U.S. News and National Top Stories : NPR

Boeing Engineers' Union Votes To Put Strike Authorization On Ballot

January 31, 2013 • The union also recommended that its members reject the company's latest contract offer. Members have until 5 p.m. on Feb. 19 to cast their vote.

L.A. Archbishop Relieves Retired Cardinal Mahony Of Duties, Releases Abuse Files

January 31, 2013 • Archbishop Jose Gomez said Mahony will no longer have any administrative or public duties, and that Thomas Curry, a former aide to Mahony, had stepped down from his post as regional bishop of Santa Barbara. The files amount to thousands of pages related to the abuse of children by priests.

Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel testifies Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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Alex Wong/Getty Images

Hagel's Hearing: 7 Things We Learned

January 31, 2013 • Defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel's confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee made clear that the former Republican senator has said things that don't sit well with current Republican senators. And for all that we learned, the hearing ended with one lingering question.

South L.A. Teens Doubt New Laws Will Change Gun Culture

Handguns collected in South-Central Los Angeles as part of a Gun for Gift Card exchange in 2009. One teenager here says getting a gun on the streets is just "one phone call away." Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images

South L.A. Teens Doubt New Laws Will Change Gun Culture

January 31, 2013 • In South Los Angeles, murders, robberies and rapes are common — and so are guns and shootings. "We're so used to this," says one teen. "This is everyday life for us." Proposed gun laws don't seem relevant when so many old guns are stolen or passed around, and when serial numbers are filed off.

Art & Design

Painted Gnomes Allowed To Roam On Oakland Utility Poles

January 31, 2013 • Over the past year, small, elfin creatures started springing up all around Oakland, Calif., on the base of utility poles. The local utility had vowed to remove them but now says the paintings can stay.

Law

'Check Yes Or No': The Hurdles Of Job Hunting With A Criminal Past

WNYC Radio

January 31, 2013 • One in five Americans has a criminal record, according to some estimates. And while punishment is usually temporary, those records can last forever. With an already stiff job climate, finding employment can be even tougher for those millions with unlawful pasts.

Hagel Grilled By Fellow Republicans At Confirmation Hearing

January 31, 2013 • President Obama's pick to lead the Pentagon testified in a confirmation hearing before a Senate panel on Thursday. Former Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Republican, faces opposition chiefly from members of his own party. Senators grilled him over his support for Israel, American policy toward Iran, and cutbacks in the defense budget.

Senator Menendez Under Fire As He Takes Up Senate Foreign Relations Gavel

January 31, 2013 • New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez this month personally repaid nearly $59,000 for two trips to the Dominican Republic aboard a private jet. The jet is owned by a Florida eye doctor who is under investigation by the FBI.

Media

'New York Times' The Target Of Chinese Cyber Attack

January 31, 2013 • The New York Times says hackers in China infiltrated the newspaper's computer systems. The Chinese government closely watches and censors Chinese media reports about policy and officials but it is less able to do so with the foreign press. The attack on the Times may signal a tactic that can be used against foreign news organizations.

Business

Fishermen Worry Cod Limits Could Put Them Out Of Business

January 31, 2013 • Fishery managers in New England have approved big cuts in the commercial catch limit for cod. The regulators say the cuts are needed to save the cod fishery from collapse — but fishermen say they will destroy their industry and many other businesses along with it.

Are Shooting Ranges The New Bowling Alleys?

Renee Blaine, a leader of the Leander, Texas, chapter of A Girl and A Gun during the "Girls Night Out" event. Katie Hayes Luke for NPR hide caption

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Katie Hayes Luke for NPR