Tuesday, September 23, 2008

AMERICA'S HOSTS: Steve Inskeep and Linda Wertheimer; NEWSCASTS: Carl Kasell, Jean Cochran
CALIFORNIA/NEVADA HOST: Donna Apidone; NEWSCASTS: Steve Shadley

Here are some highlights of today's show:

While Congress is hashing out details of the government's 700 billion dollar bailout of financial institutions, Wall Street is eyeing a possible opportunity. The government will have to hire help to deal with the bad loans. So, now some of the same firms that packaged up and signed off on those bad loans in the first place want to get hired for the cleanup.  More at 6:10 and 8:10.

The worst financial crisis since the Great Depression begin with the housing market. While the subprime mortgage crisis has rocked Wall Street to its core, fewer than 3 percent of all American homes are in foreclosure. That means that some of those toxic loans may be worth more than expected. We'll hear more at 5:40 and 7:40.

Scientists are finding tantalizing hints that they will be able to reverse autism and retardation caused by the genetic disorder Fragile X syndrome. The hope comes from experiments at MIT showing that drugs can eliminate nearly all the symptoms of Fragile X in mice. Those drugs are now being tried in humans. That story at 5:21 and 7:21.

Thanks for listening.