Search results for

The University of Michigan's affirmative action program draws support from unexpected groups in the face of a Supreme Court challenge supported in part by the Bush administration. Retired military officers and Fortune 500 companies urge justices to leave the race-based admissions policy alone. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports.

Richard Reid, the al Qaeda follower who tried to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with explosives hidden in his shoes, is sentenced to life in prison. Reid gets the maximum sentence after declaring himself a soldier of war. NPR's Tovia Smith reports.

In 1936, Edward, Prince of Wales, forfeited his role as King Edward VIII to marry the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson, who was originally from Baltimore. NPR's Lynn Neary talks with Cahal Milmo, a reporter with London's Independent newspaper, about secret documents recently released to the public that reveal that Simpson was having an affair while Edward was courting her, and that she continued to have affairs with other men after her marriage to Edward.

NPR's Lynn Neary and NPR's Michele Norris read from this week's listener letters. Among the topics, the National Geographic Magazine swimsuit edition, the glories of a summer peach in wintertime, and the "State of the Union Drinking Game."

The United States has decided Guatemala is not doing enough to fight the illegal drug trade and has decertified Guatemala from the list of countries deemed U.S. allies in combating drugs. But Washington has decided it won't waive penalties against the small Central American nation for national security reasons. NPR's Gerry Hadden reports from Guatemala City.

A new law says money coming from the frozen assets of foreign countries must be released to victims of terror attacks if they win damage awards in court. A federal judge heard the claims of Americans seeking Iraqi assets this week, and various other Americans likely will try to claim some of the money. NPR's Libby Lewis reports.

NPR's Bob Mondello notes that the best picture of the year is a hard thing to determine this time around, if you're going by the critics. There's far from unanimity on the subject, because there were so many good movies released in 2002.

In the final part of our series on debt, we'll have a report from NPR's Chris Arnold about the growing number of businesses checking job applicants' credit reports. NPR's Lynn Neary with talk with Professor Robert Manning, author of Credit Card Nation, about the future of debt in America. And we'll hear from commentator Gerry Willis. She has a few optimistic thoughts about debt.

Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota are missing out on needed tourism revenue due to a lack of snowfall. They get creative and try to attract winter tourists to come for all kinds of indoor winter fun. NPR's David Schaper reports.

A government report finds that efforts to limit human exposure to toxins aren't helping kids as much as they are helping adults. The report, issued today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that children between the ages of 6-11 are sponging up the chemicals found in cigarette smoke and soft plastic toys. It also found that Mexican-Americans have abnormal levels of the pesticide DDT in their bodies and that pregnant women carry more mercury than expected. NPR's John Nielsen reports that federal officials say they are concerned but not alarmed by the findings.