Search results for

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced visit to Iraq Friday in an attempt to ease sectarian tensions before next month's elections. Rice's first stop was the northern, Sunni-dominated city of Mosul. Later, she headed for Baghdad to meet with senior government officials in the capital's Green Zone.

In February, 21-year-old Matthew Carrington collapsed in a frat house basement at Chico State University, dying several hours later. Five of his fellow students pleaded guilty in his death; one will serve a year in jail. Carrington's parents are among those who want penalties for hazing toughened.

Steve Reich is one of the pioneering voices of the minimalist movement in classical music. Now he's written two pieces that he says may be his best work. A CD of these pieces is being released this week.

Some of the levees in New Orleans patched up after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city were unable to hold back surging waters from Hurricane Rita. Parts of the city that had been mostly drained of standing water are flooded again.

Jordanian officials say three "non-Jordanian" suicide bombers carried out Wednesday's deadly attacks on hotels in Amman. At least 57 people were killed. The Jordanian government says al Qaeda in Iraq is responsible, as the group had claimed.

In an exclusive interview with NPR, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff talks about agency plans to tighten the southern U.S. border and ending the "catch and release" policy. The policy of releasing illegal immigrants has been criticized as a potential way for terrorists to enter the country.

Oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico remains largely suspended Monday after Hurricane Rita swept through the region on Saturday. The storm damaged several big refineries in Texas and Louisiana, but the impact appears to have been less than expected.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says Israel will do whatever is required to defend the nation against attacks. The Cabinet approves assassinations of Palestinian militants. The actions follow attacks by Hamas at the southern Israeli town of Sderot.

The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments Tuesday in a challenge to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law. Opponents of the law are challenging a particular provision that forbids use of corporate or union money to pay for ads that refer to a candidate.

Steve Inskeep talks to Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), the latest to jump into the race to succeed Tom DeLay as House majority leader. Though Shadegg also accepted money from lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he insists he's more committed to reform than his two main rivals -- the current acting majority leader Roy Blunt (R-MO) and John Boehner (R-OH).