Search results for

Earlier this month, President Bush appointed Kansas City, Mo. attorney Gerald Reynolds to take over as chairperson of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. The advisory panel had been led for more than half its 47-year existence by Mary Frances Berry, an activist who became a polarizing figure. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

The new multi-million-dollar headquarters of jazz at New York City's Lincoln Center opens Monday night. Artistic director Wynton Marsalis calls it the "house of swing." But some question whether vast concert halls will encourage the same creativity that once sprung from smoky jazz joints. Howard Mandel reports.

North Carolina is home to some 4,000 Vietnamese Montagnard refugees. For most of the recent arrivals, this Christmas will be their first chance to celebrate openly. Hear reporter Jessica Jones of member station WUNC.

The doping scandal that erupted this week due to the revelations of Victor Conte of the BALCO company may have a serious effect on at least two major athletes, track star Marion Jones and baseball slugger Barry Bonds. Jones denies using any illegal substances, and Bonds says he never knowingly used banned drugs, but skepticism is growing. NPR's Tom Goldman reports.

The Senate votes 89-2 to approve a sweeping intelligence reform bill, one day after approval in the House. The bill now goes to President Bush for his signature. The difficulty of the task was apparent from the beginning, when the Sept. 11 commission made broad recommendations involving major changes to the status quo. NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports.

President Bush nominates federal appeals Judge Michael Chertoff to head the Department of Homeland Security. Chertoff headed the Justice Department's criminal division from 2001 to 2003. Bush's choice comes after former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik withdrew his name from consideration. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

The military has armored about 15 percent of the medium and heavyweight trucks it uses in war zones. One manufacturer says the biggest problem in building more trucks is getting enough specialized parts. Another says it could increase production of armored vehicles if the Pentagon asked. NPR's Chris Arnold reports.

The French hit movie of 2004, The Chorus, tells the story of a school for troubled boys and the teacher who wrestles them into an angelic sounding choir. It opens in the United States this weekend. NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports.

Appellate Judge Michael Chertoff's influence on post-Sept. 11 legal strategies will prompt debate as Congress considers his nomination to head the Department of Homeland Security. Chertoff played a key role in shaping the Patriot Act, seen by many critics as damaging to U.S. civil liberties. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

Hurricane Katrina gains strength in the Gulf of Mexico after drenching the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area early Friday. At least four deaths were blamed on the storm. Utility companies reported more than 1 million customers without power as of Friday afternoon.