National News from NPR

Pages

Asia
11:01 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

Hopes, Fears Surround China's Transition Of Power

Originally published on Wed February 22, 2012 6:27 pm

First of three parts

China's leader-in-waiting, Xi Jinping, is due to arrive in the U.S. shortly, providing the first glimpse of the next generation to lead the world's second-largest economy. This once-in-a-decade transition of power, which begins this fall, is rife with unpredictability, particularly as an unfolding political scandal grips China.

Read more
Shots - Health Blog
11:01 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

Health Care In Massachusetts: 'Abject Failure' Or Work In Progress?

Voters are hearing a lot about health care this year. Republicans want to make the 2012 elections a referendum on the health care law that President Obama signed two years ago.

That law was largely based on one that then-governor Mitt Romney signed into law nearly six years ago in Massachusetts.

Read more
Movie Interviews
11:01 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

Brad Pitt: Making 'Moneyball' And Being Billy Beane

Credit Sony Pictures
Brad Pitt stars as Billy Beane, the passionate general manager of the Oakland A's, in the Oscar-nominated sports drama Moneyball.

In the Oscar-nominated film Moneyball, Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, a baseball manager obsessed with turning his cash-strapped team into a contender. Pitt says that drive is what attracted him to the role that has earned him a best-actor nod.

Read more
Politics
11:01 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

Obama's Budget: Political Tool Or Spending Plan?

Credit Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP
Copies of of President Obama's fiscal 2013 federal budget are readied for shipment Thursday at the Government Printing Office in Washington.

Originally published on Mon February 13, 2012 10:57 am

Deficit reduction takes a back seat to job growth in the federal budget President Obama will unveil Monday. The spending plan forecasts more red ink in the current fiscal year than in 2011. Under the president's plan, budget deficits wouldn't reach a sustainable level until 2018.

Read more
The Two-Way
5:11 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

Greek Parliament Approves Austerity Bill

The Associated Press is reporting that the Greek Parliament has approved a crucial austerity and debt-relief bill to keep the country out of bankruptcy and remain a part of the eurozone.

From the AP:

Read more
Politics
4:34 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

Strong In 2010, Where Is The Tea Party Now?

Credit Win McNamee / Getty Images
Tea Party activist William Temple waits for Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida to deliver a speech titled, Is America Still an Exceptional Nation? during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

Originally published on Mon February 13, 2012 7:09 am

In 2009, Tea Party rallies raged in cities across the country. The movement put its stamp on the 2010 midterm elections when the Republicans retook the House of Representatives.

So far, throughout the GOP primary contest, every major candidate at some point has tried to frame himself or herself as the Tea Party's standard-bearer, but what's most striking about the movement this election has been its notable absence.

Read more
Author Interviews
2:59 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

When The Bankers Plotted To Overthrow FDR

It was a dangerous time in America: The economy was staggering, unemployment was rampant and a banking crisis threatened the entire monetary system.

The newly elected president pursued an ambitious legislative program aimed at easing some of the troubles. But he faced vitriolic opposition from both sides of the political spectrum.

Read more
Science
2:51 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

Virtual Penguins A Prescription For Pain?

Originally published on Tue February 14, 2012 2:44 pm

For troops injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, the deepest physical pain often comes much later — weeks, or even months, after the incident. That was the case for Sam Brown, whose story appears in this month's GQ magazine.

Brown graduated from West Point in 2006. In the late summer of 2008, he was deployed to southern Afghanistan to lead a platoon. He did security for base construction and made sure the local villagers had enough food, water, and medicine.

It was hot, often mind-numbingly dull, and dusty.

Read more
Latin America
2:00 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

American's Arrest In Cuba Could Have Impact

A U.S. contractor working to provide Internet service to Cuba's small Jewish community was charged with spying and sentenced to 15 years in a Cuban prison. Alan Gross was reportedly working for the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Interviews
2:00 pm
Sun February 12, 2012

Focus Of The Family's President On Group's Work

Jim Daly took over as president of Focus on the Family, one of the most prominent Christian evangelical organizations in the U.S., in 2005. Daly discusses his work, the organization's views on divisive issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage and immigration reform.

Pages