Eric Niiler reports for NPR's national desk. His work can be heard on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and other NPR newsmagazines. Before moving to his current post, Niiler was a reporter for NPR's Day to Day program, and also filed pieces for NPR's national and science desks.
The Tour de France is under way, but after the retirement of Lance Armstrong last year, many Americans have lost interest in the legendary race. And new fees from the Tour itself mean fewer tourist dollars in French and American pockets.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons says it will suspend plans for a Bible-based treatment program at six penitentiaries. The announcement came after a federal judge ruled that the a prison-ministry program in Iowa was unconstitutional.
George Mason University is the Cinderella team of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The 11th seed Patriots stunned top-ranked Connecticut on Sunday to make it to the Final Four next weekend in Indianapolis.