Search results for

NPR's John Burnett reports on a decision today by federal judges that redrew thirteen congressional districts in Texas and nullified their primary election results in order to conform with recent Supreme Court rulings outlawing so-called "racial gerrymandering." This decision has important implications for some Congressional races in Texas. Some incumbents who had faced no primary opposition could now find themselves with rivals for those seats.

NPR's Michael Goldfarb reports on the violence in Northern Ireland that threatens the peace efforts for the province. This week is the beginning of the marching season when Protestants parade to celebrate military victories over Catholics 300 years ago. Earlier in the week, police had prevented one parade from going through a Catholic neighborhood. The Protestants rioted. When the police changed their decision, Catholics reacted last night with riots of their own.

Dan Charles reports on scientists' quest to discover the shapes and makeup of the molecules that digest food, carry oxygen around in the bloodstream, or send signals from one nerve to another. If they succeed, researches believe they could develop substances to combat hitherto incurable diseases.

- Scott Horsley reports on a case in San Diego where a man is suing his doctor for keeping him alive against his will. Ray Noonkester wrote a living will when he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, which expressed his desire to refuse life support. His doctor later went against Noonkester's request, because he thought the patient had a change of heart.

NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports that Turkey has signed a 20-billion-dollar deal to buy natural gas from Iran. Turkey's decision to do business with Iran could result in U.S. sanctions. The agreement comes less a week after President Clinton signed a law authorizing U.S. sanctions against foreign companies choosing to invest in Iran and Libya.

The new anti-terrorism law instructs officials to deport legal immigrants who have crimes on their records, even relatively small offenses that were committed and paid for years ago. Advocates for immigrants are protesting and even the Immigration and Naturalization Service says the law is keeping its resources tied up on people who are not dangerous to society. NPR's John Nielsen has a report.

- NPR's Jon Greenberg reports that President Clinton and the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Bob Dole, both spoke out today in campaign remarks. The president talked about crime, and said he wants to create a national register of sex offenders. And Dole attacked the President for what he called the adminstration's "pattern of ethical arrogance" regarding the confidential files on former Bush and Reagan administraiton officials a White House official obtained from the FBI.

The disproportionate power given to political parties representing Orthodox Jews in the fragile new coalition formed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making American Jews, most of whom belong to the Conservative and Reform movements, nervous. At issue is how far the Orthodox leaders in Netanyahu's government will go in setting a social and religious agenda in Israel that will alienate Conservative and Reform Jews. NPR's Ted Clark reports.

Former Colorado Governor Richard Lamm announced today that he would seek the presidential nomination of Ross Perot's Reform Party. A lifelong Democrat, Lamm says neither major political party is taking on the tough issues and that his campaign will force a serious national debate on issues including the federal defict and Medicare. But Lamm first has to get the party nomination. NPR's Steve Inskeep reports.

Japan-based automaker Mitsubishi announced today that it would put in place a series of reforms to address allegations of sexual harrassment in the workplace at it's Normal, Illinois car plant. NPR's Cheryl Corley reports the measures include plans to foster minority and female ownership of Mitsubishi dealerships. The move comes after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit against Mitsubishi for sexual harrassment.