Search results for

NPR's Elaine Korry reports on the high cost of commercial property in San Francisco. High-tech companies have been flocking to San Francisco area in droves, causing office rents to skyrocket. In November voters will decide on two measures on the ballot that would restrict future growth.

NPR's Anne Sutton reports from McGrath, Alaska, on the dispute over how to deal with the thriving wolf population in the state. Wolves compete with Native Alaskans and other hunters for moose and caribou meat. There's a stalemate over how much, if any, wolf hunting should be allowed, and whether hunters should be allowed to use airplanes to track wolves from the air before landing to shoot them. Preservationists are worried that too much hunting will wipe out the wolf population.

NPR's Jack Speer reports on the investigation of Bridgestone/Firestone. Another 15 deaths are being linked to defective Firestone tires, raising the suspected death toll to 103. Yesterday, Continental General announced that it's recalling about 160-thousand tires because of tread separation.

Robert talks with Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky about politics and media in Russia today. Berezovsky controls a 49-percent share in the ORT television network. The Russian government owns the rest. He has come under pressure from the Russian government to give up his shares, which would put the network under complete state control. His empire has included an oil company and Aeroflot, the Russian airline. He was also recently a member of the Russian parliament, the Duma, but resigned his seat.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports that newly released, declassified documents show that a former Chilean official convicted in a fatal 1976 car bombing in Washington, DC was an informer for the CIA. According to the documents, released by the CIA in a declassified report to Congress, the CIA maintained its relationship with General Manuel Contreras, director of Chile's secret police, until 1977. It's unclear whether the CIA knew of his involvement in the bombing, which killed former Chilean Ambassador Orlando Letelier and his American associate Ronni Moffitt. In 1993, Contreras was sentenced to seven years in prison for the assassination.

Peter Clowney of member station WHYY reports on the plan to restore financial solvency to the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, which owns one of the world's richest collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. The plan would raise 85 million dollars to re-endow the foundation and increase the budget for administering the Barnes collection.

NPR's Andy Bowers reports from Los Angeles on Vice President Al Gore's commitment to keeping medical records private. At a town meeting, the Democratic candidate discussed with the audience problems with medical information being sold to drug companies or other businesses. Gore says as president, he'll work to make these kinds of disclosures illegal.

NPR's Sarah Chayes reports that two French Journalists held by Muslim rebels on Jolo island in the southern Philippines have been rescued unharmed. Seventeen other people are still being held hostage.

Jon Miller reports from Lima, Peru that the country's intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos -- suspected in a bribery scandal -- has not been seen, but the government denies reports that he is in military custody. The scandal prompted Peru's President Alberto Fujimori to disband the spy agency, and announce plans to call new elections. Fujimori further pledged that he will not be a candidate in those elections. Peru's cabinet today tried to work out details, as opposition candidates began to rally support in hopes of replacing Fujimori.

NPR's Tom Goldman in Sydney reports Romania's women gymnasts have defeated their arch-rival, Russia, to win Olympic gold, thanks largely to an uncharacteristic mistake by a Russian star.