Search results for

Joshua Welsh of South Dakota Public Radio begins our two part series looking at the Homestake Mining Company. The company has announced it will end its gold mining operation in the Black Hills of South Dakota by 2002. The mine is the largest gold mine in North America, and has produced more ore than any other. Its also where most people in the small town of Lead South Dakota report for work.

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports from Camp Zeist that a special Scottish court reconvened today in the Netherlands -- only to announce another recess in the trial of two Libyans accused of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Prosecutors told the court they needed more time to investigate what they termed "sensitive" information from a foreign government. This latest recess follows a poor performance by the prosecution's star witness. There is a growing feeling the prosecution case may not be strong enough to convict the two Libyans.

NPR's Michele Kelemen reports that American Edmond Pope went on trial in a Moscow court today, accused of trying to buy Russian military secrets. Pope's supporters deny he's a spy, insisting he's a businessman who was buying declassified Russian technology. Members of the U.S. Congress have urged the Clinton administration to hold up aid to Russia if Pope is convicted. The trial is expected to last several weeks.

Deborah Amos wraps up her series on the illegal drug trade in America with a report on drug treatment. A movement has been growing over the past few years to use treatment more and incarceration less in the war on drugs. Advocates say treatment is a far more effective way of reducing the number of drug users in America. But the idea runs counter to what's popular with politicians and much of the public.

Fidgety financial markets continued their volatile swings today. As Jim Zarroli reports, the Nasdaq composite index lost more than 4 percent of its value early in the day before rebounding sharply. But the Nasdaq, home to most new economy stocks, is still off 20-percent for the year. There's a sense of unease about some of the high-tech stocks that have powered the market's remarkable performance. Earnings at many companies have disappointed, and with interest rates and energy costs up this year, investors see little to cheer about.

Claire Doole reports from Geneva on a World Health Organization (WHO) initiative to control the trade and distribution of tobacco and related products. The WHO is meeting to push for a coordinated worldwide policy to address the massive public health problems linked to tobacco use. The proposal would allow WHO member states to set their own specific national policy on trade and distribution of tobacco products, but still encourage them to cooperate in curbing the problems related to the tobacco marketing and consumption.

NPR's Eric Westervelt reports on the efforts by the gun lobby to mobilize voters who oppose gun control. Charleton Heston is urging the three-and-a-half million members of The National Rifle Association to vote for George W. Bush and other Republican candidates. The NRA and The National Shooting Sports Foundation are concentrating on critical swing states, such as Pennsylvania and Florida. Groups that support gun control also are trying to get out the vote for their candidates.

No issue has divided the two major party presidential candidates more sharply than Social Security. Vice President Al Gore campaigns on guaranteeing current benefits for retirees and those who will soon retire. Texas Governor George W. Bush stresses the need to provide for younger workers by investing some Social Security funds in the stock market. And each candidate accuses the other of pitting one generation against another. NPR's Steve Inskeep reports.

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan tells lawmakers he doesn't believe the economy needs short-term stimulus. Congress, he says, should focus on actions that promote long-term growth. And he admonishes Congress to get deficits under control. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

NPR's John Burnett examines the controversy surrounding a study by two law professors that found major errors in almost 70 percent of death penalty cases. The report stated that the errors were serious enough to warrant a retrial. But not all legal scholars agree with the work, or its definition of what an error was. The study titled, A Broken System, reviewed more than 45-hundred death penalty cases from 1973 to 1995.