Search results for

The governing body of world soccer competition is investigating the circumstances surrounding yesterday's vote which awarded Germany the right to host the 2006 World Cup. A key delegate from New Zealand -- who had been expected to vote for South Africa to host the competition -- abstained, and Germany ended up winning by one vote. New Zealand delegate Charles Dempsey says he abstained because he came under intolerable pressure for his vote, receiving bribe attempts and letters of intimidation. Robert talks to Simon Greenberg, Sports Editor for the London Evening Standard about the story.

The colorful, iridescent soldier fly in question has "legs for days," Australian researcher Bryan Lessard said. He hopes that pop culture names will help attract attention for vulnerable species.

cott talks with Paula Wheeler who is organizing the first annual North American Wife Carrying contest in Bethel, Maine. More information on this event is available at www.wifecarrying.com.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports from Cuba on Fidel Castro's "doctor diplomacy." Since 1963, Cuba has sent some 25,000 doctors to work in the developing world. But lately Havana seems to be changing its approach: it has opened a special school to train medical students from across Latin America. Cuba is footing the bill for the more than three thousand students in the initial class. After they graduate, they will return to their countries to work in underserved areas.

A brief summary of some of the other news on today's program.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church has elected its first female bishop. Reverend Vashti Murphy McKenzie, the Pastor of Payne Memorial A.M.E. Church in Baltimore, Maryland, was elected along with three other Bishops at A.M.E. convention in Cincinnati last night. She talks to Linda Wertheimer about her new role in the church.

GREAVES continued.Classical Music Critic LLOYD SHWARTZ reviews this year's Music Festival in Dresden, Germany.12:58:30 NEXT SHOW PROMO (:29) PROMO COPY On the next Fresh Air - understanding cancer and its genetic mutations, from a Darwinian perspective. We talk to Doctor MEL GREAVES about his new book Cancer: The Evolutionary Legacy. Greaves directs the leukemia research center at the Institute of Cancer Research in London. Join us for the next fresh air.

Host Bob Edwards talks to scholar Richard Newman about this week's page one apology by The Hartford Courant for its role in the slave trade. In the 1700s and early 1800s, the paper ran ads for slave sales and published notices by the owners of runaway slaves. Newman does research at the WEB Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research at Harvard University. He says the Courant's apology is a sign that white Americans are becoming more aware of slavery's lingering effects.

NPR's Jack Speer reports on the changes taking place in telecommunications industry. Despite the failure of a proposed merger between Worldcom and Sprint, other companies are still interested in merging with these companies.

Vice President Al Gore brought the NAACP convention delegates to their feet today. Welcomed as a "member of the family," the Democratic presidential candidate served up Scripture, promises to fight hate crimes and discrimination, and tough talk about his Republican rival and GOP leaders in Congress. NPR's Anthony Brooks reports from Baltimore.