Search results for

A new report from the Surgeon General calls for sweeping measures to reduce tobacco use. Among them: higher taxes on tobacco products and tighter regulation of marketing and sales. NPR's Jon Hamilton has a report.

Moscow Times reporter Natalya Yefimova reports that an explosion ripped through a crowded underground walkway in central Moscow today, killing at least seven people and wounding dozens more. Police said the blast was apparently caused by a bomb planted in the passageway beneath Pushkin Square. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, although the mayor of Moscow was quick to suggest Chechen rebels might be to blame.

From member station WABE, NPR's Josh Levs reports on the case of Alabama marijuana grower Ronnie Chandler, the first person sentenced to die under the federal drug kingpin law. Chandler was convicted of ordering the murder of a man who told authorities about Chandler's drug dealings. But the only evidence the prosecution had linking Chandler to the case was a statement by the gunman, who now says he lied about Chandler's involvement. Chandler's attorneys are petitioning for a new trial.

NPR's Andy Bowers reports on the battle for control of the Reform Party, founded by Ross Perot. Yesterday opponents of Pat Buchanan walked out of a closed meeting, leaving backers of Buchanan inside and the party's future in question.

Julia Barton of member station WHYY reports that protesters arrested outside last week's Republican National Convention remain in jail days later, and refuse to give their names to police. The protesters say people could be singled out if they did give real names, but police contend protesters are remaining in jail by choice.

Christine Arrasmith from member station KPLU reports that officials in Washington state are trying to get rid of a loophole that allows naturally occurring radioactive waste to be stored at a private facility in the state. The discovery of waste from foreign countries like Spain being stored in eastern Washington has state officials concerned the state will turn into a dump for imported nuclear waste.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports that Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid handed over the daily running of the government to his deputy Megawati Sukarnoputri. Wahid made the change in an effort to appease top legislature who accuses him of failure to lead the country out of years of economic and social crisis.

Janet Heimlich reports form Brownsville, Texas, where a jury decided not to award punitive damages to a Tejano family who sued to regain lost profits from mineral rights discovered on their former land. Last week, the same jury gave the Balli family 1.1 million dollars in compensatory damages; the case is potentially groundbreaking since it could open the door to similar claims by Mexican American families.

David D'Arcy reports on Filmmaker John Waters and his new movie, Cecil B. Demented. The film's main character seems loosely based on Waters' own life; Cecil B. Demented is a director of shock cinema and has attracted a cult-like following. But unlike Waters, Demented is a terrorist who targets bad cinema for destruction.

Advances in medicine have made it possible for very small pre-term babies to survive. But these infants who survive still face high risks of developing disabilities. A study published in this week's New England Journal of Medicine puts some hard numbers to the rates of pre-term disabilities. This will help doctors and parents understand, at least statistically, what a baby's chances are for normal development. NPR's Allison Aubrey has this report.