U.S.

National

To Attract Foreign Tourists, Brand USA Turns To ... Rosanne Cash

6:36pm January 18, 2014

The U.S. has been stepping up efforts to encourage international tourism, which represents about 3 percent of the country's gross domestic product. The country's reputation abroad has suffered due to revelations about spying by the National Security Agency. But Brand USA, which is running a new ad campaign, hopes to encourage international tourists to visit the U.S. Host Arun Rath speaks with Michael Scaturro, who wrote about the new campaign for The Atlantic.

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National

Ford's New Truck, GM's New CEO Star At Detroit Auto Show

11:35am January 18, 2014

The North American International Auto Show — the fancy name for the Detroit car show — opens to the public Saturday. NPR's Sonari Glinton gives NPR's Lynn Neary a sneak preview from the Motor City.

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Donors Pitch In To Protect Detroit's Art And Pensions

11:35am January 18, 2014

Under a deal mediated by a federal bankruptcy judge, a group of local and national foundations this week pledged more than $330 million to help Detroit's pension fund and protect the city's valuable art collection. Bio-chemical entrepreneur Paul Schaap is one of the donors; he speaks with NPR's Lynn Neary about the effort.

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In The Long Wait For Aid From Washington, Job Hunters Despair

6:20pm January 17, 2014

by Tovia Smith

After failing to agree upon an extension for federal jobless benefits to the long-term unemployed, Congress is vowing to keep trying. The help can't come soon enough for many of the 1.4 million unemployed who saw their checks suddenly cut off last month.

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A woman hangs a National Industrial Recovery Act poster in the window of a restaurant.

The Birth Of The Minimum Wage In America

4:46pm January 17, 2014

by David Kestenbaum

For decades, the Supreme Court ruled that laws regulating things like wages and working conditions were unconstitutional. That changed during the Great Depression, when one of the justices switched sides, paving the way for the Fair Labor Standards Act.

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Lunch at the West Salem School District in Wisconsin.

Cash Or Credit? How Kids Pay For School Lunch Matters For Health

1:39pm January 17, 2014

by Shankar Vedantam

A study in the journal Obesity found that students who used credit or debit cards in the school cafeteria chose fewer fruits and vegetables and more desserts than kids paying with cash. But the researchers say schools should work with the bias instead of trying to fight it.

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A northern spotted owl in a Redwood forest.

To Save Threatened Owl, Another Species Is Shot

12:19pm January 17, 2014

by Elizabeth Shogren

The rare northern spotted owl species faces habitat loss and, now, intruding barred owls. A biologist, and the federal government, have made a difficult decision — killing one owl to ward off the extinction of another.

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"Mach 39" is the result of a partnership between Under Armour and Lockheed Martin to create the most aerodynamic speedskating suit for the U.S. Olympic team.

Will Team USA's High-Tech Speedskating Suit Pay Off In Gold?

12:19pm January 17, 2014

by Ted Robbins

On Thursday, Lockheed Martin and the sporting goods company Under Armour unveiled long-awaited photos of the new U.S. speedskating uniform they're calling "Mach 39." Unlike other suits, it's not made entirely of smooth, slippery fabric to reduce air drag.

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Lanny and Tracy Barnes at a practice session for the women's 75-kilometer biathlon sprint during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

U.S. Biathlete Gives Up Olympic Spot To Her Twin Sister

12:19pm January 17, 2014

Lanny and Tracy Barnes competed on the U.S. Olympic team in 2006, and Lanny competed in 2010. This year, Tracy gave her spot on the team to Lanny, who was ill during the selection races and just missed qualifying. "The Olympics are about more than just competing," Tracy says.

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Megan Yurko and her horse, Beea. Now 16, Megan has been cowgirl barrel racing since the age of 6.

Sweet 16 And Barreling Toward Cowgirl Racing Fame

12:19pm January 17, 2014

by Allison Keyes

High schooler Megan Yurko won more than $21,000 last year in cowgirl barrel races. The sport requires circling three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern at top speed, and Yurko hopes she'll leave this weekend's world championship competition as the top ranked racer.

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