Interview with UF President Bernie Machen
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Top Stories from NPR News
Sen. Edward Kennedy Hospitalized
Sen. Edward Kennedy, 76, has been taken by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital. His office says the senator had a seizure and is undergoing tests.
A Tale of Two Democratic Primary States
The upcoming Oregon and Kentucky primaries are near perfect illustrations of the two separate wings of the Democratic Party. Affluent, green and antiwar Oregon is expected to support Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Kentucky's rural, blue-collar population will help New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Reviewing the Disaster in Chengdu
Scott Simon talks with Robert Siegel about his week in the heart of the Chinese earthquake.
A Chinese Family Buries Its Dead, Not Its Grief
The Chinese village of Hongbai was hard-hit by Monday's devastating earthquake. But the post-quake chaos leaves little time for final rites that might have offered comfort to those burying loved ones.
Peace Corps Blues
At college commencement time, some graduates explore Peace Corps opportunities. But Robert Strauss, former country director of the Peace Corps in Cameroon, says that the Peace Corps has lost its edge for assisting developing countries and the U.S.
U.S. Alzheimer's Numbers Expected to Grow
As the U.S. population ages, the number of people with Alzheimer's could more than triple over the next four decades. While most will be elderly, about 10 percent will develop the disease before the age of 65, often in their 40s or 50s.
Borrowers Turn to Alternative Loan Sources
For many Americans, getting a loan today is not an easy task. The downturn in credit markets has sent borrowers and lenders looking for alternative ways to meet their credit needs.
Violence Shifts Balance of Power in Lebanon
Six days of violence have left more than 60 people dead in Lebanon. The balance of power has shifted and the Shiite Hezbollah militia is stronger than any other force in the country.
Smuggling Bugs into the U.S.
Scott Simon looks at how giant beetles were smuggled into the U.S. from Taiwan. They pose a threat to agriculture.
The Race Factor Hampers Obama
Sen. Barack Obama has yet to convince his entire party to rally around him. After losing West Virginia by more than 40 points, he continues to struggle with working-class white Democrats. Scott Simon talks to Harold Ford Jr., chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council.
McCain Woos the NRA
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain fired back at Sen. Barack Obama during a speech on Friday before members of the National Rifle Association. McCain affirmed his conservative and foreign policy credentials.
WNBA Season Begins
The WNBA regular season tips off Saturday. Scott Simon talks to Candace Parker, the 2008 No. 1 draft pick for the Los Angeles Sparks, about the hype and hope.
Ball Parks Fail Hygiene Tests
Scott Simon looks at a survey of health code violations at Major League ball parks. The home of the Los Angeles Angels was rated the worst.
Week in Review: Assistance to Myanmar and China
Scott Simon discusses the top news stories of the week with Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr.
Bangladesh Food Supplies Improve
People still go hungry in Bangladesh, but they're not starving anymore. And they want the world to know about their progress in rice farming.
Top U.S. Stories from NPR News
Sen. Edward Kennedy Hospitalized
Sen. Edward Kennedy, 76, has been taken by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital. His office says the senator had a seizure and is undergoing tests.
U.S. Alzheimer's Numbers Expected to Grow
As the U.S. population ages, the number of people with Alzheimer's could more than triple over the next four decades. While most will be elderly, about 10 percent will develop the disease before the age of 65, often in their 40s or 50s.
Borrowers Turn to Alternative Loan Sources
For many Americans, getting a loan today is not an easy task. The downturn in credit markets has sent borrowers and lenders looking for alternative ways to meet their credit needs.
Smuggling Bugs into the U.S.
Scott Simon looks at how giant beetles were smuggled into the U.S. from Taiwan. They pose a threat to agriculture.
Ball Parks Fail Hygiene Tests
Scott Simon looks at a survey of health code violations at Major League ball parks. The home of the Los Angeles Angels was rated the worst.
Robert Mondavi, Wine Trailblazer, Dies at 94
Robert Mondavi, the man who put California wines along side the European greats, has died at the age of 94. Mondavi bought his first winery in 1966, and championed the use of cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks, and French oak barrels.
Gay Marriage May Affect the 2008 Election
The last time a state Supreme Court ruled gay marriage legal, it was Massachusetts in 2003. The fallout helped Republicans boost turnout in 2004 and hold the White House. Times have changed since then, but it remains to be seen how big the issue could be for Republicans in 2008.
Is the Economy Looking Better?
A few weeks ago, most economists were convinced that the United States was in a recession, or at least headed for one. But now some say they're not so sure. Some key economic indicators suggest that growth hasn't slowed as much as the doomsayers predicted. Are these numbers just a blip? Or has the impact of the sub-prime mortgage crisis on the economy been exaggerated?
Paralympian Pistorius Can Vie for Olympics
Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, 21, is eligible to compete in the Beijing Olympics, an international sports arbitration panel has ruled. Pistorius had both his legs amputated below the knee as an infant; he runs competitively on legs made of carbon fiber. Noah Adams talks to Wall Street Journal sportswriter Stefan Fatsis.
Internment Camp Survivor Gets Honorary Degree
Along with more than 400 other Japanese-American students, Ruby Inouye never finished her degree at the University of Washington in Seattle because she was sent to an internment camp in Idaho during World War II. The university is awarding honorary degrees 66 years later.
Military Wives Fight Army to Help Husbands
Spouses of troops suffering from postwar mental trauma have made it their mission to force the military to give soldiers the treatment they need. Military wives — traditionally known as "the silent ranks" — have transformed into unexpected activists.
Polygamy Cafe Feeds the Hungry and Curious
The Merry Wives Cafe is owned and operated by members of a polygamist group with a sense of business, humor and public relations. The Utah cafe opened last year to give locals and travelers a place to eat. It also allows owners to gently confront polygamy's battered image.
Legal Debate over Calif.'s Gay Marriage Ruling
University of California Berkeley law professor Jesse Choper discusses the legal ramifications of the California Supreme Court's decision to allow same-sex marriage.
'Marketplace' Report: Serving Economic Blues
Cash-strapped drinkers are starting to switch to lower-priced beers. Since January, Miller Brewing Company has seen a shift from higher-priced, premium beers to less expensive brands such as Miller High Life and Milwaukee's Best. Hear Nancy Marshall-Genzer of Marketplace.
Mother Indicted in MySpace Bullying Case
Lori Drew has been indicted for her role in creating a fake online identity as a teenage boy and allegedly using it to harass a friend of her 13-year-old daughter on MySpace. The friend, Megan Meier, committed suicide hours after receiving hurtful messages on the site.
Top World Stories from NPR News
Reviewing the Disaster in Chengdu
Scott Simon talks with Robert Siegel about his week in the heart of the Chinese earthquake.
A Chinese Family Buries Its Dead, Not Its Grief
The Chinese village of Hongbai was hard-hit by Monday's devastating earthquake. But the post-quake chaos leaves little time for final rites that might have offered comfort to those burying loved ones.
Peace Corps Blues
At college commencement time, some graduates explore Peace Corps opportunities. But Robert Strauss, former country director of the Peace Corps in Cameroon, says that the Peace Corps has lost its edge for assisting developing countries and the U.S.
Violence Shifts Balance of Power in Lebanon
Six days of violence have left more than 60 people dead in Lebanon. The balance of power has shifted and the Shiite Hezbollah militia is stronger than any other force in the country.
Smuggling Bugs into the U.S.
Scott Simon looks at how giant beetles were smuggled into the U.S. from Taiwan. They pose a threat to agriculture.
Week in Review: Assistance to Myanmar and China
Scott Simon discusses the top news stories of the week with Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr.
Bangladesh Food Supplies Improve
People still go hungry in Bangladesh, but they're not starving anymore. And they want the world to know about their progress in rice farming.
Reflections on Tragedy
Scott Simon reflects on the aftermath of the natural disasters in Myanmar and China.
Lorraine Feather: Songs for the Little Things
The daughter of famed jazz journalist and producer Leonard Feather first tried to make a career as a stage actress. That's when she started to translate her minor aggravations into song lyrics — and singing them.
Aid Efforts Stymied by China, Myanmar Tragedies
Two catastrophes have struck this month — the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. As the death tolls in these two countries mount, so does the need for aid. But Myanmar has been reluctant to let relief workers into the country, and China says it will accept foreign aid on its own timetable. But how do people give if they want to help the victims?
Search for Victims Turns Up a Quake Survivor
Four days after a powerful earthquake struck China's Sichuan province, survivors are still being located, freed from rubble by rescue teams. Days after the quake, a search party found and rescued a survivor in a devastated village in Sichuan. But getting the man out of a collapsed factory was no simple matter.
Families Search for Living in Dujiangyan
About 20 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake, Dujiangyan, China, has gone from a booming metropolis of more than a half-million to a teeming tent city. Residents are still looking for family members — or trying to let them know they are alive.
A Rapper Out of Sudan's Civil War
Emmanuel Jal was a child soldier in Sudan's brutal civil war. Now he is a rapper with a new album out called Warchild. Music journalist Christian Bordal has a review and profile of the artist.
Capt. Rawlings' Tips on Serving in Iraq
The 26-year-old Princeton alum has been stop-lossed in Sadr City. Over the next few months, he'll be answering listeners' questions about his experience. In his first batch of answers, he discusses how he fills his spare time, why his soldiers sometimes make fun of him and what he'd tell a kid who's considering a future in the military.
Palestinian-American Reflects on Israel
Palestinian American Nina Cullers and her family lost their home and way of life when Israel became an independent nation in 1948. As Israel marks its 60th anniversary, Cullers reflects on how that event affected her life as a Palestinian.