U.S.

When Alcohol Takes The Wheel: What's Your Limit?

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400

This week, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended lowering the legal limit of blood alcohol content for drivers to .05 or even lower. Currently, it's illegal to drive in all states with a BAC of .08 or higher. Host Scott Simon speaks with Dr. Anthony Liguori of Wake Forest School of Medicine about alcohol's impact on driving ability.

Local Story Shows 'Plain Dealer' Prowess, But Future's Murky

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400

NPR's Scott Simon talks to Connie Schultz, former columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Starting this summer, the paper's owners will be reducing home delivery to three days a week and making huge cuts in the newsroom staff.

Prime Challenge Sends Mathematicians On Infinite Search

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400

University of New Hampshire professor Yitang Zhang announced this week that he has come close to solving a centuries-old problem: proving the twin prime conjecture. Host Scott Simon gets an explanation from Weekend Edition Math Guy Keith Devlin of Stanford University.

Immigration Bill Chugs Along, But Some See Deal-Breakers

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:13:54 -0400

The bipartisan immigration overhaul proposed by the Senate's Gang of Eight has been the target of scores of amendments. So far, the bill has largely held its own, but its prospects for getting through Congress are uncertain.

Turning Up The Heat On Civil Rights-Era Cold Cases

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:13:00 -0400

With the death of a possible suspect in one notorious case, activists are weighing the FBI's efforts to tackle cases from the 1950s and '60s. Some are calling for a congressional hearing to see whether the FBI has done enough investigating.

Why The IRS Scandal Is Built To Last

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:31:00 -0400

Of all the current Washington scandals, the one involving the IRS appears to have the most staying power. It rolls into one package an agency many love to hate, partisan suspicions and the American appetite for conspiracies.

Dozens Injured In Connecticut Train Derailment

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:25:00 -0400

Authorities say one train derailed, colliding with a second train near Fairfield.

Experts Agree: 'Psychiatry's Bible' Is No Bible

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:07:00 -0400

The new version of the DSM, the manual of psychiatric diagnoses, is already sparking criticism. But psychiatrists say it helps make sure they're all on the same page.

A Field Guide To Democratic Responses To Scandals

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:36:00 -0400

A long week of scandal has been tough on more than just the White House. President Obama's allies are struggling with how to respond to their first taste of really bad news within the administration.

Illinois Lawmakers Send Medical Marijuana Bill To Governor

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:17:00 -0400

Gov. Pat Quinn has not said whether he will sign the bill after the state Senate approved the measure, which includes tough guidelines for who is eligible.

Boston Bombings Prompt Fresh Look At Unsolved Murders

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:02:00 -0400

Authorities are revisiting a triple murder in the Boston suburb of Waltham. One of the victims may have been a friend of bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Tsarnaev would sometimes spar at the same mixed martial arts gym where the victim worked as an instructor.

Michigan LGBT Youth Center Does Outreach With A Dance 'Hook'

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:00:00 -0400

The Ruth Ellis Center in Highland Park, Mich., is making an effort to meet its clients where they are — on the dance floor, specifically with the dance form known as "vogue." From there, the center can connect them with counseling, health services, tutoring and clean clothes.

Obama U: What Graduation Speeches Say About The President

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:56:00 -0400

President Obama's commencement speeches often seem more about the big-picture state of the union than do his State of the Union addresses, which read like to-do lists. And his assessment of where the country stands and where it's going has changed over the past four years.

After Deadly Chemical Plant Disasters, There's Little Action

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:10:00 -0400

Proposals for chemical plants to use "inherently safer" design practices have been blocked by industry executives and their allies in Congress, despite deadly accidents and the risk of a potential terrorist attack that could harm an entire community or city.

Outgoing Acting IRS Director Grilled By House Lawmakers

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400

The House Ways and Means Committee became the first oversight panel in Congress to weigh in on the IRS tax-exempt group controversy on Friday morning.