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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

Economy

Summers To Leave Obama's Economic Team

White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers will leave the Obama administration at the end of the year. He's the latest member of the president's economic inner circle to depart, and leaves the administration having to pick a new team of advisers at a time when confidence in the economic recovery remains in short supply.

Summers To Leave Obama's Economic Team

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Africa

Insurgents Step Up Fight Against Somali Government

Somalia hasn't had a fully functioning government in nearly two decades. The government controls just a few blocks of the capital city Mogadishu. Militants are trying to overthrow that government and set up a strict Islamist regime. The insurgents, called al-Shabab, have staged a month-long offensive that has included suicide bombings.

Insurgents Step Up Fight Against Somali Government

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National

Report: Nearly 1 In 7 Americans Were Poor In '09

About 43.6 million people were poor last year in the United States. But the poverty rate didn't go as high as some had predicted. Demographers with the U.S. Census Bureau, which released the figures Thursday, said unemployment benefits helped to cushion some of the impact of the recession.

Report: Nearly 1 In 7 Americans Were Poor In '09

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Sports

Reggie Bush To Give Back 2005 Heisman Trophy

For the first time, a Heisman Trophy winner is giving back the award. Reggie Bush says he did not want the dignity of the Heisman stained by the scandal over his acceptance of hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from two California-based marketing agents while he was Southern California's star running back.

Reggie Bush To Give Back 2005 Heisman Trophy

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The Tea Party In America

Tea Party GOP Senate Candidate Wins Big In Del.

The tea party movement is celebrating a major victory in Delaware. Conservative Christine O'Donnell has pulled off a stunning upset over nine-term Rep. Mike Castle in the Republican Senate primary. She'll face Democrat Chris Coons in November.

Tea Party GOP Senate Candidate Wins Big In Del.

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Middle East

Clinton On Mideast Talks: Pursue Peace This Year

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Abbas begin the second round of U.S. mediated talks in Egypt Tuesday. Secretary of State Clinton is there promising the U.S. will play a serious role in the negotiations. Her first task is to make sure the talks don't break down right away over the issue of settlements, since an Israeli moratorium is set to expire later this month.

Clinton On Mideast Talks: Pursue Peace This Year

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Sports

A Weekend Full Of Football, Tennis & Basketball

It was a big weekend in sporting news: The U.S. team won the World Basketball Championship for the first time in 16 years. The U.S. Open Men's Final has been postponed until Monday. And, the NFL had its first full day of action.

A Weekend Full Of Football, Tennis & Basketball

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Analysis

Congress Has 4 Weeks To Try To Get More Done

Experts don't expect Congress to get much more done before members have to go out and campaign for midterm elections. Is it a do-nothing Congress? Republicans would argue that this Congress has done way to much with the stimulus bill; health care and financial overhaul. The problem hasn't been that it hasn't gotten a lot done. The problem is, voters don't much like what lawmakers have done so far.

Congress Has 4 Weeks To Try To Get More Done

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Politics

Obama News Conference: Economy A Hot Topic

For the third time in a week, President Obama spoke about the economy, announcing a new head of the Council of Economic advisers Friday in a nationally televised news conference at the White House. He also continued to press his case that Republicans are responsible for the bad economy and are presenting no new ideas about how to fix it.

Obama News Conference: Economy A Hot Topic

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National

Fire Engulfs San Francisco Suburb

A massive fire is burning in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno after an apparent natural gas line ruptured. At least one person was killed. Dozens of homes were destroyed.

Fire Engulfs San Francisco Suburb

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National Security

Report: U.S. Must Deal With Domestic Radicals

There has been a big change in terrorism attacks in this country -- U.S. citizens and residents are playing more of a role. A report being released Friday by a bipartisan group is expected to show the terrorism threat to the U.S. is much more complex and diverse than in the past.

Report: U.S. Must Deal With Domestic Radicals

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Sports

Vikings, Saints Open NFL Season In New Orleans

The NFL regular season gets underway Thursday night with the champion New Orleans Saints taking on Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota outperformed the Saints in many categories in last season's NFC championship game.

Vikings, Saints Open NFL Season In New Orleans

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Religion

Florida Minister Still Plans To Burn Quran

Florida evangelical church leader Terry Jones plans to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11. His threat to go ahead comes despite warnings from senior military leader General David Petraeus, and senior administration officials about the potential damage to relations with the Muslim world.

Florida Minister Still Plans To Burn Quran

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Economy

Fed Has Tools If Economy Weakens, Bernanke Says

The U.S. economy grew even more slowly during the second quarter than the government first thought, according to a Commerce Department report out Friday. U.S. GDP grew at an annual rate of 1.6 percent; the earlier estimate was 2.4 percent. Meanwhile, at a gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said the Fed has the tools to stimulate the economy if it continues to weaken.

Fed Has Tools If Economy Weakens, Bernanke Says

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Election 2010

Absentee Ballots To Decide Alaska's Sen. Primary

With all precincts reporting results from Tuesday's voting, GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski trails her lesser-known rival Joe Miller by 1,668 votes. But thousands of absentee ballots have yet to be counted.

Absentee Ballots To Decide Alaska's Sen. Primary

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