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Morning EditionFor nearly three decades, NPR's Morning Edition has prepared listeners for the day ahead with two hours of up-to-the-minute news, background analysis, commentary, and coverage of arts and sports. With nearly 14 million listeners, Morning Edition draws public radio's largest audience.

One of the most respected news magazines in the world, Morning Edition airs Monday through Friday on more than 660 NPR stations across the United States, and around the globe on NPR's international services.

Its cast of regulars includes some of the most familiar voices on radio: correspondent Susan Stamberg; commentator Frank Deford; news analysts Cokie Roberts and Juan Williams; and newscasters Jean Cochran and Carl Kasell.

Produced by NPR in Washington, D.C., Morning Edition draws on reporting from correspondents based in 17 countries around the world, and producers and reporters in 17 locations in the U.S. Their reporting is supplemented by NPR member station reporters across the country and a strong corps of independent producers and reporters in the public radio system.

Since its debut in 1979, Morning Edition has garnered broadcasting's highest honors — including the George Foster Peabody Award and the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award.

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NPR Story
5:02 am
Fri May 17, 2013

Kiss In 'Bombay Talkies' Breaks New Ground In Bollywood

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 6:31 am

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Indian cinema, four famous Bollywood directors have made an anthology movie, Bombay Talkies. Commentator Sandip Roy says one of the shorts is pretty revolutionary because it has a gay protagonist, and what is probably Bollywood's first gay kiss.

NPR Story
5:02 am
Fri May 17, 2013

Obama Names OMB Controller As Acting IRS Commissioner

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 5:25 am

On Thursday, President Obama named Daniel Werfel, 42, acting IRS commissioner. The announcement comes a day after the resignation of Steven Miller, who got caught up in the controversy over the IRS targeting Tea Party groups.

StoryCorps
3:06 am
Fri May 17, 2013

A Gift Of Life And Friendship After A Family's Loss

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 5:14 am

Today, Rick Bounds is a 58-year-old triathlete, with four competitions and a 100-mile bike ride to his credit.

But six years ago, he was diagnosed with a nonhepatitis liver disease. Rick's doctors told him that if he didn't have an immediate kidney and liver transplant, he would die.

He was given eight months to live and told that his chances of getting organs were slim.

'No Hope'

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Planet Money
3:04 am
Fri May 17, 2013

Why Is There An Ammunition Shortage In The U.S.?

Credit Marianne McCune / NPR
"We're going to keep prices as fair as we possibly can," says Bob Viden of Bob's Little Sport Shop in southern New Jersey.

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 10:04 pm

Sales of guns and ammunition rose after President Obama took office in 2008, and they went through the roof starting late last year, when a school shooting led to a push for new gun control measures. That's led to a prolonged ammunition shortage, even with manufacturers running at full capacity.

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Politics
3:03 am
Fri May 17, 2013

AP Case Adds To Obama Team's Tough Record On Leaks

Credit Mark Wilson / Getty Images
President Obama speaks during a news conference in the White House Rose Garden on Thursday. He told reporters: "Leaks related to national security can put people at risk."

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 9:34 am

President Obama had a reputation when he took office as a liberal former constitutional lawyer who had condemned Bush-era national security policies.

But he has proven to be even tougher than President George W. Bush on prosecuting national security leaks. The seizure of Associated Press phone records is just the latest example.

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Politics
3:02 am
Fri May 17, 2013

LA Mayor Candidates Try To Persuade Voters To Pay Attention

Credit AP
Los Angeles mayoral candidates Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel had similar records while serving together on the City Council.

Originally published on Tue May 21, 2013 4:46 pm

The candidates have spent a record amount of money. They've stumped hard in a city that isn't easy to campaign in — 470 square miles sliced up into neighborhoods divided by a web of freeways.

Yet despite nearly $20 million in spending in the March primary alone, turnout is expected to be low next Tuesday in Los Angeles when voters go to the polls to pick a new mayor to replace the term-limited Antonio Villaraigosa.

As a result, City Councilman Eric Garcetti and his opponent, City Controller Wendy Greuel, are engaged in an all-out blitz for votes across the sprawling city.

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Parallels
3:00 am
Fri May 17, 2013

Are Buddhist Monks Involved In Myanmar's Violence?

Credit Gemunu Amarasinghe / AP
Some Muslims say Buddhist monks have been inciting followers during recent violence in Myanmar. Monk U Wirathu acknowledges that he is a Buddhist nationalist but says he has tried to prevent fighting. He's shown here at the Masoeyein monastery in Mandalay, Myanmar, on March 27.

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 10:05 pm

In the Western stereotype, Buddhists are meditating pacifists who strive to keep their distance from worldly passions. But last month, more than 40 people were killed in fighting between Buddhists and Muslims in the central Burmese town of Meiktila. Witnesses say some Buddhist monks joined in the violence, while others tried to stop it.

One prominent monk in particular has been blamed for being behind it.

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Music Interviews
2:03 am
Fri May 17, 2013

Sam Amidon: Reshaping An American Folk Tradition

Credit Courtesy of the artist
Sam Amidon's new album is titled Bright Sunny South.

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 9:55 am

U.S.
12:34 am
Fri May 17, 2013

Budget Woes Mean Big Delays For Small Claims Courts

Credit Damian Dovarganes / AP
Members of the Save Our Courts coalition rally outside the Los Angeles County Courthouse in March. The county will soon cut the number of courthouses handling small claims cases from 27 to six.

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 5:14 am

Across the country, cash-strapped state and local governments are not just cutting services — they're also cutting access to courts. The tip of the iceberg may be small claims courts.

These courts, dealing with disputes involving small sums of money, are the workhorses of the judicial system. There are thousands of such courts across the country, but perhaps nowhere are they being cut more dramatically than in California.

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Around the Nation
6:48 am
Thu May 16, 2013

After A Stop In A Tree, Cat Is Finally Reunited With Owner

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 6:50 am

Luna ended up stuck in a tree. A New York City police officer who came to the rescue got stuck in the tree too. Cat and man were rescued by the fire department.

World
6:44 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Some Leaders In Saudi Arabia Condemn Twitter

Religious authorities responded after Saudis used Twitter to show images of human rights activists on trial. The BBC reports the kingdom's most senior cleric called Twitter users "fools." The head of the religious police says any social media user will lose the afterlife.

Business
4:33 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Researchers Don't 'Wine' About The Cold, Their Grapes Thrive

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 5:58 am

A dozen universities are collaborating on a sort of extreme winemaking project: How cold a climate can a grape survive and still make good wine? The Northern Grapes Project is inventing wines the world has never seen before, winning wine awards and creating a new crop for struggling rural economies.

Sports
4:24 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Wrestlers Grapple To Save Sport From Olympic Chopping Block

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 2:11 pm

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

How often do you find Iran, Russia and the United States united behind a single message? Well, representatives from all three countries were in New York City yesterday rallying support for the sport of wrestling, which could be excluded from the upcoming Olympic Games. It was quite a show of sportsmanship and diplomacy. Of course, there was time for some conflict among the wrestlers. It took place at New York's Grand Central Terminal, that's why they called it the Rumble on the Rails.

Here's NPR's Mike Pesca.

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Asia
4:24 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Yen's Drop In Value Could Fuel Curency War

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 5:16 am

Japan has embarked on a massive effort to stimulate its economy. Both the government and the central bank are collaborating to end a long period of stagnation and deflation. But the effects are also being felt outside Japan.

Politics
4:24 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Sen. Gillibrand Profile

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 10:31 am

Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York is introducing legislation with other lawmakers Thursday that would change how the military handles sexual assault cases. The proposal would let military prosecutors — rather than commanders — decide whether to bring serious military crimes to trial.

It's the latest high-publicity move for a senator who was virtually unknown four years ago when she was appointed to fill Hillary Clinton's senate seat. Now, she's on some lists for possible candidates for vice president — even president.

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Shots - Health News
3:04 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Cloning, Stem Cells Long Mired In Legislative Gridlock

Credit Nati Harnik / AP
After President Obama overturned Bush-era policy restricting federal funding of embryonic stem cell research in 2009, Nebraska Right to Life led a protest of the research outside the University of Nebraska regents' meeting.

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 11:53 am

The news that U.S. scientists have successfully cloned a human embryo seems almost certain to rekindle a political fight that has raged, on and off, since the announcement of the creation of Dolly the sheep in 1997.

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Research News
3:03 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Water Trapped For 1.5 Billion Years Could Hold Ancient Life

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 9:25 am

Scientists have discovered water that has been trapped in rock for more than a billion years. The water might contain microbes that evolved independently from the surface world, and it's a finding that gives new hope to the search for life on other planets.

The water samples came from holes drilled by gold miners near the small town of Timmins, Ontario, about 350 miles north of Toronto. Deep in the Canadian bedrock, miners drill holes and collect samples. Sometimes they hit pay dirt; sometimes they hit water, which seeps out from tiny crevices in the rock.

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Parallels
3:02 am
Thu May 16, 2013

U.S. Hands Over Nation-Building Projects To Afghans

On a sunny spring day in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province, Afghan officials and U.S. troops and civilians gather inside the ancient mud fort in the center of Forward Operating Base Gardez. They're attending a ceremony marking the formal end of the work of the provincial reconstruction team, or PRT.

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Around the Nation
7:45 am
Wed May 15, 2013

Unsatisfied Fan Uses Tweets To Torment Players

The NBA's New York Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers Tuesday night, falling further behind in their playoff series. Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith took responsibility. A new Twitter account followed each shot he took.

Around the Nation
7:37 am
Wed May 15, 2013

Security Tapes Show Supermarket Stalker Stuffing Himself

Originally published on Wed May 15, 2013 7:40 am

Police in Kentucky say Trevor Runyon slipped into a supermarket and waited for it to close.Surveillance cameras show he then had a feast. He cooked and ate six steak, and washed them down with beer, shrimp and birthday cake. Police found him hiding in the ceiling.

Around the Nation
6:04 am
Wed May 15, 2013

1 Month Since The Bombings, Signs Of Progress In Boston

Originally published on Wed May 15, 2013 7:25 am

Explosions rocked the finish line of the Boston Marathon one month ago. Four Boston-area families continue to mourn their loved ones and dozens of the 250 injured push on with their rehab. In the area of the bombing, only one business has not reopened.

Politics
6:04 am
Wed May 15, 2013

Attorney General Holder Called To Capitol Hill To Answer Questions On Controversies

Originally published on Wed May 15, 2013 6:23 am

In an NPR interview, Attorney General Eric Holder answers questions about the IRS's processing of tax-exemption applications, the Justice Department's subpoenas for reporters' phone records and other hot issues. Holder faces questions on Capitol Hill Wednesday during an oversight hearing.

The Changing Lives Of Women
5:32 am
Wed May 15, 2013

Stay-At-Home Dads, Breadwinner Moms and Making It All Work

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 9:21 pm

The next time you see a father out shopping with his kids, you might need to check your assumptions.

"I'll get the, 'Oh, look, it's a dad! That's so sweet!' "says Jonathan Heisey-Grove, a stay-at-home father of two young boys in Alexandria, Va., who is pretty sure the other person assumes he's just giving Mom a break for the day. In fact, he's part of a growing number of fathers who are minding the kids full time while their wives support the family and who say societal expectations are not keeping up with their reality.

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Politics
3:35 am
Wed May 15, 2013

IRS Inquiries Crossed The Line, Tea Party Groups Say

Originally published on Wed May 15, 2013 9:51 am

Tea Party activists are calling for a full investigation, and possibly lawsuits, following revelations that the Internal Revenue Service flagged so-called patriot groups for extra scrutiny in applications for federal tax-exempt status.

Among those claiming unjust and unconstitutional targeting by the IRS is a group called TheTeaParty.net, which bills itself as the largest grass-roots conservative Tea Party organization in the country.

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The Salt
3:33 am
Wed May 15, 2013

Eating Much Less Salt May Be Risky In An Over-Salted World

Credit iStockPhoto.com
Eat less salt, but not too much less.

Originally published on Wed May 15, 2013 11:08 am

Americans are repeatedly told to cut back on salt to reduce the risk of heart disease. But there are new questions being raised about the possible risks of reducing sodium too much.

So, how low should we go? Currently, the government recommends that Americans should aim for 2,300 milligrams per day. And people older than 50, as well as those with high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease are advised to reduce sodium even further, down to 1,500 mg per day.

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Sweetness And Light
3:32 am
Wed May 15, 2013

No. 1s: The Latest Greatest Of All Time

Credit Fred Jewell/Alan Diaz / AP
Watch The Throne: Not so long ago Michael Jordan was the GOAT. Now, there's a groundswell to ordain LeBron James as the greatest-of-all-time basketball player.

Originally published on Wed May 15, 2013 6:19 am

The Great Gatsby is on the screen again, re-opening the perennial debate about whether or not it is the great American novel. Or was that Huckleberry Finn? Or are we still waiting for the great American novel? Is the title vacant, like most recent Tour de France championships? In the arts, the argument over the great American novel is a rather unusual great fuss about the greatest. In most disciplines there simply doesn't seem to be a passion to constantly assess who's No. 1. Except, except ...

Except in sport.

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U.S.
9:59 am
Tue May 14, 2013

Vermont Legislature Approves Assisted-Suicide Bill

Originally published on Tue May 14, 2013 1:19 pm

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

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Around the Nation
7:20 am
Tue May 14, 2013

Hipsters Singled Out For Being Annoying

Originally published on Tue May 14, 2013 1:19 pm

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm David Greene. Hipsters: They're known for roasting their own coffee, riding vintage bicycles, listening to vinyl records from obscure bands, and now also for being unpopular. A new report from Public Policy Polling finds only 16 percent of Americans think hipsters are still hip. More than a quarter of those polled said hipsters should have to pay a special tax for being so annoying.

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Around the Nation
7:10 am
Tue May 14, 2013

Series Of Vehicle Accidents Blamed On Zombie Attack

Originally published on Tue May 14, 2013 1:19 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning, I'm Steve Inskeep.

Americans have celebrated Charles Ramsey almost every possible way and that includes Stephen Munhollon's tattoo. Ramsey saw trouble at a neighbor's house and rescued the three kidnapped women. Munhollon says he was caught up in the celebration. He's a tattoo artist. Fox 8 in Cleveland says he sat for five hours while another artist tattooed Ramsey's face on the back of his leg. Munhollon says people will ask to have their picture taken next to his calf.

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Education
4:49 am
Tue May 14, 2013

Latino High School Grads Enter College At A Record Rate

Credit Hansi Lo Wang / NPR
Jackeline Lizama (front) plans to attend a local community college after she graduates next month from her high school in Silver Spring, Md.

Originally published on Tue May 14, 2013 5:46 pm

If the headline caught your eye, here's more good news.

Seven in 10 Latino high school graduates in the class of 2012 went to college, according to a recent report by the Pew Hispanic Center.

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