force officer has also pled guilty in the investigation into favoritism in military acquisitions. NPR's David Schaper reports.

Mongolia is undergoing a major political and economic transformation after the fall of communism. Worlds of Difference producer Allan Coukell visited the country to find out how the ancient practice of shamanism is faring in a time of major change.

Slate senior editor Andy Bowers explains how a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich that supposedly bears an image of the Virgin Mary has remained free of mold. The sandwich recently sold for $28,000 on the eBay.com online auction site.

The Supreme Court considers arguments on the legality of using marijuana for health reasons. The federal government is seeking to prosecute two California women who grow and use marijuana under medical supervision. NPR's Nina Totenberg reports.

President George W. Bush chooses Alberto Gonzales to succeed Attorney General John Ashcroft. NPR's Tavis Smiley talks about the future of the Justice Department with Nadine Strossen, professor of Law at New York Law School and president of the ACLU and Doug Kmiec, chair and professor of constitutional law at Pepperdine University.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died Thursday in a French hospital at age 75. Arafat helped found the Palestine Liberation Organization and dedicated much of his life to fighting for an independent Palestinian homeland. Arafat's funeral will be held Friday in Egypt. He'll be buried Saturday in Ramallah. Hear NPR's Jennifer Ludden.

Official Washington had barely caught its breath yesterday over the resignation of Attorney General John Ashcroft, when President Bush announced his new choice for the top law enforcement job: White House counsel and longtime Bush confidant Alberto Gonzales. NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg reports.

Egypt hosts a military funeral for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Arafat's coffin was carried on a horse-drawn carriage from a Cairo mosque to an Egyptian airbase where the funeral took place. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak led the procession. Hear NPR's Renee Montagne and NPR's Peter Kenyon.

NPR's Alex Chadwick and Slate legal correspondent Dahlia Lithwick discuss two high-profile Supreme Court cases -- one involving gender discrimination, the other looking at California's efforts to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes.

A new report commissioned by U.N Secretary General Kofi Annan calls for the expansion of the Security Council. The report also sets out criteria for the use of force, and encourages the Security Council to consider preventive action to deal with latent threats. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

Outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, facing massive street protests and international pressure, backs a new presidential election to end the standoff between Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko. NPR's Lawrence Sheets reports.