With Texas Trip, Obama Tries To Steer Focus Back To Economy

President Obama turns his attention back to his economic agenda Thursday when he travels to Austin, Texas, where he will visit a technology high school and a company that makes the machines that make silicon chips.

The White House says the trip is part of Obama's Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour. It also appears to be an effort by the president to get back to the issues Americans care most about.

31 Suspects In 3 Nations Nabbed In $50 Million Diamond Heist

Remember that brazen, right-out-of-the-movies diamond heist at Brussels' international airport on Feb. 18?

Now there's word from The Associated Press that "police on Wednesday claimed a major breakthrough in their investigation ... detaining 31 people in a three-nation sweep."

Alex Ferguson: A Legendary Manager For An Iconic Franchise

The resignation of veteran Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is an event causing ripples that go way beyond the island where the Scotsman spent his long and illustrious career.

Walk into a bar pretty much anywhere from Buenos Aires to Bangkok, mention Ferguson or his star-studded team of Red Devils, and you can be sure of a lively conversation — and perhaps a heated argument.

On Two New R&B Albums, An Old Soul Sound That Glows

It's tempting to describe the voices of Charles Bradley and

  • Add new comment
  • Read more

    • Why Bill Gates Thinks Ending Polio Is Worth It

    Some critics say that ending polio has become Bill Gates' "white whale."

    Why not just settle for the huge drop in polio cases that we've seen over the past decade and then spend money on other things that kill so many more kids, like diarrhea and malnutrition?

    "Polio is special," Gates tells NPR's Robert Siegel on All Things Considered. "Once you get it done, you save $2 billion a year that will be applied to those other activities. There's no better deal economically to getting to zero."

    And Gates is putting his money — and his effort — where his passion is.

    Teenage Diaries Revisited: From Kicking A Football To Kicking Meth

    Name: Frankie Lewchuk

    Hometown: Mentone, Ala.

    Current city: Chattanooga, Tenn.

    Occupation: Car stereo installer

    Then:

    "I used to be a wimp in school. ... Since I started playing football in 9th and 10th grade, all I did was get a haircut, start wearing decent clothes and play sports. Now I'm a popular person... and I want to keep it going that way."

    In France, A Renewed Push To Return Art Looted By Nazis

    During World War II, the Nazis plundered tens of thousands of works of art from the private collections of European Jews, many living in France. About 75 percent of the artwork that came back to France from Germany at the end of the war has been returned to their rightful owners.

    But there are still approximately 2,000 art objects that remain unclaimed. The French government has now begun one of its most extensive efforts ever to find the heirs and return the art.

    Teenage Diaries Revisited: Living Life Under The Radar

    Name: Juan (NPR is not revealing his full name, because he is living in the country illegally.)

    Hometown: Loreto, Zacatecas, Mexico

    Current city: Denver

    Occupation: Plumber

    His first radio diary:

    Pistol Annies: Plain Truths, Sharp Humor, Three-Part Harmony

    Pistol Annies: The name itself implies a tough country-girl persona, and the band's members can back it up. Born in Texas, Miranda Lambert is an avid hunter. Angaleena Presley hails from three generations of Kentucky coal miners. And Ashley Monroe was raised in East Tennessee near the Smoky Mountains. But in song, they don't brag about their toughness.

    Filling In The Gap On Climate Education In Classrooms

    The auditorium at James Blake High School in Silver Spring, Md., is packed when Cy Maramangalam strolls onstage, sporting jeans and a shaved head.