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Race
9:40 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Asian-Americans On The Rise

Originally published on Thu June 21, 2012 10:03 am

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Coming up, it's June, the beginning of the summer wedding season and a lot of couples are tying the knot, but what happens when your plans for a dream wedding in your hometown are the subject of - well, let's say - opinions of complete strangers?

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The Two-Way
8:28 am
Wed June 20, 2012

White House Exerts Executive Privilege Over 'Fast And Furious' Documents

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 1:24 pm

The battle between the Obama administration and the House Oversight and Government over the Fast and Furious operation just ratcheted up another notch. There's word that the White House is exerting executive privilege over documents that the committee's Republican majority has subpoenaed.

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The Two-Way
7:59 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Greece Has New Prime Minister

New Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras has been sworn in as Greek prime minister, correspondent Joanna Kakissis and Sky News report.

As Joanna reported earlier for our Newscast Desk, Samaras' conservative New Democracy party came in first during Sunday national elections, but didn't get enough support to govern on its own. So it will share power with the Socialist PASOK and a small pro-European party — The Democratic Left.

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The Two-Way
7:27 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Two Major East Coast Bridges Will Close Today For 'Delicate Maritime Ballet'

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 1:33 pm

We don't do too many traffic reports, but this news has the potential to be both fascinating and frustrating — depending on whether you're watching from afar or stuck inside a gridlocked car:

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge that carries U.S. Route 50 traffic back-and-forth between Washington, D.C., and mid-Atlantic beaches will be closed for about 40 minutes today, starting around 1:15 p.m. ET, so that a cargo ship carrying four huge cranes can pass (safely, we hope) beneath the span.

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The Two-Way
6:39 am
Wed June 20, 2012

If WikiLeaks' Assange Steps Out, He's Due To Be Arrested

Credit Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
A British police officer stood outside the Ecuadorian consulate in London earlier today, as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange remained inside.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 7:32 am

  • On 'Morning Edition': Philip Reeves reports

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is reportedly still inside Ecuador's embassy in London, where he showed up Tuesday and asked for political asylum.

The chances of his being able to leave there and not immediately be arrested by British authorities seem to be somewhere between slim and none.

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Around the Nation
6:08 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Perennial College Student Collects Multiple Degrees

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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The Two-Way
5:59 am
Wed June 20, 2012

If Sandusky Is Going To Testify, Today's The Likely Day

Credit Mark Wilson / Getty Images
Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky as he left the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., on Tuesday.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 9:56 am

The defense rested its case just before noon ET today and closing arguments will begin Thursday in the trial of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky on charges of sexually abusing young boys, according to reporters from The Associated Press, NPR and other news outlets.

Sandusky did not take the stand in his own defense.

Our Original Post: If Sandusky Is Going To Testify, Today's The Likely Day

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Around the Nation
5:57 am
Wed June 20, 2012

DC Comics Objects To Ohio's Superman License Plate

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Linda Wertheimer. Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and not born in Ohio. The idea of Superman was conceived in Glenville, Ohio back in the 1930s, but when a proposed Superman-themed license plate called Ohio birthplace of Superman, DC Comics and Warner Communications objected. Superman, they point out, was born on the planet Krypton. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

The Two-Way
5:21 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Will Egypt's Generals Use News About Mubarak To Further Delay Democracy?

Credit Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images
In Cairo's Tahrir Square on Tuesday night, men gathered in front of graffiti showing ousted President Hosni Mubarak and others from his regime.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 1:07 pm

  • On 'Morning Edition': Renee Montagne speaks with Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

In Cairo's Tahrir Square, reports that former President Hosni Mubarak is in critical condition and may be near death are being met with two reactions, NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports:

-- Many Egyptians who have gathered there are saying, "It's about time, let him go."

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Business
4:57 am
Wed June 20, 2012

The Fed In 3 Phrases: Decoding Bernanke And Co.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 10:42 am

The Federal Reserve — the nation's central bank — will end its two-day meeting on Wednesday by offering its assessment of the economy, and then declaring its latest plan for making things better.

Investors all over the world will be waiting to hear just how weak — or not — the Fed thinks the U.S. economy is. And they will be watching to see whether the bankers plan to continue trying to stimulate growth by extending two controversial programs, one known as Operation Twist, and the other as quantitative easing.

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Business
2:46 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Business News

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Now, to policy making with some fizz. The mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, has proposed limiting the size of sodas and sweetened drinks that can be sold in the city.

Henrietta Davis said she was inspired by the mayor of New York. Michael Bloomberg has proposed a ban on sales of oversized sugary drinks in his city's restaurants. Mayor Davis says soda is a factor behind increasing obesity and heart disease among young people.

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Business
2:46 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Study: Fat People Burden Earth's Resources

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Now, for a global perspective on our national weight problem. The number of humans on the planet is now more than seven billion. And our total weight is 287 million tons. That number comes from a new study that suggests weight, and not just headcount, should be considered when looking at the impact of people on the planet.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

To find out more, we called Ian Roberts. He's a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and is the lead author of this study.

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Economy
2:46 am
Wed June 20, 2012

G-20 Leaders Promise To Promote Economic Growth

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

Leaders of the world's biggest economies wrapped up the G-20 summit in Mexico Tuesday with a promise to work together to promote jobs. The meeting comes amid worrisome signs of slowing growth in the United States and elsewhere.

Election 2012
2:46 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Mitt Romney Wraps Up Bus Tour To Battleground States

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Mitt Romney has wrapped up his most extensive campaign trip since becoming the all-but-official Republican nominee for president. Over the past five days, he visited six potential battleground states, touring each by bus. Along the way, he honed his attacks on President Obama, while also trying to show voters a more relaxed Mitt Romney than they've seen so far.

The tour, called Every Town Counts, stayed mostly in counties friendly to Republicans, ending with three stops in Michigan yesterday, the state where Romney was born.

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Europe
2:46 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Oxford To Honor Suii Kyi After Years Of House Arrest

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 7:26 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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Business
2:46 am
Wed June 20, 2012

The Last Word In Business

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And our last word in business is: supersized couch potato.

This week, Japanese electronics maker Sharp unveiled what it's calling the biggest LED TV on the planet. The 90-inch set has WiFi built in and you can buy it with a webcam option. You could, say, Skype with 50 people at once and see all their faces.

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Of course, you would need a lot of wall space and a fat wallet. It cost $11,000.

That's the business news on MORNING EDITION. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

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Sports
2:46 am
Wed June 20, 2012

NBA Finals: Miami Takes 3-1 Leader Over Thunder

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

For the Miami Heat, it's three down, one to go. Last night in Miami, the Heat pulled within one win of an NBA championship, with 104 to 98 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. That gives Miami a 3-to-1 lead in the series and a comforting statistic for Heat fans to think about until tomorrow night's game 5. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-1 deficit in the finals. NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman joins us now to talk about it.

Good morning.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hi.

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Economy
2:46 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Fed Expected To Boost U.S. Economy

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 7:59 am

Federal Reserve policymakers release their latest statement on the economy Wednesday, and Chairman Ben Bernanke will attempt to explain the Fed's actions in a post-meeting news conference. There are several things the Fed could do to try to boost growth, but whether they'd be effective is debatable.

NPR Story
2:42 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Ex-Egyptian President Mubarak On Life Support

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is said to be on life support after suffering a stroke in prison. Meanwhile, demonstrators are still gathered in Tahrir Sqaure protesting moves by the interim military government to seize power.

NPR Story
2:42 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Man-Made Quakes Get Geologists' Attention

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 8:16 am

Geologists have noticed an increase in the number of small earthquakes in the U.S. They suspect the cause to be wastewater wells, where polluted water from industrial processes is pumped deep underground. None of the quakes has caused serious damage.

NPR Story
2:42 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Panel To Vote On Contempt Charges Against Holder

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

A House committee meets to consider a report holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress on Wednesday. Holder failed to turn over subpoenaed documents related to Operation Fast and Furious, a botched gun-trafficking operation. Rep. Darrell Issa met with Holder Tuesday in an effort to resolve difference over his panel's subpoena for the documents.

Asia
1:18 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Illegal Fishing, Molotov Cocktails, A Daring Escape

Originally published on Wed June 27, 2012 8:47 am

The State Department on Tuesday cited abuses in Thailand's huge fishing industry as part of an annual worldwide report on Trafficking in Persons. The report noted that men from Cambodia and Myanmar, also known as Burma, are trafficked aboard Thai ships and forced to work against their will. They include men like Vannak Prum, a Cambodian who spent three years on such a boat. Prum was among those honored at the State Department on Tuesday.

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Education
1:15 am
Wed June 20, 2012

A New Union Battle As Chicago Teachers, Mayor Clash

Credit M. Spencer Green / AP
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis speaks to reporters after casting her ballot in a strike authorization vote. Teachers voted overwhelmingly to authorize the first strike in 25 years if the city and the union can't come to terms this summer.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

There hasn't been a school strike in Chicago for 25 years. But the current contract between Chicago teachers and the Chicago Public Schools expires at the end of next week, and tensions between the teachers union, the school district and Mayor Rahm Emanuel are ratcheting higher.

Chicago Teachers Union members outmaneuvered the mayor, school officials and anti-union education groups by overwhelmingly approving a measure that allows teachers to strike if contract negotiations fall flat.

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Sports
1:08 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Runner Has Eyes On Two Prizes: Olympics, Ph.D.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:30 am

Among the dozens of athletes hoping to leap, throw or run their way to London as part of the U.S. track and field team is 24-year-old runner Shannon Leinert.

Leinert, who will compete in the 800-meter dash, has dreamed of the Olympics since she was 10 and winning races in St. Louis, her hometown. If that weren't enough, she's also working on a doctoral degree in special education.

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National Security
1:07 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Are Drones Obama's Legacy In War On Terrorism?

Credit Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP
President Obama's use of drones, and his direct involvement in whom they target, has both U.S. and international communities questioning the administration's secret drone policy.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 8:17 am

The Obama administration's use of drones to kill suspected terrorists in foreign countries may be President Obama's biggest legacy in the fight against terrorism.

One privilege — or burden — of the Oval Office is that each inhabitant gets to decide how dirty to get his hands in wartime. President Truman made the ultimate decision to use the atomic bomb, while President Kennedy chose not to use a nuclear weapon in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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Election 2012
1:06 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Obama's Immigration Move Disrupts Rubio's Dream

Credit Stan Honda / AFP/Getty Images
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., leaves the stage after speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations on May 31 in New York.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:19 am

With a single policy directive last week, President Obama took control of an issue of special importance to Hispanics this election year. Obama announced illegal immigrants younger than 30 who are brought to the U.S. as children and who meet other standards will not be subject to deportation.

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Election 2012
1:04 am
Wed June 20, 2012

Big Political Donors Shy Away From Public Scrutiny

Credit Bo Rader / MCT /Landov
Charles Koch of Koch Industries speaks in 2007 about his book The Science of Success in Wichita, Kan.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 8:19 am

Several dozen wealthy donors have taken advantage of this post-Citizens United world, writing seven-figure checks to political superPACs.

Yet it seems there's something wealthy donors weren't counting on when they wrote those checks — attracting attention, including from the political opposition and the media.

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Sweetness And Light
8:03 pm
Tue June 19, 2012

Title IX At 40: What Has Changed, And What's Next

Credit Gerry Broome / AP
The adoption of Title IX has spurred growth in women's collegiate sports, including soccer. But a women's pro league has struggled, cutting its season short this year. Here, Notre Dame celebrates winning the NCAA College Cup in 2010.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 6:08 am

Saturday is the 40th anniversary of Title IX, which, although almost nobody anticipated it then, resulted in women's gaining the right to participate in sports commensurate with their numbers attending college.

Title IX not only had a huge effect on women's participation in sports, but also, culturally, it influenced the way both men and women view the idea of women and athletics. It's mattered greatly in our American society.

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The Two-Way
5:28 pm
Tue June 19, 2012

House Panel To Weigh Whether Attorney General Is In Contempt

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 4:36 am

A House panel will meet Wednesday to consider a report holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for failing to turn over subpoenaed documents related to the controversial Operation Fast and Furious, a botched gun-trafficking operation.

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., head of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, met with Holder on Tuesday in an effort to resolve difference over his panel's subpoena for the documents.

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It's All Politics
5:14 pm
Tue June 19, 2012

Senate's Top Republican Seeks A Cue From Romney On Immigration

Credit Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks to the media on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

Originally published on Wed June 20, 2012 5:42 am

President Obama has certainly put Republicans in a tricky spot with his action to essentially activate parts of the DREAM Act that would defer deportations for certain young illegal immigrants.

Come out against the president's stance, popular with many Latino voters but not exclusively so, and Republicans run the risk of further alienating many of those voters.

But come out in support of the president's act, and many conservatives in the Republican base could get angry.

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