National

Week In News: Guns In U.S., Threats Abroad

6:09pm April 13, 2013

The gun control debate continued to dominate the news this week with President Obama coming out strongly in support of reforming the current gun control laws alongside the Newtown families. Host Jacki Lyden speaks with James Fallows, national correspondent with The Atlantic, about that story along with the bird flu in China, North Korea and the Postal Service.

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Down To The Putt: Golf Analytics Gain Traction

6:09pm April 13, 2013

by Tom Goldman

Numbers crunching has become a big deal in sports. Analytics have been slower to take hold in the tradition-bound game of golf, but it is happening. NPR's Tom Goldman reports on the phenomenon from the tournament most steeped in tradition, the Masters.

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First lady Michelle Obama greets students at Harper High School in Chicago on Wednesday. Twenty-nine current or former Harper students have been shot in the past year, eight of them fatally.

'We Have To Do More': Michelle Obama's Next Four Years

10:07pm April 12, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

This week marked a new step in Michelle Obama's evolution as first lady. In her hometown of Chicago, she delivered one of the most emotional speeches of her career. Obama almost never ventures into the top political controversy of the day, but her role may be changing.

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John Curtis with his 11-year-old son, John Wikiera.

National

Adoptive Dad Dreamed A Dream That Brought Him A Son

4:19pm April 12, 2013

by NPR Staff

John Curtis never thought he would be able to be a dad. But in 1998 he held his son against his chest. It was "like we fit," he says.

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Startup CEO Wields Small Antenna In TV Streaming Battle

1:30pm April 12, 2013

by Dan Bobkoff

Television networks are up in arms. The new company Aereo is charging a monthly fee to provide a high-definition feed of the basic over-the-air channels, and the stations aren't seeing a penny of it. But CEO Chet Kanojia thinks he's figured out a legal loophole.

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Thick jets of processed sewage arc out 30 to 40 feet from giant moving spreaders at Birmingham Farm in Kansas City, Mo.

Cities Turn Sewage Into 'Black Gold' For Local Farms

12:07pm April 12, 2013

by Frank Morris

Cities are finding beneficial and lucrative ways to dispose of solid waste, while also helping farmers. But a lot of sewage still ends up in landfills or being processed at big, industrial incinerators.

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Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan speaks about his new budget plan after a March 19 party conference.

Ryan Says He's 'Cautiously Optimistic' On A Bipartisan Budget Deal

10:55am April 12, 2013

by Scott Neuman

The House Budget Committee chairman says the president's budget, which includes cuts to entitlements, amounts to an "olive branch" to Republicans.

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Texas Contractors Say Playing By The Rules Doesn't Pay

8:35pm April 11, 2013

by Wade Goodwyn

With a large labor force willing to work for low wages, construction may appear to be a lucrative field for contractors in Texas. But prices have been driven so low that many say they can't compete if they play by the rules. Instead, some misclassify their workers or turn a blind eye to undocumented laborers.

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Looking To Broaden Appeal, RNC Heads To Hollywood

5:49pm April 11, 2013

by Kirk Siegler

Republicans are meeting in a Democratic stronghold this week to talk about retooling their message. So far, there are sharp divisions among RNC delegates about the future direction of the GOP.

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A sportsman participates in a pigeon shoot in Pennsylvania in 2009. Animal-rights activists want to ban the tradition in the state.

National

Fair Or Foul? Pigeon Shoots Ruffle Feathers In Pennsylvania

5:49pm April 11, 2013

by Elizabeth Fiedler

Animal-rights activists in Pennsylvania are fighting to end pigeon shoots in the state. The tradition includes shooting at the birds after they're sprung from boxes into the air. Opponents call the practice "cruel," but hunters and sportsmen are wary of any step toward more regulations.

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