National News From NPR

In Oklahoma, Rescue Efforts Give Way To Recovery Wed, 22 May 2013 07:00:00 -0400: Officials think they've found all the survivors, and victims, of the massive tornado that devastated the community of Moore. The official death toll stands at 24. More than 230 people are said to have been injured.

Backing Becks: Don't Knock The Soccer Star's Talents Tue, 21 May 2013 22:00:00 -0400: After the announcement that David Beckham is retiring, there's been much discussion about how good of an athlete he's really been. Sports commentator Frank Deford says Beckham's talents have been overlooked.

Why Oklahomans Don't Like Basements Tue, 21 May 2013 19:03:00 -0400: A high water table and red clay that soaks up the moisture make dry basements an expensive and iffy proposition right in the heart of Tornado Alley.

The Scramble At Moore Medical Center As The Tornado Hit Tue, 21 May 2013 17:14:00 -0400: Nick Stremble, a registered nurse and manager at the hospital, described what he saw Monday. As winds ripped through the facility, people started "to tumble and roll and be pushed down the hall," he said.

Former IRS Head To Senate: It Wasn't My Fault Tue, 21 May 2013 17:05:00 -0400: Douglas Shulman, who led the IRS during the years when agency workers targeted tax-exempt applications from conservative groups, did his best to deflect accusations from unhappy senators.

Tornado Leaves Moore, Okla., Neighborhoods Unrecognizable Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400: Melissa Block and Robert Siegel have the latest on the tornado that caused major damage in Moore, Okla., on Monday.

Okla. Tornado Survivors Try To Collect Lives After Storm Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400: For some neighbors in Moore, Okla., the decision of taking cover away from home or sheltering in place made the difference between life and death.

Loss Of Timber Payments Cuts Deep In Oregon Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400: Today in Oregon, voters are deciding whether to raise their own taxes to make up for lost timber payments from the federal government. Hundreds of counties in Western states are facing a financial crisis due to the loss of timber payments. Property taxes usually pay for county services such as law enforcement. But counties in states from Colorado to California have vast national forests and can't collect taxes on that land. So Congress created timber payments to compensate them. Now the bill authorizing those payments has expired. Oregon received the largest payments, and more than half its counties face a budget and safety crisis now. Amelia Templeton of Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that in Josephine County, the sheriff has laid of 80 percent of his deputies and no longer arrests people.

Apple CEO Defends Tax Practices At Senate Hearing Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400: Apple CEO Tim Cook faced tough questions on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. He defended a tax strategy that allows Apple to avoid taxes on tens of billions of dollars of profits. Cook also called on the Congress to lower the U.S. corporate tax rate.

Teacher Led Students Through Storm Despite Peril To Daughter Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400: The high school in Moore, Okla., wasn't badly damaged by Monday's tornado. But a special ed teacher stayed with her own students there rather than hunting for her own daughter at a wrecked elementary school.

New Hospital In Joplin, Mo., Designed With Tornadoes In Mind Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400: Robert Siegel speaks with John Farnen, executive director of strategic projects for Mercy Hospital Joplin, regarding lessons of the Joplin, Mo., tornado for rebuilding large structures like the Mercy Hospital Joplin.