Search results for

The Senate confirms Priscilla Owen to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by a vote of 55-43, ending a four-year struggle. A compromise worked out by a bipartisan group of 14 senators resulted in a process by which at least three Bush court nominees will receive an up or down vote, starting with Owen.

A judge rules that a political action committee formed by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay did violate Texas law. The ruling found that the group illegally funneled $500,000 in corporate campaign contributions to GOP candidates in the 2002 election.

Two new congressional reports criticizing the national effort to prevent cargo containers from being used by terrorists will be released Thursday. Members of Congress and outside experts say too many security gaps in the container-shipping industry remain, including lack of enforcement of existing security programs.

The Team America Rocketry Challenge is a contest organized by the aerospace industry to lure young people -- especially girls -- to a career in space science. Nearly 10,000 students entered this year's challenge. We profile the one all-girl team that made the finals.

Melissa Block talks with Jeffrey Hyson, an assistant professor of history at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. Hyson is writing a book on the cultural history of zoos. We ask him about the modern interest and opposition to zoos. He says there is a tension between the desire to see the animals one would never get to see naturally in the wild, and the feeling of pity for them as they are held in captivity.

Tom Bullock reports on how U.S. troops in Iraq try to locate and disarm IEDs before they explode.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger calls for a special election so voters can consider his far-reaching proposals on reshaping the state's government. The move bypasses the legislature. John Myers of member station KQED reports.

Michele Norris talks with Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah about the fight over President Bush's judicial nominees. Sen. Hatch is hopeful that a showdown over these nominees can be averted. But he maintains that any compromise must allow each nomination to be put before the full Senate.

There's a new marketing tool for book publishers: Trailers on the Web that promote their books. They're called "VidLits." One example: Yiddish with Dick and Jane.

Thanks to interleague play, the formerly cursed Boston Red Sox and the perhaps-still-cursed Chicago Cubs are meeting on the field for the first time in 90 years. Melissa Block talks with George Lucas, owner of the famed Cubby Bear sports bar in Chicago. He was at Wrigley Field on Friday for the first game in the series.