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The Two-Way
9:40 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Big Changes At U.S. Speedskating Body, But Scandals Linger

Credit Rick Bowmer / AP
Speedskaters practiced for the U.S. Single Distance Short Track Speedskating Championships in Kearns, Utah, last year.

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 10:56 am

Rebellious athletes, drained budgets, dysfunctional management and a string of embarrassing scandals forced a major reorganization of U.S. Speedskating over the weekend.

The group governs a sport that has produced 85 Winter Olympic medals for the United States — more than any other sport. But persistent turmoil threatened continued success in the next Games, just nine months away in Sochi, Russia.

The changes leave USS with a smaller board and without numerous committees that have permitted parochial interests to meddle in the governance of the sport.

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Politics
9:13 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Unclear Laws May Have Contributed to Tax-Exempt Controversy

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Let's turn to another story for now: The acting head of the IRS has resigned, but is still facing questions about the agency. Lawmakers continue their probe into the federal tax agency targeting Tea Party groups seeking tax exemption.

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U.S.
9:13 am
Tue May 21, 2013

After Okla. Tornado, Obama Offers Prayers Backed With Deeds

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And let's return now to our top story, that devastating tornado that struck south of Oklahoma City yesterday. President Obama spoke just moments ago at the White House. He offered words of comfort to the people of Moore, Oklahoma.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: What they can be certain of is that Americans from every corner of this country will be right there with them, opening our homes, our hearts to those in need, because we're a nation that stands with our fellow citizens.

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The Two-Way
9:13 am
Tue May 21, 2013

'I Was Dismayed' To Learn What Agency Did, Ex-IRS Chief Says

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 10:05 am

Facing questions for the first time about why Internal Revenue Service personnel singled out some conservative groups for inappropriate scrutiny while he was head of the agency, former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman told Congress on Tuesday that "I was dismayed and I was saddened" to learn about what had happened under his watch.

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The Two-Way
8:25 am
Tue May 21, 2013

After Tornado, A Dog Rescue Raises Spirits, And Gains Fans

Credit Brett Deering / Getty Images
Barbara Garcia, right, sits with friends after a tornado destroyed much of their neighborhood in Moore, Okla. During an interview with CBS, Garcia found her dog buried in the wreckage of her house.

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 10:57 am

Before Monday's tornado hit, Barbara Garcia says, she had a gameplan. In the event of an emergency, the Moore, Okla., resident would gather up her little dog and retreat to a bathroom to wait out the storm. But after Monday's powerful twister blew through her neighborhood, Garcia tells CBS News, she couldn't find her dog.

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Shots - Health News
7:55 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Less Sleep For Teens Means Higher Risk For Car Crashes

Credit iStockphoto.com
Sleep-deprived teenagers face the greatest risk of accidents while driving at night.

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 6:06 am

Parents who want to keep their teenagers safe while they're driving might want to tuck them in bed early the night before.

Drowsiness is a well-known risk for adult drivers, but teenage drivers are more impaired than adults when facing an equivalent lack of sleep, an Australian study finds.

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The Two-Way
7:04 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Oklahoma Tornados: Finding Aid, Giving Aid

Credit Brett Deering / Getty Images
Aid groups are mobilizing relief efforts to help victims of the storm. Here, Candice Lopez, left, and Stephanie Davis help clean debris from Thelma Cox's mobile home near Shawnee, Okla., after it was destroyed Monday.

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 8:40 am

Residents of Moore, Okla., are searching for survivors and coming to terms with a massive tornado that left dozens of people dead and injured more than 200 others Monday afternoon. As aid and recovery groups search for victims and try to reunite loved ones, they're also seeking donations and coordinating housing:

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Around the Nation
6:03 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Rep. Cole Is From Moore, Where Deadly Twister Hit

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:13 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep. More Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City suburb most devastated by yesterday's tornado is the hometown of the man we'll talk with next. Oklahoma Republican congressman Tom Cole is on the line. Congressman, I'm sorry for the occasion but welcome back to the program.

REPRESENTATIVE TOM COLE: Yeah, Steve, thank you very much.

INSKEEP: Is your family OK?

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World
5:34 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Border Collies Protect Scientsts' Research From Geese

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 11:54 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm David Greene. Throw me a bone. - that was essentially the message from some frustrated scientists in Canada. They work at an experimental research farm, testing crops like corn and barley. And recently, packs of Canadian geese had been swooping in and destroying the crops. [POST-BROADCAST CORRECTION: The waterfowl were misidentified. They are Canada geese.]

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World
5:28 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Now's Your Chance To Own A Little Bit Of Gandhi

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:13 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning, I'm Steve Inskeep.

Today is your chance to own a little bit of Gandhi. The quirky, unpredictable and ultimately triumphant leader spent decades leading India to independence. Along the way, Mohandis Gandhi became known as Mahatma, or venerated one, and he had an appendectomy. Afterward, doctors took samples of his blood. Two microscope slides bearing that blood are being auctioned today in London with bids expected over $15,000.

It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

The Two-Way
5:16 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Book News: Stephen King's New Bogeyman? Digital Publishing

Credit Mario Tama / Getty Images
Stephen King holds a special pink Kindle given to him at a 2009 unveiling event for the Amazon Kindle 2.

The daily lowdown on books, publishing, and the occasional author behaving badly.

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The Two-Way
5:11 am
Tue May 21, 2013

IRS Officials To Be On Hot Seat

Credit Dennis Brack / Landov

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:18 am

Both the former IRS commissioner who was in charge when the agency singled out some conservative groups for extra scrutiny and the man who replaced him will be appearing at a Senate Finance Committee hearing Tuesday morning.

Douglas Shulman, an appointee of President George W. Bush who left the IRS last November, and acting commissioner Steven Miller (who is losing his job because of the scandal) are due at the 10 a.m. ET hearing.

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The Two-Way
4:19 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Death Toll Climbing In Oklahoma Tornado Tragedy

Credit RIchard Rowe / Reuters /Landov
The destruction was wide and devastating in Moore, Okla., on Monday after a tornado roared through.

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 6:48 pm

(We're following the news from Oklahoma, where a tornado devastated the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. Most recent update: 8:40 p.m. ET.)

A day after a monster EF-5 tornado pummeled Moore, Okla., the focus turned to the victims.

NPR's Wade Goodwyn spent the day in the city talking to survivors. Christie Parrish decided to leave her home for her sister's shelter.

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Europe
3:52 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Young People Cast Out Of Italy's Welfare System

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:13 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We are also following a subtler story of economic devastation, even with all the news about unemployment in Europe, this next number is hard to absorb. In Italy, among younger people, the jobless rate us close to 40 percent. The government is focused on the middle-aged and the elderly leaving little room it seems for their kids

Here's NPR's Sylvia Poggioli.

(SOUNDBITE OF SCREAMING AND SHOOTING)

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Business
3:52 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Tumbler Users Urge New Owner Yahoo To Keep The Site Weird

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:13 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Yahoo's purchase of the blogging site Tumblr sent shockwaves through the Tumblrverse. Is that actually a word now?

WNYC's Ilya Marritz reports that the site's users want to keep Tumblr out of the mainstream.

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Media
3:52 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Fox News Reporter James Rosen Caught Up In Federal Probe

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:13 am

There is word of another controversial leak investigation by the Department of Justice. The target is Fox News reporter James Rosen, who was monitored by the department after breaking a story about North Korea's nuclear weapons program in 2009.

Business
2:24 am
Tue May 21, 2013

CEO Cook To Defend Apple Before Senate Committee Hearing

Credit Eric Risberg / AP
Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an introduction of the iPhone 5 in San Francisco on Sept. 12. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says Apple is paying billions of dollars less than it should in taxes each year, taking advantage of technicalities in U.S. and Irish tax laws.

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:13 am

Giant technology firm Apple is paying billions of dollars less than it should in U.S. taxes each year, according to a report by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. In a hearing Tuesday in Washington, D.C., Apple CEO Tim Cook will defend the company.

The subcommittee's report says Apple avoids the tax payments mainly by shifting profits to three subsidiary companies in Ireland. The investigation found Apple is taking advantage of technicalities in U.S. and Irish tax laws to avoid paying any tax on a huge portion of its profits.

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Business
2:14 am
Tue May 21, 2013

JPMorgan Shareholders Consider Splitting CEO, Chairman Jobs

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:13 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

JPMorgan Chase holds its annual shareholder meeting today in Tampa, Florida, and the shareholders will vote on a key measure: a proposal to strip the CEO, Jamie Dimon, of his other title, chairman of the board. A growing number of companies have split the CEO and chairman roles.

Shareholder activists and corporate governance experts say having a balance of power at the top helps to reduce risk. The bank and its supporters disagree. NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports.

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The Record
1:15 am
Tue May 21, 2013

The Doors' Keyboard Counterpoint Goes Silent: Remembering Ray Manzarek

Credit Express / Getty Images
Ray Manzarek (far right) stands with fellow members of The Doors Jim Morrison (from right), Robby Krieger and John Densmore in 1968. Manzarek died Monday in Germany. He was 74.

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 11:43 am

Author Interviews
1:09 am
Tue May 21, 2013

After Crashing In Canadian 'Abyss,' Four Men Fight To Survive

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:13 am

On the night of Oct. 19, 1984, Erik Vogel was uneasy about flying. It was snowing; his plane's de-icer and autopilot weren't working; and his co-pilot had been bumped to fit one more passenger on his 10-seater. But the young pilot was behind schedule and he felt like his job was on the line, so he took off, as he did most days, shuttling between the remote communities that dot the Canadian wilderness.

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Author Interviews
1:08 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Courtside Chemistry: How NBA's Phil Jackson Won 'Eleven Rings'

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 9:13 am

Phil Jackson is famous not only for coaching stars — Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen with the Chicago Bulls, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal with the L.A. Lakers — but also for his distinctive "zen" approach to basketball. He introduced his teams to yoga and meditation, and regularly assigned his players books to read.

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Shots - Health News
1:01 am
Tue May 21, 2013

Texas Medicaid Debate Complicated By Politics And Poverty

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 6:08 am

When the sun rises over the Rio Grande Valley, the cries of the urracas — blackbirds — perched on the tops of palm trees swell to a noisy, unavoidable cacophony. That is also the strategy, it could be said, that local officials, health care providers and frustrated valley residents are trying to use to persuade Gov. Rick Perry and state Republican lawmakers to set aside their opposition and expand Medicaid, a key provision of the federal health law.

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Parallels
12:59 am
Tue May 21, 2013

The Global Afterlife Of Your Donated Clothes

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 7:04 pm

On a bright and warm Saturday morning, there's a steady flow of people dropping off donations at Martha's Table, a charity in downtown Washington, D.C. A mountain of plastic and paper bags stuffed with used dresses, scarves, skirts and footwear expands in one corner of the room. Volunteers sort and put clothes on hangers. They'll go on sale next door, and the proceeds will help the needy in the area.

It's a scene played out across the U.S.: people donating their old clothes, whether through collection bins or through large charities, to help others.

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Around the Nation
6:13 pm
Mon May 20, 2013

Business Owner Describes Major Destruction After Tornado

Originally published on Mon May 20, 2013 7:26 pm

Melissa Block talks to Casey Mongold, owner of Casey's Tire and Auto in Moore, Okla., where a tornado caused widespread destruction on Monday.

Environment
6:12 pm
Mon May 20, 2013

Forecasters Had Chance To Warn Moore, Okla., Before Tornado

Originally published on Mon May 20, 2013 7:27 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

Joining us now is NPR science correspondent Jon Hamilton who has done a lot of reporting on tornadoes before. And, Jon, talk a bit about the path of this tornado and the destruction that it's brought.

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The Two-Way
5:44 pm
Mon May 20, 2013

Tweets Capture 'Shock And Awe' At Tornado's Deadly Power

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 2:56 am

Our colleague Andy Carvin has scanned Twitter in search of reaction, including photos and video, from the massive tornado that swept through central Oklahoma on Monday.

Among the tweets:

Sidney Montoya of Oklahoma City says he is "Praying for my little cousins in Moore, their elementary school just got hit by the tornado."

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The Two-Way
5:15 pm
Mon May 20, 2013

VIDEO: A Time-Lapse Of The Tornado In Oklahoma

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 2:57 am

NBC News has put together a time-lapse video of the EF-4 tornado that tore through the southern suburbs of Oklahoma City, Okla.

As we told you in the live blog, the National Weather Service says it was at least an EF-4 tornado with winds in excess of 166 mph. The tornado stayed on the ground for 40 minutes and traveled 20 miles.

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The Two-Way
5:14 pm
Mon May 20, 2013

A Brief History Of Oklahoma Tornadoes

Credit Jerry Laizure / AP
Destruction at Midwest City, Okla., one of the towns hit by the May 5, 1999, tornadoes.

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 2:58 am

Although Oklahoma is a state where tornadoes are a fact of life, few days stand out like May 3, 1999.

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The Two-Way
5:11 pm
Mon May 20, 2013

Key Charge Against Ex-BP Official In Spill Case Dismissed

Credit Matthew Hinton / AP
David Rainey, a former BP vice president during the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion, leaves federal court after being arraigned on obstruction of a federal investigation in New Orleans on Nov. 28, 2012. A federal judge Monday dismissed the charge that Rainey obstructed a congressional investigation into the 2010 spill.

It's another bad day for the Justice Department.

A federal judge in Louisiana has thrown out the central criminal charge against a former BP executive because prosecutors failed to prove he knew about a pending congressional investigation into oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico three years ago. U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt also ruled that a Democratic House member who inquired about the oil flow rate was acting as head of a subcommittee, not a full congressional committee, as required under the federal Obstruction of Justice statute.

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The Two-Way
4:30 pm
Mon May 20, 2013

Ray Manzarek, Founding Member Of The Doors, Dies

Credit Express / Getty Images
Ray Manzarek (far right) stands with fellow members of The Doors Jim Morrison (from right), Robby Krieger and John Densmore in 1968. Manzarek died Monday in Germany. He was 74.

Ray Manzarek, the keyboardist and a founding member of The Doors, died Monday in Germany. He was 74.

A statement from publicist Heidi Ellen Robinson-Fitzgerald said Manzarek died in Rosenheim, Germany, after a long battle with bile duct cancer.

Manzarek and Jim Morrison founded the iconic band after meeting in California. The Doors went on to become one of the most successful rock 'n' roll acts of the 1960s — and continues to have an impact decades after Morrison's death in 1971.

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