Search results for

Reviewer Mark Jenkins reports on the latest cd release, "Keep a Secret," from the midwestern rock band Mysteries of Life. They're not your average classic-rock cover band...Jenkins discovers that the members have an unusual knack for producing catchy melodies of their own. (5:00) (IN S

Linda talks to NPR's national political correspondent Elizabeth Arnold and White House correspondent Mara Liasson about President Clinton and presumptive Republican nominee Senator Bob Dole's disagreements this week on abortion, as well as their treatment of welfare reform as a political issue.

Steve Tripoli of member station WBUR reports that the town of New Bedford, Mass. has lost 10,000 jobs in recent years to plant closings. Now, the town is trying a radical approach to preventing the new out-of-town owner of a plant from shutting it down: the city wants to use its power of eminent domain to seize the plant and sell it to local bidders.

Robert Siegel speaks with Javier Solana (HA-vee-air soh-LAH-nah), Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, about NATO expansion in Central Europe. Solana says that moral and security concerns compel NATO to admit democratic countries in Central Europe that want to join the organization. He also says that despite Russian anxiety over NATO expansion, new countries should be admitted as full members, with all NATO benefits and obligations.

Commentator Joyce Maynard talks about redoing her address book and discovering the names of lost friends and loves-- and being heartened by the thought that new names will replace the old.

Commentator David Brooks says that Robert Dole's presidential campaign has slowed down in the past few weeks, and he wishes the Dole camp were more invigorated. Brooks thinks more focus on substantial issues like taxes and race quotas would stir up the campaign.

Noah and Robert talk about different festivals around the country that mark the beginning of summer.

A beautiful, ethereal soprano voice backed by two acoustic guitars, accordion, and synthesizer has captured huge audiences in Europe playing music that is the antithesis of the electro-dance bands that usually top the charts there. The band, Madredeus (mah-dre-DAY-oos), is also REALLY big in Japan, despite the fact that all of the songs are in Portuguese. The band has just released its first album in this country, has just started its first U.S. tour, and can be heard in Wim Wenders' latest film, "Lisbon Story." From Spain, Emilio San Pedro reports. (8:00) (IN S

Senate minority leader Tom Daschle said today that no one should expect Congress to reach a deal anytime soon on passing health insurance reform that would make insurance portable from job to job. GOP amendments to the Kennedy-Kassebaum bill are the main obstacle to any agreement.

- NPR's Dan Charles reports that transportation officials today said Valujet is a safe airline. Charles looks at the history of Valujet and reports on its successes and failures.

NPR's Richard Harris reports that the Food and Drug Adminstration today approved a new HIV test. The test allows people take their own blood at home and mail it to a laboratory for analysis. They can then call for the results by telephone. The test's maker, and the FDA, say the test will make it easier for people to find out their HIV status. Some public health experts worry about how the results will be handled.

In Chicago today, Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America announced that former Secretary of Labor Lynn Martin will conduct an independent review of company policy regarding sexual harassment and discrimination. Mitsubishi is the target of two sexual harassment suits. NPR's Cheryl Corley reports that a lawyer representing some of the women charging sexual harassment says hiring the former Labor Secretary is just a public relations move.

- NPR's Lynn Neary travels to South Carolina and visits two predominately black churches that were burned last year. One has been re-built, the other is nothing but rubble. Neary examines past history and the current climate in South Carolina with Blacks and Whites who were affected by the church burnings.

NPR's Eric Westervelt reports from Philadelphia that today marks the eleventh anniversary of the police dropping a bomb on the headquarters of the group 'MOVE'. The ensuing fire killed eleven members of the gourp and burned down an entire city block. This anniversary is being marked as a civil trial is underway by a survivor of the incident who is suing the city.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports from Abidjan on the saga of an overloaded freighter carrying nearly four thousand people who fled the recent fighting in Liberia. The leaky vessel set out from Liberia nine days ago, but has been sailing up and down the west African coast, as Ivory Coast and Ghana have refused to accept the refugees. Today Ghana allowed the ship to dock, but many of whom are suffering from dysentery. The reluctance of west African nations to accept more refugees follows warnings from diplomats that the international community may abandon Liberia if its warring factions fail to make peace. (3:00) CUTAWAY 1A 0:59 1B 4. JURY REFORM - In Los Angeles, Virginia Biggar reports on a soon-to-be-released report on how to reform the California jury system. Reform has been on the legal agenda for years, but the OJ Simpson trial highlighted many flaws in the system, say critics. Recommendations for change vary from paying jurors more to punishing potential jurors for avoiding jury duty.

NPR's Ted Clark reports that yesterday's bombing reveals undercurrents of anti-Americanism in Saudi Arabia and resentment toward the government there. Though the opposition is fuelled by militant Islam to some degree, analysts say that Saudi Arabia remains stable, though the opposition will have to be managed carefully if the country is to remain stable.

That's the title of a new CD from CRI Records, a label noted for serious releases of contemporary classical music. Is this a marketing ploy or is there a gay aesthetic that informs the work of these composers...something that can be captured or anthologized on disc? Dean Olsher talks to two of those represented on the CD: David Del Tredici (dell-TREH-dih-chee) and Ned Rorem who take different views on the merits of this project, a la "Point Counterpoint." John Corigliano (koh-RIG-lee-AH-noh), one of the most in-demand classical composers working today, was originally supposed to take part, but he withdrew after he saw the suggestive cover art. (8:00) (IN S

NPR's Mara Liasson reports on fallout in Washington following yesterday's conviction of former Clinton business partners James and Susan McDougal and Arkansas governor Jim Guy Tucker. The White House is trying to make the best of the situation...but the verdicts give new momentum to the Whitewater investigation.

As senators campaign hard for positions in the new Senate leadership line-up, members of both parties are pessimistic about their ability to achieve any substantive legislation in the rest of this Congress. There's no indication that the squabbling over the minimum wage and the gas tax will be resolved, while legislation on welfare, Medicaid, immigration, campaign finance reform, and insurance reform remains unfinished. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports.

Linda talks with Sandra Lynn Wood of Russellville, Arkansas, who was the forewoman of the Whitewater jury, about the outcome of the trial. CUTAWAY 1A 0:59 1B 4. JUROR II -- Linda continues her interview with Sandra Wood about the facts presented in the Whitewater trial. 5. POLITICAL FALLOUT -- NPR senior news analyst Daniel Schorr says that the verdict in the Whitewater trial has cast a shadow over President Clinton, who just a week ago was far ahead of Dole in the polls. Funder 0:29 XPromo 0:29 CUTAWAY 1B 0:29 RETURN1 0:29 NEWS 2:59 NEWS 1:59 THEME MUSIC 0:29 1C 6. CHINA DISSIDENT -- Noah talks with Mike Jendrzejczyk (jenn-DREEZ-sick), the Washington Director of Human Rights Watch-Asia. Chinese police have detained dissident Wang Donghai (WAHNG dong-HY) after he and six other activists petitioned the National People's Congress on May 27th, demanding the release of political prisoners. Mr. Jendrzejczyk believes that paranoia in the Chinese government toward the democracy movement has increased in recent months as economic reforms have triggered more unrest. This recent round of arrests comes one week before the anniversary of the military crackdown that ended pro- democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4th, 1989.