NPR Coverage of the State of the Union Address

NPR News will provide extensive coverage of the President's State of the Union speech and the Republican Response. This will be President Obama’s last State of the Union address of his White House term as he heads into the 2012 presidential election campaign.

Facing into an election year, the President is expected to continue pushing Congress on his economic agenda. The GOP response will be given by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.

Melissa Block will host. She'll be joined in the studio by NPR National Political Correspondent Mara Liasson. Our special coverage will augmented with reporting and reaction from NPR correspondents on Capitol Hill, as well as analysis of the speeches from NPR correspondents and outside contributors. NPR will report the Tea Party response in our special as news warrants.

[The program will run through the end of the Republican response.]


Arts & Culture

NPR

China Builds Museums ... But Will The Visitors Come?

China is on a spree to build world-class museums and has opened about 100 of them annually in recent years. Two of the biggest opened on the same day last fall on opposite banks of Shanghai's Huangpu River. But filling these museums — with both art and visitors — is proving more challenging.

Food

NPR

Nutrition Group Says Chocolate Milk Is OK, No Need For Aspartame

The nation's largest group of nutritionists is urging the FDA to reject the dairy industry's petition to change the definition of milk. The petition aims to allow aspartame or other alternatives to be used to sweeten milk in an effort to boost consumption in schools.

Politics

NPR

IRS Official In Charge Of Nonprofits Declines To Testify

Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS division dealing with nonprofits seeking tax-exempt status, will not testify on Wednesday despite a congressional subpoena, her attorney says. She is accused of closely scrutinizing conservative groups that sought tax-exempt status.

Technology

NPR

Microsoft Reveals New Xbox One Game System

Microsoft unveiled its new Xbox One Tuesday, displaying a device that takes new steps in game consoles' journey into becoming all-purpose entertainment and communication devices. The new console replaces the Xbox 360, which has been on the market for more than seven years.