Headlines From NPR

Relief Efforts in China

Rescue workers are struggling to dig people out of the rubble following a massive earthquake in southwest China that killed at least 12,000 people. Robert Siegel, co-host of All Things Considered, is in the hard-hit city Chengdu. He talks with Madeleine Brand about relief efforts there.

English Teacher Feels Aftershocks in China

Rebecca Stormer of has been teaching English in China near where the quake hit. Another aftershock struck during the recording of this conversation earlier this morning.

How Much Aid is Getting to Myanmar?

Relief organizations are starting to get aid to Myanmar after last week's cyclone. Madeleine Brand gets a report from Andrew Kirkwood, Myanmar's country director for Save the Children.

Charges Dropped Against '20th Hijacker'

Mohammed al-Qahtani has been held at Guantanamo Bay prison on charges of crimes connected to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Now a judge there says he's free to go. What does this mean?

Marketplace Report: Economy Limits Relief

The poor U.S. economy may affect how much people are willing to donate to China and Myanmar. Nancy Marshall-Genzer talks with Alex Chadwick about the level of aid to the earth quake and cyclone victims.

Conditions at Detention Centers Questioned

Reports of substandard health care and unnecessary deaths at U.S. immigration detention centers have heightened concerns among immigrant families and advocates. Reporter Elizabeth Llorente, who writes for New Jersey's The Record, has been reporting on the issue for more than a decade; she talks about the recent reports and the changes some advocates are demanding.

Writer Kasra Naji on Ahmadinejad's 'Secret History'

Iran's president was relatively unknown on the international stage before he was elected, but he's a standard-bearer for a new generation of hardliners. In a new biography, journalist Kasra Naji explores Ahmadinejad's rise to power, his complex character and his motivations.

Supreme Court Clears Path for Apartheid Lawsuits

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that it would allow lawsuits to proceed against more than 50 U.S. and foreign corporations for their connection to South Africa's racist apartheid policies. Jeffrey Rosen, professor of law at George Washington University, explains the impact of the decision.

Chinese Rescuers Hunt for Quake Victims in Rubble

Rescue workers in central China were trying to clear rubble from schools and flattened homes Tuesday as they searched for survivors from the deadliest earthquake to hit the country in three decades. In Mianyang city in Sichuan province, rescue workers said thousands of people could still be trapped.

Inflation Calculation Leaves Out Food, Energy Prices

The government releases new inflation statistics Wednesday, and consumer prices are expected to rise. While the Federal Reserve does keep an eye on inflation, it usually doesn't take food and energy prices into account. David Wessel, economics editor at the Wall Street Journal, talks about the Fed data.

Cyclone Highlights Myanmar's Isolation from World

Diplomats around the world continue talks with Myanmar's military government about bringing relief aid to the country's cyclone victims. The Southeast Asian country, once called Burma, has been under military rule in one form or another since 1962.

Lawmakers Press Bush to Tap Petroleum Reserve

When gas prices go up, Congress tries to do what it can to make them go back down. The Senate votes Tuesday on two measures. Proposals from Democrats and Republicans would stop the federal government's practice of adding 70,000 barrels of oil a day to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Quake's Injured Trek for Miles in Beichuan County

On the road to Ganxi, in an area hit hard by Monday's earthquake, NPR's Melissa Block talks with a woman who estimates that 5,000 people died in her town, and meets a boy hobbling with a fractured foot.

U.S. Railroad Industry Thriving as Economy Slumps

The railroad freight industry is booming. Executives say higher fuel prices and a weak dollar are helping freight lines. Wick Moorman, CEO of Norfolk Southern, talks about how the industry can thrive despite an economic slump.

Myanmar Aid: 'Trying to Make the Best of Things'

The death toll continues to climb in Myanmar. The military government is still refusing to allow foreigners experienced in managing humanitarian crises to reach survivors of the cyclone. Frank Smithuis of Doctors Without Borders in Yangon says aid workers and survivors are "trying to make the best of things."