Middle East American Journalist Arrested In Iran February 28, 2009 • Roxana Saberi, 31, who has reported for NPR and other news organizations, moved to Iran six years ago. Her father says he does not know where she is being held or what the charges are.
Sports College Budget Cuts Felt On Playing Field February 28, 2009 • For the past few months, college athletic departments have been facing serious budget cuts. They've had to reduce their spending, and some have even gone so far as to eliminate sports teams entirely. An athletic director who made a tough decision, a coach who had to dismantle his baseball team and a football player who just learned this is his team's final season talk about the cuts.
Politics Obama, GOP Prepare For Battle Over Budget February 28, 2009 • President Obama is calling on lawmakers to pass his $3.6 trillion budget. But Republicans are continuing their entrenched opposition to his proposals, warning that instead of spending, the government should be sacrificing to safeguard the future.
World Smuggling Route Goes Through Ecuador To U.S. February 28, 2009 • Last June, Ecuador's president tried to turn his belief that borders should be open into reality. He announced that anyone from anywhere could visit Ecuador without a visa. Overnight, Chinese began arriving by the dozens. They apparently were hoping to use Ecuador as a springboard to the United States by tapping into the nation's vast human-smuggling business.
Farmers Headed To Combat Zone February 28, 2009 • Armed with 4 tons of winter wheat and farming tools, members of the Kansas National Guard are preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. The Agribusiness Development team will help local farmers with their crops and livestock. Major Blaine Clowser, a member of the "combat farmer" team, talks about his pending trip.
Economy Pentagon Faces Hard Choices February 28, 2009 • President Obama's budget for the Defense Department increases funding for next year, but the Pentagon has been putting off hard decisions for years. The military may have to cut some big-ticket programs and balance the demands of war today with the need to retool the armed forces for the future.
Veteran Finds Therapy On The Farm February 28, 2009 • After three tours in Iraq, Marine Sgt. Colin Archipley decided he wanted a career outside the military. He now owns Archie's Acres, a hydroponics basil farm near Escondido, Calif.
World Drug Violence In Mexico Threatens U.S. Borders February 28, 2009 • A brutal wave of drug violence is ravaging cities near the U.S.-Mexico border, and governments of both countries pointed fingers at each other this week over who's to blame.
Sports Barry Bonds' Trial Postponed — Indefinitely February 28, 2009 • Bonds, baseball's home run king, is charged with 10 counts of making false declarations before a grand jury and one count of obstruction of justice. The charges stem from his 2003 testimony to a grand jury investigating banned performance-enhancing drug use in sports.
Politics Obama Defends Spending Plan February 28, 2009 • In his weekly radio address Saturday morning, President Obama said his $3.6 trillion budget proposal reflects the priorities of the voters he met on the campaign trail, but he acknowledged not everyone shares those priorities.
World Obama Announces Troop Pullout By August 2010 February 28, 2009 • President Obama announced the pullout of combat troops from Iraq Friday at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He spoke to an audience of some 2,000 Marines-- for whom the reduction in Iraq will instead mean more time in Afghanistan.
Politics Obama Defends Plan As Economy Sinks February 28, 2009 • The U.S. economy continues to spiral downward. A report released Friday by the Commerce Department shows that the economy contracted at the end of last year by the fastest pace since 1982. This puts even more pressure on President Barack Obama, who this week presented his $3.6 trillion budget proposal. Saturday morning, the president said he knows he faces an uphill battle.
Opinion Politics How The Right Sees This Week February 28, 2009 • A big battle over a huge budget is underway with President Obama's economic package. Are Republican lawmakers just throwing spitballs at the battleship of a massive spending plan, or do they have concrete alternatives?
The Impact of War Deployment Leaves Guard Families On Their Own February 28, 2009 • Oregon's National Guard unit is preparing for its largest deployment since World War Two. Since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, tens of thousands of Guard and Reserve members have rotated in and out. As civilians, their service brings a unique set of skills to war zones — and a host of challenges to loved ones left behind.
Your Money What's New At The Library? Financial Advice February 28, 2009 • More than two dozen libraries around the country are getting grants to train librarians and set up programs to teach people about investing. Libraries have the ability to reach large numbers of people who may need help with their finances.