U.S. News and National Top Stories : NPR

Romney Says He Opposes Contraceptive Bill, But His Campaign Says Otherwise

February 29, 2012 • The so-called Blunt bill would would allow employers to decline to provide contraception coverage to women. The candidate initially said, "I'm not for the bill," but a campaign spokewoman said he actually supports it.

Evangelicals Still Cool On Romney, Exit Poll Analysis Shows

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney pauses during a visit to St. Paul's Lutheran Church while campaigning in Berlin, N.H., on Dec. 22. Charles Krupa/AP hide caption

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Charles Krupa/AP

Evangelicals Still Cool On Romney, Exit Poll Analysis Shows

February 29, 2012 • Evangelical voters remain divided on their support of GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, Rick Santorum receives strong support in some states from evangelicals, while losing a large number of nonevangelical voters.

Fannie, Freddie Won't Write Down Mortgage Principal

Many experts say reducing mortgage principal can help troubled homeowners stay in their homes. But two of the nation's largest mortgage holders, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have not signed on to the idea. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Crisis In The Housing Market

Fannie, Freddie Won't Write Down Mortgage Principal

February 29, 2012 • The nation's five largest mortgage lenders recently pledged to start writing down the principal on mortgages that are underwater. But mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac aren't part of the agreement and don't plan any big changes in the way they do loan modifications.

Delegate Process Could Make Race A Long(er) Haul

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney shakes hands at a campaign rally at Capital University in Bexley, Ohio, on Wednesday. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Elections

Delegate Process Could Make Race A Long(er) Haul

February 29, 2012 • Nearly two months into the GOP primary season, presumed front-runner Mitt Romney hasn't driven away his opponents. Will the GOP presidential nominee be decided before this summer's convention?

Severe Storms Leave Nine Dead In Midwest

February 29, 2012 • Several people are dead in southern Illinois and Missouri after storms swept through the area. Kansas was also hit hard.

It's All Politics

Bob Kerrey (The Man, Not The Bridge) To Run For Senate

February 29, 2012 • After sending mixed signals in his customary style, former Bob Kerrey, the former U.S. senator from Nebraska, has decided to run for the Senate again, which some Senate Democrats see as improving their chances to hold onto control of the chamber.

National Security

White House Issues New Rules On Al-Qaida Suspects

February 29, 2012 • In defiance of Congress, the Obama administration has issued new rules on how it will comply with a defense law mandating that many al-Qaida suspects be sent into military custody: It will issue waivers in many cases. Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Wednesday on the trouble with waivers and the need for flexibility in dealing with suspects.

Superman, Ja Rule Among 'Leaplings'

February 29, 2012 • Robert Siegel and Audie Cornish highlight some people born on Leap Day.

The Impact of War

Iraq Veterans Looking For Practical Assistance

February 29, 2012 • On Wednesday evening, President Obama is expected to host a dinner at the White House honoring veterans of the Iraq War. Veterans still face challenges after their homecoming, including a higher-than-average unemployment rate.

Movies' March With The Military As Old As Hollywood

The film Act of Valor, commissioned by the Naval Special Warfare Command, uses active-duty SEALs and professional actors to tell a fictional story. Courtesy of IATM LLC/Relativity Media hide caption

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Courtesy of IATM LLC/Relativity Media

Movies

Movies' March With The Military As Old As Hollywood

February 29, 2012 • Act of Valor, a film that opened last weekend and earned nearly $25 million, was commissioned by the Navy's Special Warfare Command to drum up recruits for its elite SEALs program. But it's by no means the first movie made with the military's cooperation.

It's All Politics

Romney Continues Hitting Santorum For Robocalls To Mich. Democrats

February 29, 2012 • Romney's campaign was out with a new web video meant to remind Republicans in Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia with primary elections in less than a week that Santorum sough votes from Michigan Democrats. For Romney, it was a chance to gain the upper hand as each man in the struggle to persuade Republican voters that he is the truer conservative and his rival is merely a pretender.

Black History Month Memoirs

From Rural Farm To Capitol Hill, Step By Step

February 29, 2012 • Bertie Bowman's Step by Step marks the final chapter of Tell Me More's Black History Month memoir series. Bowman grew up working on a rural farm in South Carolina, but a chance encounter with a senator landed him a job, sweeping the Capitol steps. He now serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Bowman talks with host Michel Martin.

Breaking Ground In College Journalism

February 29, 2012 • Two students have become the first black editors-in-chief of their college newspapers in Oregon, which has a black population of less than 2 percent. Host Michel Martin talks with Brandon Southward of Oregon State University and Tyree Harris of the University of Oregon.

Elections

Romney Motors To Victories, Santorum Slides Back

February 29, 2012 • Mitt Romney fended off Rick Santorum on Wednesday, winning the Arizona and Michigan primary races. The two have been vying for the top spot, but both candidates have been prone to gaffes. Host Michel Martin talks about the showdown with GOP strategist Ron Christie and Santorum supporter Bob Vander Plaats.

Protecting Your Privacy Amid Google Policy Changes

A sign for Google is displayed behind the Google android robot, at the National Retail Federation in New York. Google is planning to roll out a new privacy policy Thursday. Mark Lennihan/AP hide caption

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Mark Lennihan/AP

Technology

Protecting Your Privacy Amid Google Policy Changes

February 29, 2012 • Starting Thursday, when you sign into Google and use its dozens of popular services, it will combine that personal data to produce more targeted ads. Host Michel Martin and Washington Post national technology reporter Cecilia Kang discuss what concerned users can do.