Search results for

In the United States, men generally earn more money than women -- about 25 percent more, on average. But that’s not the case in rural King County, Texas, where women make about 30 percent more than men. NPR’s Howard Berkes recently visited King County to examine the reasons behind the gap.

Fans of the hit independent film Sideways are flocking to Santa Barabara County to trace the footsteps of the movie's characters, who search for the meaning of life and a good glass of pinot noir. The restaurants and wineries featured in the film are becoming cult destinations.

The U.S. trade imbalance with the rest of the world, especially China, is forcing American manufacturers to find ways to boost their exports in order to stay afloat. NPR's Adam Davidson visited two factories in Erie, Pa., that are focusing on niches that cheap labor in China cannot easily fill.

As Jen Batara was seeing her husband, Army Sgt. Ray Batara, off for deployment in Iraq in December, the couple thought she would stay at his base in Fort Stewart, Ga. But Jen has changed her mind.

Bandleader, clarinetist and arranger Artie Shaw has died at home in Los Angeles. His health had declined since Thanksgiving. He was 94. Shaw's recording of "Begin the Beguine" became so popular in 1938 that it brought him to an even footing with the other so-called "King of Swing" -- Benny Goodman. NPR's Robert Siegel has a remembrance.

For the first time, scientists successfully use gene therapy to regenerate hair cells in the inner ear and restore hearing in deaf guinea pigs. The results suggest it may someday be possible to use a similar approach to treat deafness in humans.

As the Iraqi national elections near, four blasts kill more than two dozen people in Baghdad. Insurgents set off a series of car bombs, outside the Australian embassy, at a police station and at a bank where Iraqi policemen were collecting their salaries. An attack was also reported near Baghdad's airport.

Research published in this week's New England Journal of Medicine examines alcohol's effect on memory and mental function in older people, and suggests that moderate drinking may help prevent memory loss and mental decline.

Iraq's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi talks about Sunday's elections. He has spent the past week urging Iraqis to vote, while campaigning at the top of the Iraqi List slate. He discusses his legacy as interim leader and his determination to keep the polls open, regardless of security concerns.

Secretary of state nominee Condoleezza Rice addresses tough questions from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the justification for the war in Iraq and an exit strategy. She returned Wednesday to the Capitol for a second round of questioning.