NPR Topics: Nation

Understanding The Housing Bill

Congress is expected to vote this week on legislation to address the home foreclosure crisis, and shore up mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Here, a look at what the bill would do.

Soldier In Iconic Photo Succumbs To His Demons

Army medic Joseph Dwyer was famously photographed risking his life to rescue an Iraqi child in 2003. But he spent years battling the psychological scars of war. Dwyer died June 28 in North Carolina.

Massachusetts Steps Forward On Health Coverage

In the most closely watched health care experiment in the United States, Massachusetts is requiring nearly all of its citizens to have insurance. Support remains strong for the program, and the number of uninsured has dropped by half.

Bush Drops Opposition To Housing Rescue Bill

President Bush reversed his stance on a congressional plan to help Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac weather the mortgage crisis and to provide struggling homeowners with more affordable loans. White House press secretary Dana Perino said the president had decided it was not the time for a veto fight.

Inside African-American Muslim Polygamy

Yesterday, a grand jury in Texas indicted polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs on felony sexual assault charges. The news once again put the spotlight on the practice of polygamy in the United States. Farai Chideya speaks with two professors to learn more about polygamy in African-American Muslim communities.

Hurricane Dolly Comes Ashore In South Texas

Hurricane Dolly lashed the Texas coast on Wednesday, coming ashore near South Padre Island with maximum sustained winds of nearly 100 mph.

What's Wrong With Amtrak?

Writer Ben Jervey wants train travel to make a comeback, so he took a cross-country rail journey to try to figure out why more people don't take the train. He says the biggest complaint from regular Amtrak travelers is that the trains often are behind schedule.

Anglicans Boycott Meeting, Split Over Women, Gays

Leaders of the world's Anglicans are meeting in London amid speculation that the church might split. Conservatives argue that there is no place for practicing homosexuals in the church.

McCain Talks Iraq, Energy Costs In New Hampshire

As Barack Obama makes headlines overseas, his presidential rival, John McCain, returned to New Hampshire on Tuesday. It's the site of his primary victory, and he used the visit to criticize the Illinois senator on foreign policy.

Financial Stocks Lift Despite Bad Earnings

Wachovia announced multibillion-dollar losses related to the mortgage crisis Tuesday. But instead of upsetting investors, the news helped lift financial stocks and the rest of the market.

Study On Viagra For Depressed Women Scrutinized

A new study suggests that Viagra may help women who experience sexual dysfunction as a side effect of drug treatment for depression. Some researchers doubt the study's findings and say more work needs to be done.

Germans Look To Obama To Fix Strained U.S. Ties

Barack Obama is expected to be received with the kind of religious fervor usually reserved for the Pope when he arrives in Germany on Thursday. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is seen by most Germans as a potential savior of Germany's close relationship with America.

'Dean of Baseball' Jerome Holtzman Dies

Jerome Holtzman, who wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune and became Major League Baseball's first ever historian, has died. He created the "save" — a relief pitching statistic that many say changed the game — and was known as the "Dean of Baseball."

Housing Bill Calls For New Fannie-Freddie Regulator

Congress is expected to vote this week on legislation that addresses the home foreclosure crisis and provides financial aid to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The struggling firms are currently regulated by a division of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The bill would establish a new, independent regulator.

Obama Meets Warmth, Skepticism In Mideast

Barack Obama is in Israel and the Palestinian territories Wednesday. The Democratic presidential candidate meets with senior officials of the Israeli government and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Obama is greeted warmly but with some skepticism by Israelis and Palestinians.