 | 2009 NOVEMBER November 2, 2009
 Weekly Poems: a Double From the 'Mets Poet' Frank Messina, also known as the "Mets Poet," is the author of four books of poetry, including "Full Count: The Book of Mets Poetry," released in April, and "Disorderly Conduct," published in 2002.

 

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | OCTOBER October 29, 2009
 Hard Knocks: Does Playing in NFL Cause Brain Trauma? A House committee on Wednesday heard testimony from medical experts, as well as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to determine whether professional football contributes to brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's. Ray Suarez reports.

 

 |  |

 |
 | October 28, 2009
 Other News: Obama Expands Hate Crimes Law In other news, President Obama signed an expansion of the federal hate crimes law, and new home sales fell unexpectedly by 3.6 percent in September.

   

 |  |

 |
 | October 21, 2009
 Brazil Works to Clamp Down on Drug Violence Ahead of Olympics A firefight between drug gangs and the downing of a police helicopter in Rio de Janeiro last weekend heightened concerns about the city hosting the Olympic Games in 2016. Seth Kugel of GlobalPost provides an update in this Reporter's Podcast.

 |  |

 |
 | October 15, 2009
 Reporter's Notebook: World Cup News Turns Political in Honduras The news that Honduras qualified for next year's World Cup brought a welcome respite from the country's recent political unrest -- but just briefly. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media reports from the capital Tegucigalpa.

 |  |

 |
 | October 5, 2009
 Dodgers' Vin Scully 'One on One' From the Booth After 60 years in the broadcast booth for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Vin Scully says he still gets goose bumps. In an interview with Jeffrey Brown, the hall of famer discusses his first big break, the thrill of baseball, and his "one on one" approach with the fans.

   

 |  |

 |
 | October 2, 2009
 Chicago Loses Out On Olympics as Games Head for Rio Despite a high-profile push by President Obama and others, Chicago will not host the 2016 summer games. The Olympic Torch will instead land in Rio de Janeiro. Ray Suarez reports on the story and talks to sports writer Christine Brennan.

   

 |  |

 |
 | October 2, 2009
 Rio de Janeiro to Host 2016 Olympics Chicago's Olympic hopes were dashed Friday when it was eliminated in the first round of voting for the 2016 host city, following a star-studded bid that featured personal appeals by President Barack Obama, the first lady and Oprah Winfrey.

 |  |

 |
 | October 1, 2009
 Few Profits, Many Cost Overruns Expected for Olympic Hosts As the International Olympic Committee prepares to anoint a host for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games Friday in Copenhagen, cities vying for the honor are unlikely to receive much of a direct economic boost as host.

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | SEPTEMBER September 28, 2009
 Obama Looks to Aid Chicago's Olympic Bid at Finish Line President Obama will travel to Copenhagen this week to lobby on behalf of his hometown of Chicago and its bid to land the 2016 summer games.

   

 |  |

 |
 | September 7, 2009
 Learning to Read and Bat at Summer Camp As summer gives way to fall, education correspondent John Tulenko reports on a camp that promotes practicing both reading and batting.

   

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | JUNE June 17, 2009
 SILVERDOCS Festival Opens With a Slam Called the "premier showcase for documentary films" by the Hollywood Reporter, the American Film Institute's SILVERDOCS festival brings a full slate of documentary films and the International Documentary Conference to Silver Spring, Md., for the seventh year.

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | MAY May 15, 2009
 Conversation: Boden, Fleck Discuss Their New Film 'Sugar' Anyone who's followed baseball over the last decade or so has noticed the rising number and rising prominence of players from Latin America, particularly from the Dominican Republic. The new film, 'Sugar,' is a dramatic telling of the story of one young Dominican-born player as he learns some lessons about baseball and life.

 

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | APRIL April 8, 2009
 Other News: Death Toll Rises in Italian Earthquake In other news, the death toll from Monday's earthquake in central Italy continued to rise and a bomb near a sacred Baghdad shrine killed at least seven people and wounded 20.

 

 |  |

 |
 | April 6, 2009
 During March Madness, Echoes of Games Past Sportswriter Seth Davis's new book "When March Went Mad" details the extraordinary 1979 NCAA championship game that featured the match-up between Michigan State University's Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Indiana State University's Larry Bird. Davis talks about how the legendary game changed basketball.

   

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | FEBRUARY February 10, 2009
 New Steroid Revelations Cast Fresh Scrutiny on Baseball Yankees star Alex Rodriguez recently admitted to using steroids early in his career and Miguel Tejada of the Houston Astros is now charged with lying to Congress about steroid use in professional baseball. Sports writers discuss the "steroids era" of baseball.

   

 |  |

 |
 | February 2, 2009
 In Other News, Senate Debates Stimulus Plan as Pittsburgh Heralds Super Bowl Win The Senate resumed debate on the $900 economic stimulus package that hit snags among Republicans concerned about the rising costs of the package. Jim Lehrer reports on this and other top news of the day.

 

 |  |

 |
 | February 2, 2009
 Weekly Poem: 'Pittsburgh' In honor of the Steelers' Super Bowl victory, we've gone into the Poetry Series archive for "Pittsburgh" by Terrance Hayes.

 

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | 2008 DECEMBER December 8, 2008
 Tribune Co. Files for Bankruptcy Protection Media conglomerate Tribune Co. filed for bankruptcy protection Monday, as the owner of the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Cubs and several other newspapers and TV stations tries to restructure its debt of $13 billion.

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | NOVEMBER November 4, 2008
 Supreme Court to Hear TV Profanity Case The Supreme Court on Tuesday takes up a dispute between the broadcast networks and Federal Communication Commission over the use of profanity during live television programs when children are likely part of the viewing audience.

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | AUGUST August 22, 2008
 China Balances Host Role with Delicate Diplomacy During Olympics Atlantic Monthly veteran writer James Fallows, who has spent a year reporting from China about everything from Beijing's pollution to the tightly controlled media, discusses the country's future following its turn in the Olympic spotlight.

     

 |  |

 |
 | August 22, 2008
 Jamaican Runner Gives a 'Bolt' to Summer Olympics Ray Suarez speaks with sportswriter Christine Brennan about the athletic triumphs and disappointments of the Beijing Games, including Jamaican Usain Bolt's world record breaking track and field performances.

   

 |  |

 |
 | August 14, 2008
 Chinese Athletes Embody Beijing's Broader Aspirations After a century of national aspirations, China's ascent into an international power has influenced its athletes' training to win gold medals during the Olympics. A professor and former athlete offers insight into how Chinese athletes have prepared for the Summer Games.

     

 |  |

 |
 | August 13, 2008
 Sports Journalist Discusses Swimming, Gymnastics Feats at Beijing Games The competition at the Olympic Games is heating up as Michael Phelps broke a series of world records on his way to claiming the record for most gold medals. A sports correspondent in Beijing discusses the highlights of the games so far.

   

 |  |

 |
 | August 13, 2008
 Experts Answered Questions on China's Olympic Moment The Olympics has proved a mixed blessing for China as protesters have sought to use the event to highlight disputes over China's rule of Tibet and other issues. So how do the Olympics fit into China's past and its future on the international stage? Two China watchers answer your questions.

   




 |  |

 |
 | August 12, 2008
 Media, Fans Going Online for 2008 Olympic Games While athletes at the Beijing Olympics are breaking records every day, coverage of the Games is itself breaking barriers in the way people are seeking coverage of the events. A media analyst discusses the role of Internet media during the 2008 Games.

     

 |  |

 |
 | August 8, 2008
 China Aims to Boost Global Standing Through Olympics Years of preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games culminated Friday as world leaders converged in China to watch the Games' opening ceremonies. Analysts examine what the event means for China's place on the global political and economic stage.

     

 |  |

 |
 | August 7, 2008
 Athletes Rev Up for Start of the Beijing Games Crowds cheered Thursday as the Olympic torch made its way through Beijing, heralding the official start of the games on Friday. Ray Suarez talks to Sports Illustrated writer Brian Cazeneuve about the athletes to watch.

     

 |  |

 |
 | August 7, 2008
 Deadly Climb on K2 Brings New Attention to the 'Savage Mountain' Eleven people died this week on K2, the world's second-tallest mountain. An ice fall swept some of the victims away, equipment problems left others stranded. Phil Powers, executive director of the American Alpine Club, describes what makes K2 such difficult terrain, and talks about his own experience climbing the mountain.

 

 |  |

 |
 | August 6, 2008
 Tibet Protests Linger Around China's Olympics Prep China is determined to prevent the Olympics from becoming a platform for Tibetan rights protests. Independent Television News Channel 4 correspondent Lindsay Hilsum reports from the remote Tibetan province of Qinghai on lingering anti-Chinese sentiments in the region.



 |  |

 |
 | August 6, 2008
 Air Pollution in China Atmospheric chemist Kenneth Rahn regularly travels to China to consult with scientists there about the country's air pollution problem. Rahn took your questions about pollution in Beijing during the run-up to the Olympic Games.

 |  |

 |
 | August 5, 2008
 China Rolls Out Security Crackdown Ahead of Olympics In preparation for the Olympics, China has mobilized thousands of police and military and enacted unusual security masures to protect Beijing during the Games. Analysts examine how Beijing has sought to hone its image and tighten its security.

     

 |  |

 |
 | August 4, 2008
 Beijing's Pollution a Contentious Foe for Olympic Athletes Despite efforts to curb China's air pollution, a thick haze swept over Beijing Monday, just days before the Olympic Games begin. Betty Ann Bowser examines the country's pollution woes and the impact on athletes.

     




 |  |

 |
 | August 4, 2008
 Attack Kills 16 Border Police in Northwest China Two men slammed a dump truck into a group of jogging policemen then threw explosives into nearby barracks early Monday in far northwest China, killing 16 and wounding at least 16 more, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | JULY July 31, 2008
 In Beijing, Reporters Encounter Internet Curbs as Olympics Near Beijing is putting the final touches on preparations for the start of the Olympic Games on Aug. 8 -- but reporters are encountering Internet curbs despite expectations of open Web access for foreign journalists. A reporter and media expert weigh the issue.

     

 |  |

 |
 | July 25, 2008
 Olympic Preparations Ripple Through China Beneath the surface of new structures and changing freedoms in China, the country has instituted broad initiatives ahead of its hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games. Scott Tong, China bureau chief for public radio's "Marketplace", talks about the run-up to the games.

     

 |  |

 |
 | July 25, 2008
 Thousands Stampede for Last of Olympics Tickets Scuffles broke out Friday as nearly 50,000 people who had waited up to two days for the final batch of tickets to next month's Olympic Games swarmed sales windows in Beijing.

 |  |

 |
 | July 23, 2008
 China to Set up Olympic Protest Zones The Chinese government will set aside three protest zones in city parks during the Olympic Games, Chinese officials said Wednesday.

 |  |

 |
 | July 21, 2008
 Court Tosses Out CBS's Superbowl Indecency Fine A federal appeals court on Monday overturned a decision to fine against CBS Corp. $550,000 for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that ended with Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction."

 |  |

 |
 | July 21, 2008
 Bombings Stoke Terrorism Fears before Olympics Explosions rocked at least two buses in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming on Monday, local media report, killing at least two people and injuring another 14 as the country attempts to tighten security ahead of next month's Beijing Olympics.

 |  |

 |
 | July 7, 2008
 Court Rivalries Make Tennis History at Wimbledon At the Wimbledon championship, tennis rival took to the court, where Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer, who had won for the past five years, while Venus Williams defeated her sister, Serena. A sports reporter describes the event.

     

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | JUNE June 20, 2008
 Beijing to Impose Odd-Even Car Ban During Olympics From July 20 to Sept. 20, Beijing will alternate the days that vehicles with even and odd registration numbers will be allowed on the road in order to reduce traffic and air pollution during the Olympic Games.

 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 | MAY May 26, 2008
 Earthquake Recovery Tempers China's Olympics Elation In preparing for the Olympic Games, the Chinese government has faced unexpected challenges, including a devastating earthquake and protests over its rule of Tibet. Margaret Warner reports from China about the quake's impacts on the Beijing Olympic plans.

     

 |  |

 |
 | May 16, 2008
 Olympics Mark China's 'Coming of Age' China's hosting of the 2008 Summer Olympics thrust the Asian nation into the international spotlight and is viewed by many inside the country as a way to showcase how far the communist regime has come in opening up to the world over the past few decades.

 |  |

 |
 | May 16, 2008
 Olympics Highlight Press Curbs in China Though the Chinese have made efforts to increase press freedoms for foreign journalists covering the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, reporters are still expecting to encounter some challenges based on long-standing restrictions and mentalities.

 |  |

 |
 | May 16, 2008
 Beijing Pollution Poses Challenge to Olympic Athletes Athletes participating in the Beijing Olympics this summer could face a troubling combination of polluted air and hot, humid weather conditions if the Chinese government is not able to clear the skies in time for the games.

 |  |

 |
 | May 16, 2008
 Tibet Tests China's Movement on Human Rights When China bested four other finalists to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, the win brought a new global status but also renewed scrutiny on its handling of free speech and human rights, particularly in the area of Tibet.

 |  |

 |
 | May 16, 2008
 Olympic Stadiums Around the Globe As the clock ticks down to the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, two scholars look back at the stories surrounding Olympic stadiums around the world, from the Berlin facility that survived the bombings of World War II to Athens' sky-high infrastructure costs in 2004.

 

 |  |

 |
 | May 16, 2008
 Interactive: Compare Life in Olympic Host Cities Wonder how much a movie ticket costs in Seoul? Or a taxi ride in Athens? Compare some facts and figures about current day-to-day life in these seven summer Olympic host cities.

 |  |

 |
 | May 5, 2008
 Horse Euthanasia Raises Questions After Kentucky Derby This year's Kentucky Derby was marred by the events following the filly Eight Belles' second place finish when she collapsed on the track and was subsequently euthanized. Two experts discuss the state of horse racing and the extremes to which owners must go to win.

     

 |  |