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Linda Wertheimer As NPR's senior national correspondent, Linda Wertheimer travels the country and the globe for NPR News, bringing her unique insights and wealth of experience to bear on the day's top news stories.
Linda Wertheimer
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Linda Wertheimer

National

Columbine Wounds Heal But Leave Scars

Drew Lagerborg was a junior at Columbine High School when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a shooting spree that killed 12 classmates and a teacher. Ten years later, Lagerborg and his parents can share words of hope.

Columbine Wounds Heal But Leave Scars

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Business

Auction Business Still Bidding High

Not only do people hope to buy something at a bargain price at auction — in this recession, people are also using those sales to turn some of their possessions into cash. To check out how that's working — we visited an auction house in Washington, D.C., just down the street from NPR.

Auction Business Still Bidding High

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Pop Culture

Spring 'Mini-Season' Means More TV Options

Springtime means renewal — and these days, new TV shows sprout when the daffodils do. Monkey See blogger Linda Holmes joins host Linda Wertheimer for a chat about the good, the bad and the ugly among the season's new shows.

Spring 'Mini-Season' Means More TV Options

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Financial Turmoil Grips World Markets

Economy Dominates White House Focus

President Obama will make his first official trip to California this week to empathize with some of those hit hardest by the recession. Meantime, anxious eyes are on financial markets, and there's fresh anger about executives' bonuses.

Economy Dominates White House Focus

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Financial Turmoil Grips World Markets

AIG's Employee Bonuses Rile Washington

Reports over the weekend revealed that big bonuses are being paid to employees in the very unit that brought down crippled insurance giant AIG. And late Sunday, AIG revealed the names of some of the big banks it is paying off with the $175 billion in taxpayer dollars that it has gotten so far.

AIG's Employee Bonuses Rile Washington

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Economy

Larry Summers Is Administration's Economic Voice

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has been the administration's point man on the economy. Some feel that he has not been an effective messenger. When Geithner first presented a bank bailout plan, the stock market took a dive. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, who is the White House economic advisor, appears to be taking on a larger role, and may eclipse anything that Geithner says in the coming weeks.

Larry Summers Is Administration's Economic Voice

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World

Protests Direct Challenge To Pakistan's President

Protesters in Pakistan are trying to reach the capital Islamabad, but are being stopped by police. They are demonstrating against recent moves by President Asif Ali Zardari intended to neutralize his chief political opponents. As the protest gains momentum, it is now seen as a direct challenge to Zardari's government.

Protests Direct Challenge To Pakistan's President

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The Madoff Investment Scandal

After Guilty Plea, Madoff Sentencing Set For June 16

Bernard Madoff has pleaded guilty to all 11 charges in the largest fraud case in Wall Street history. The former New York money manager is accused of stealing billions of dollars from thousands of investors in what he himself has described as a Ponzi scheme.

After Guilty Plea, Madoff Sentencing Set For June 16

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Economy

Unemployment At Levels Not Seen Since 1983

The nation's unemployment rate in February was 8.1 percent. The Labor Department reports more than 651,000 jobs were eliminated last month. Employers are cutting their payrolls and looking for other ways to cut costs as the recession takes a bite out of their sales and profits.

Unemployment At Levels Not Seen Since 1983

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Politics

Health Care: Just One Issue On Obama's Plate

The White House on Thursday hosts a summit designed to begin overhauling the nation's health care system. It's just one of the major issues President Obama is trying to tackle. Is it a good idea to have so many major issues in play at once?

Health Care: Just One Issue On Obama's Plate

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Financial Turmoil Grips World Markets

Stocks Hit Lowest Level Since 1997

The expanded bailout of AIG wasn't greeted too enthusiastically on Wall Street. The stock market plunged sharply Monday — closing down below 7,000 for the first time in 12 years.

Stocks Hit Lowest Level Since 1997

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World

Sri Lanka's Cricket Team Attacked In Pakistan

Officials say gunmen in east Pakistan opened fire on a vehicle carrying members of Sri Lanka's national cricket team. Several players were wounded and five police officers were killed. Security concerns have plagued Pakistan for years and some foreign sports teams have refused to play there.

Sri Lanka's Cricket Team Attacked In Pakistan

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Health Care

Kansas Gov. To Be Named Health Secretary

President Obama names his health secretary on Monday. It's expected to be Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. Later this week, Obama hosts lawmakers and representatives of major interest groups at a White House summitt on overhauling health care.

Kansas Gov. To Be Named Health Secretary

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Politics

George Mason Students Encouraged By Speech

Some of President Obama's strongest supporters during the long election campaign were college students. A group of students from the political science department at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., watched Obama's address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. Most said they were inspired by the speech.

George Mason Students Encouraged By Speech

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Financial Turmoil Grips World Markets

Treasury Announces New TARP Rules Tuesday

The Obama administration is ready to reveal a revamped federal financial bailout program. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Tuesday outlines details of a plan that officials say will place more strings on banks getting a boost and dramatically increase loans made available to buy homes and cars and pay for college.

Treasury Announces New TARP Rules Tuesday

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