U.S. News

Pages

U.S.
3:24 am
Sun May 5, 2013

What Visa Changes Say About U.S. Immigration Priorities

Originally published on Sun May 5, 2013 6:03 am

The immigration overhaul bill currently circulating around the Senate would scrap a two-decade old program that distributes diversity visas to countries with historically-low rates of immigration to the U.S. But it would also introduce the merit-based visa, given to those with a job and high-level education.

Around the Nation
3:24 am
Sun May 5, 2013

On Southern California Cruise, A Splash Of 'Urban Ocean'

Credit Kirk Siegler / NPR
A cruise run by the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Calif., exposes guests to the "urban ocean" in the country's biggest shipping terminal.

Originally published on Sun May 5, 2013 4:41 pm

A cruise run by the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Calif., sounds like a picturesque summer outing. But the Urban Ocean boat cruise highlights the juxtaposition of a powerful port with a fragile ecosystem: You're just as likely to see trash as you are to see marine life.

In front of the aquarium, school kids are running around, eager to go inside and pet the sharks and see the penguins. There's also a marina, where a small passenger boat called the Cristina shoves off from sunny Shoreline Aquatic Park.

Read more
Around the Nation
2:52 pm
Sat May 4, 2013

Times Square's Naked Cowboy Wrangles Some Co-Workers

Credit Margot Adler / NPR
The original Naked Cowboy, Robert Burck (second from right), shows off with new naked cowfolk, from left, Karen Munos, Titus Gandy, Alejandra Quinones and Patricia Burck in New York's Times Square.

Originally published on Sun May 5, 2013 8:21 am

In the bustle and craziness of New York's Times Square on a busy afternoon or night, you will see scores of costumed figures: Batman, Elmo, the Statue of Liberty.

But for more than a dozen years, arguably the most original of these is the Naked Cowboy. His fame has now spawned a franchise, with eight different cowboys and cowgirls.

Almost anytime you go to Times Square, you will see the original Naked Cowboy in a white cowboy hat, white boots and white underwear briefs, with the words "Naked Cowboy" written across his butt. That's all he's wearing.

Read more
The Two-Way
1:34 pm
Sat May 4, 2013

Kentucky Derby: Rain-Soaked Track Awaits A New Champion

Credit Morry Gash / AP
Joel Rosario rides Orb during the 139th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday in Louisville, Ky. The odds-on favorite won the race.

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 5:01 pm

Update at 6:45 p.m. Orb Takes Derby Title:

Favored heavily 5-1 prior to the race, Orb has taken the title of the 139th Kentucky Derby Saturday at Churchill Downs.

The win gives Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey his first victory in the race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds.

"It's like living a dream," Orb's jockey, Joel Rosario, told NBC after the race, calling it "a perfect trip."

The other top finishers were Golden Soul in second, Revolutionary in third and Normandy Invasion in fourth place.

Orb ran the 1 1/4 mile race in 2:02.89.

Read more
The Two-Way
6:44 am
Sat May 4, 2013

Shifts In Weather And Strategy Help Slow Springs Wildfire

Credit David McNew / Getty Images
Standing on a rooftop, a man looks at the Springs fire's approaching flames in California Friday. The wildfire, reportedly, 20 percent contained, might be weakened by high humidity and cooler temperatures Saturday.

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 10:11 am

Firefighters in Southern California are welcoming the latest weather forecast, as lower temperatures and higher humidity could help them control the Camarillo Springs Fire. But the wildfire along the coast remains formidable: It has reportedly burned at least 43 square miles of land and property, nearly doubling in size Friday.

Read more
Children's Health
4:02 am
Sat May 4, 2013

Bulletproof Whiteboards And The Marketing Of School Safety

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 6:58 pm

A recent news item out of Minnesota caught our eye: "Bulletproof Whiteboards Unveiled at Rocori Schools."

Bulletproof what? Where?

That would be whiteboards, at the small central Minnesota Rocori School District, which will spend upward of $25,000 for the protective devices produced by a company better known for its military armor products.

Read more
U.S.
3:51 am
Sat May 4, 2013

At NRA Convention, Dueling Narratives Displayed With Guns

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
An ammunition display at the NRA's annual convention in Houston on Friday.

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 10:50 am

The National Rifle Association is holding its annual convention in Houston this weekend. More than 70,000 people are expected to attend for speeches and demos and acres of guns, ammo and camo.

The NRA is coming off of a major victory: the defeat of gun control legislation in the Senate. While the talk in the convention hall is about keeping up the fight and staying true to the Constitution, a small protest against gun violence is being held outside.

Read more
Sports
3:51 am
Sat May 4, 2013

Confessions Of A Kentucky Derby Gate-Crasher

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 11:21 am

On Saturday night, 150,000 people will pack Louisville's Churchill Downs to watch the Kentucky Derby. But only a few will celebrate the victory from the winner's circle.

Stephen Johnstone has experienced that celebration many times. He's been in the winner's circle with the winning families, jockeys and governors — but not once was he invited.

Johnstone is a retired gate-crasher. The first time he crashed the Kentucky Derby was in 1963. Johnstone and several college friends slipped underneath a fence at Churchill Downs.

Read more
Economy
3:51 am
Sat May 4, 2013

More Jobs, But Wait: They May Not Pay Much

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 9:53 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. The economy added 165,000 jobs in April. That exceeded the expectations of economists. It also drove down the unemployment rate to a four-year low, 7.5 percent. Unfortunately, the biggest gains were in lower-paying fields like hospitality and temp agencies. And as the school year comes to a close and young people start looking, the question is will there be enough work for them. NPR's Sonari Glinton reports.

Read more
History
3:51 am
Sat May 4, 2013

WWII Prisoner Of War Created A Code, Uncracked Until Now

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 6:22 am

Sixty years ago, John Pryor, a British prisoner of war in a German camp wrote about 80 letters home. Under his prosaic descriptions of camp life were coded messages asking for supplies and detailing German military secrets. Host Scott Simon talks with Stephen Pryor, his son, who worked with researchers at the University of Plymouth to finally crack his late father's code.

Economy
3:51 am
Sat May 4, 2013

Fewer Jobs, Persistent Racial Disparity

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 9:53 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

And that racial disparity in the unemployment numbers isn't just among younger workers. The overall unemployment rate of African-Americans is 13.2 percent. That is almost twice that of white Americans. Among Hispanics, it's 9 percent. Yesterday, we spoke with Darrick Hamilton, associate professor of economics at the New School in New York. He studies racial economic inequality and we asked him to try to explain any reasons behind the two-to-one gap in joblessness between blacks and whites.

Read more
Sports
3:51 am
Sat May 4, 2013

Sports: From Basketballs To Racing Horses

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 9:53 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News, I'm Scott Simon and I've wait all week to say it's time for sports.

Basketball playoffs, two teams come back from a three-game deficit just not far enough. In baseball, Angels in the outfield but rarely on the bases. How much money do they have to spend to get a few hits? And some national concerns that have nothing to do with congress. Howard Bryant, columnist for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine joins us. Morning Howard.

HOWARD BRYANT: Good morning, Scott. How are you?

Read more
U.S.
3:51 am
Sat May 4, 2013

Boston Investigation Unpacks Brothers' Pre-Bombing Moves

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 9:53 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. Law enforcement officials are getting a better idea of what may have transpired on the days leading up to the last month's Boston Marathon bombings, specifically where the two suspects, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, might have assembled their homemade bombs and whether anybody else was involved.

NPR's Dina Temple-Raston has been following this story and joins us. Dina, thanks for being with us.

DINA TEMPLE-RASTON, BYLINE: You're welcome.

SIMON: Worthy discovery?

Read more
Code Switch
2:49 pm
Fri May 3, 2013

A Black Jockey At The Kentucky Derby, Once Again

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 4:41 am

The Kentucky Derby's 139th running is this weekend, and it will feature a sight that's been a rarity in the race for much of the past century — an African-American jockey.

"Everything that comes with the Derby right now for me is not the same as the majority of the other riders, or any other riders, because I'm the only African-American rider in the race," Kevin Krigger says.

Krigger was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but he's been racing in California. He's the first African-American jockey to ride in the Derby in more than a decade.

Read more
NPR News Investigations
2:03 pm
Fri May 3, 2013

Justice In The Segregated South: A New Look At An Old Killing

Originally published on Sat May 4, 2013 4:41 am

This story contains language that some may find offensive.

In the segregated South in 1965, John Queen was about as insignificant as a man could be. He was black, elderly and paralyzed. His legs had been crushed when as a boy he fell off a roof. For the rest of his life, he pulled himself around with his hands.

In Fayette, Miss., he would shine shoes on Main Street for a few coins. People called him "Crippled Johnny" or "Shoe-Shine Johnny."

Read more
Business
1:54 pm
Fri May 3, 2013

New U.S. Trade Representative Faces Big Challenges Abroad

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 6:28 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

Expanding trade abroad is a high priority for President Obama. This week, he nominated a trusted adviser named Michael Froman to become the next U.S. trade representative. Froman is currently deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs. NPR's Wendy Kaufman reports on the challenges he would face as trade representative.

Read more
Economy
1:54 pm
Fri May 3, 2013

Stock Market Rallies On Better-Than-Expected Jobs Report

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 6:28 pm

The stock market rallied on Friday after a better-than-expected jobs report. The Labor Department said employers added 165,000 jobs to payrolls in April. The unemployment rate ticked down to 7.5 percent.

Economy
1:54 pm
Fri May 3, 2013

Jobs Report Better Than Expected, But Still Not That Great

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 6:28 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block. The unemployment rate edged down a tiny bit today to 7.5 percent. That's the lowest it's been in more than four years. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported there were 165,000 net new jobs in April. This was better than most economists expected. Even better, the government said it had undercounted in February and March by more than 100,000 jobs.

Read more
Law
1:54 pm
Fri May 3, 2013

California Reluctant To Further Reduce Its Prison Population

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 6:28 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

To California now, where Governor Jerry Brown promises to keep fighting federal court orders to reduce his state's prison population. While Brown did meet a deadline late last night to file a plan for further inmate cuts, he insists those cuts will jeopardize public safety, and he says he intends to take an appeal back to the Supreme Court. NPR's Richard Gonzales has the story.

Read more
Around the Nation
1:54 pm
Fri May 3, 2013

Pre-Exam Party Grows Into Violent 'Drink Fest' In Madison

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 6:28 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

Tomorrow, in Madison, Wisconsin, college students will be partying, and it's not your average University of Wisconsin party. It's the annual Mifflin Street block party, a pre-exam bash. And as we hear from Gilman Halsted of Wisconsin Public Radio, the tradition has morphed into a sometimes violent 24-hour drinking fest, and the city and university are not happy about it.

Read more
The Two-Way
12:05 pm
Fri May 3, 2013

Employment Numbers Tell Us A Lot (But Not That Much)

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 3:17 pm

The nation's unemployment rate hit a four-year low of 7.5 percent and the job market improved last month. Friday's news helped push the Dow Jones industrial average above 15,000 for the first time.

Was that a rational response?

Although the jobs report for April was positive, what triggered the market reaction was the fact that it was better than expected. Instead of 145,000 jobs created, as most economists predicted, the Labor Department says there were 165,000 new jobs.

Read more
The Two-Way
11:32 am
Fri May 3, 2013

Witherspoon's Punishment: $100 Fine & A Viral Arrest Video

Credit AP
Actress Reese Witherspoon in a photo provided by the City of Atlanta Department of Corrections after her arrest.
Faith Matters
10:49 am
Fri May 3, 2013

Humanists On Surviving Crisis Without A Prayer

Thursday was the National Day of Prayer, and the president called on people of all faiths to remember the victims of recent national tragedies. But what about the growing number of Americans who don't pray? Host Michel Martin speaks with Greg Epstein, the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University, about where people without faith turn for comfort.

Arts & Life
10:21 am
Fri May 3, 2013

Hey Teenagers! We Want To Hear Your Stories

Credit M Mujdat Uzel / iStockphoto.com
Are you the next Radio Diaries teen diarist?

Originally published on Fri May 10, 2013 6:49 pm

Are you a teenager with a story to tell? NPR and Radio Diaries want to hear it. Write it down, photograph it (and record it if you want) and then submit it to the storytelling site Cowbird.

Beginning in 1996, Radio Diaries gave tape recorders to five teenagers to create audio diaries about their lives. Starting on May 6, All Things Considered will revisit these original diarists, now in their 30s, to document their lives for NPR listeners.

Read more
NPR Story
8:49 am
Fri May 3, 2013

To Combat Rising Seas, Why Not Raise Up The Town?

When the Great Storm of 1900 battered Galveston, Texas, the town simply lifted itself up--in some places as much as 17 feet. Could a similar approach save cities today? Randy Behm of the US Army Corps of Engineers and Dwayne Jones of the Galveston Historical Foundation talk about the costs and feasibility of raising a town, albeit with better technology than Galveston's hand-cranked jacks and mules.

TED Radio Hour
8:00 am
Fri May 3, 2013

What Role Do Relationships Play In Learning?

Originally published on Fri May 3, 2013 9:03 am

Part 4 of the TED Radio Hour episode Unstoppable Learning.

About Rita Pierson's TEDTalk

Veteran teacher Rita Pierson believes that relationships are crucial to education. She talks about how classrooms lack the kind of human connections kids need to feel inspired and to learn. Pierson gave her talk as part of the PBS Special TED Talks Education, airing May 7.

Read more
It's All Politics
3:41 pm
Thu May 2, 2013

Ayotte Becoming Gun Control Lightning Rod

Credit J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., has drawn the focus of gun control proponents for voting against a bid to expand criminal background checks for gun buyers.

Originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 4:37 pm

Of the senators who have become lightning rods for voting against expanded criminal background checks for gun buyers, New Hampshire Republican Kelly Ayotte is drawing the most bolts.

Video of Ayotte being questioned by the daughter of the principal killed during the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Conn., has gone viral.

Read more
Economy
3:27 pm
Thu May 2, 2013

Housing Recovery Lifts Other Sectors, Too

Originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 4:00 pm

The government's employment report for April comes out Friday. It's an important measure of the economy's health and the advance signals have been mixed. One report this week showed layoffs falling to a five-year low, but another suggests disappointing jobs creation.

At least one sector is providing some positive news for the job market: housing.

Read more
Around the Nation
3:27 pm
Thu May 2, 2013

Birmingham Students Reenact Historic March, 50 Years Later

Originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 4:22 pm

In Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday, children took to downtown streets in a reenactment of historic events there 50 years ago. It's part of a series of events this year marking Birmingham's crucial role in the civil rights movement.

Pages