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Environment
10:46 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Feds Conclude Probe Of Polar Bear Scientists

Credit Paul J. Richards / AFP/Getty Images
A polar bear on fresh ice in the Hudson Bay in November 2007.

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 11:46 am

A federal investigation into two researchers who wrote a famous report on drowned polar bears is finally over, according to their lawyer.

But the scientists still haven't been allowed to see a copy of the investigation report or its conclusions, says attorney Jeff Ruch of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.

Critics have charged that the two-year investigation was a witch hunt into researchers whose work had political implications.

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The Two-Way
10:04 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Key Test Tuesday For Hypersonic Flight

Credit Pratt & Whitney
An artist's rendition of an X-51A WaveRider (in white) attached to the wing of a B-52.
The Two-Way
8:37 am
Mon August 13, 2012

VIDEOS: Another Dust Storm Blankets Phoenix

Credit Epicrender / YouTube.com
That's a wall of dirt and dust rolling over Phoenix on Saturday. (Screen grab from video posted on YouTube.)
It's All Politics
7:54 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Does Ryan Pick Help or Hurt Romney's Chances In Florida?

Credit Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., address supporters in Mooresville, N.C., on Sunday. Some pundits predict Ryan's selection will damage Romney's chances of winning Florida.

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 9:17 am

Here's the above-the-fold headline on Sunday's Miami Herald: "Ryan could hurt Romney in Florida."

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The Two-Way
7:44 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Top Stories: Campaign Enters New Phase; 'Coup' In Egypt

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 7:58 am

The Two-Way
7:21 am
Mon August 13, 2012

In Egypt, Talk Of Coups And Counter-Coups

Credit Gianluigi Guercia / AFP/Getty Images
In Cairo Sunday night, thousands of Egyptians shouted political slogans in support of President Mohamed Morsi.

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 12:48 pm

Sunday's sacking (or forced retirements, if you prefer) of Egypt's military chiefs by new President Mohammed Morsi has analysts scrambling to explain what it all means.

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The Two-Way
6:46 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Google Cutting 4,000 Jobs At Motorola; 1,300 Of Them Are In U.S.

Credit David Becker / Getty Images
Motorola's Droid Razr Maxx.

Google is eliminating about 20 percent of the jobs at Motorola Mobility, the struggling cellphone manufacturer it finished acquiring earlier this year for $12.5 billion, according to reports from The New York Times, Dow Jones' All Things Digital blog and other news outlets.

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The Two-Way
6:20 am
Mon August 13, 2012

It's Deja Vu All Over Again: Campaign's Focus Returns To Iowa

Credit Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images
Rep. Paul Ryan, who has been chosen by Mitt Romney to be his running mate on the GOP ticket, greeting supporters Sunday in his home state of Wisconsin. Ryan will be in Iowa today.

Good morning.

With Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick now in the books (if you somehow escaped the news from the weekend, it's Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin), the presidential campaign shifts into a higher gear this week.

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Sports
6:11 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Olympic Swimmer Ryan Lochte Dives Into Hollywood

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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Participation Nation
6:06 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Up Against The Walls In Washington, D.C.

Credit Courtesy of MuralsDC
Painting the town in Washington, D.C.

Originally published on Tue August 14, 2012 11:38 am

This summer, I was one of nearly 200 cyclists who toured D.C. one night in search of the city's most colorful murals in parking lots and back alleys.

The tour was co-sponsored by MuralsDC, a citywide project that trains young artists to paint mural masterpieces over tired, tawdry graffiti.

"It makes art so personal and accessible at once," says Laura Lyons, 20, a summer volunteer.

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Business
6:00 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Canadians Overrun Bellingham, Wash., Costco

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

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Business
4:52 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Gasoline Prices Keep Moving Higher

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with a spike in gas prices.

Gasoline prices jumped 18 cents over the last couple of weeks. That's the biggest increase so far this year. The Lundberg Survey shows that heading into the weekend, the national average price of a gallon of self-serve was $3.69. Now, analysts say the spike is in part because of some refinery and pipeline issues around the country.

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NPR Story
3:23 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Norway To Issue Report On 2011 Shooting Rampage

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 6:52 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

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NPR Story
3:23 am
Mon August 13, 2012

A Profile Of Rep. Paul Ryan

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 5:54 am

Over the weekend, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney named Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate. David Greene talks to Ryan Lizza, a reporter for The New Yorker, who recently profiled Ryan for the magazine.

NPR Story
3:23 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Egypt's Military Chiefs Dismissed By New Leader

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 4:46 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Egypt's first freely elected president made history there Sunday by confronting the military power structure. Mohammed Morsi forced top military leaders into retirement and shifted the balance of power to the civilian government. Analysts called it the boldest and most unexpected move of Morsi's fledgling presidency. NPR's Leila Fadel has the story from Cairo.

UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Singing in foreign language)

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Analysis
3:23 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Politics In The News

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 5:43 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

For more on this big weekend in politics, we turn to Cokie Roberts for some analysis. Good morning.

COKIE ROBERTS, BYLINE: Hi, Renee.

MONTAGNE: So we just heard in Ari's piece the excitement Paul Ryan is generating among the Republican faithful. Is that partly why Mitt Romney chose him as his running mate, to generate some of the kind of enthusiasm that has been missing from his own campaign?

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Business
3:23 am
Mon August 13, 2012

The Last Word In Business

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 5:26 am

Researchers used economic principles to predict which countries would win the most medals at the London Olympic Games. The study was 95 percent accurate for the 2008 games. And this time around, it was 97.7 percent accurate.

Joe's Big Idea
2:31 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Summer Science: What's A Meteor Shower?

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 3:23 am

NPR science correspondent Joe Palca is on a mission this summer to answer the deep, burning questions of summertime. So far he's taught us how to build a campfire, explained the best way to roast a perfect marshmallow and explored the icy mystery of brain freeze.

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Shots - Health Blog
2:30 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Medicaid Fight Reinvigorated With Political Light On Health Care

Credit Alex Wong / Getty Images
Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., points to piles of the health care overhaul legislation during a markup hearing before the U.S. House Budget Committee last year in Washington, D.C.

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 8:57 am

The addition of Rep. Paul Ryan to the GOP ticket is certain to elevate health care as a campaign issue this fall.

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Europe
2:29 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Poland Watches Warily As Euro Crisis Spreads

Credit Czarek Sokolowski / AP
One of the latest additions to Poland's growing luxury goods market, the Wolf Bracka department store, beckons shoppers in the heart of the Polish capital, Warsaw. The country's economy continues to grow, but Poles are anxiously watching the crisis in the eurozone.

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 7:51 pm

One factor that has kept Poland somewhat insulated from the eurozone crisis is domestic consumer spending. Poland had more than 4 percent growth last year while the rest of the continent was mired in negative or flat growth. Poles have more discretionary income than ever before, and they're using it to buy things in swank malls cropping up all over the country.

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Shots - Health Blog
2:29 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Not Milk! Too Much Calcium Does The Body Bad, Researchers Say

Credit iStockphoto.com
Federal health officials recommend 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day for people younger than 50, but some are overdoing it.

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 8:08 am

When it comes to a healthy diet — especially for women, and especially after menopause — nutritionists, doctors, everybody it seems, will tell you: calcium, calcium, calcium.

Federal health officials recommend that women and men younger than 50 consume 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. The recommendation goes up to 1,200 milligrams after age 70 for men and after menopause for women, when a major drop in estrogen causes bone loss.

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The Salt
2:28 am
Mon August 13, 2012

Got Heartburn? Maybe You Should Rethink Your Drink

Credit Raul Arboleda / AFP/Getty Images
A waitress delivers a coffee and beer in Medellin, Colombia, in this 2010 file photo. Both drinks can trigger acid reflux.

Originally published on Mon October 15, 2012 10:05 am

Many of us experience heartburn, or reflux, from time to time — and when we do, we're quick to point the finger at heavy, fatty meals. But that burning, uncomfortable feeling may also be the result of what we're drinking: namely, coffee and other caffeinated beverages, and alcohol.

"Alcohol has a direct effect" on heartburn, says Kevin Ghassemi, a gastroenterologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. "Temporarily, of course."

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Law
3:59 pm
Sun August 12, 2012

Breaking Down Gun Violence: No 'Simple Formula'

Credit Tom Lynn / AP
People attend a candlelight vigil for the victims of the Aug. 5 shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, Wis., on Aug. 7.

In 1990, 78 percent of Americans supported tougher restrictions on gun sales, according to a Gallup poll. A decade later, that number fell to 44 percent.

Part of the reason has to do with how the debate has been framed: one between those who want to ban all guns and those who want to protect the right to own them.

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Presidential Race
3:59 pm
Sun August 12, 2012

In Paul Ryan, Obama Finds Familiar Foe

President Obama has long used House Republicans as a foil. Now that one of the leaders in that group, Paul Ryan, is on the ticket alongside Mitt Romney, the connection is that much clearer. NPR's Scott Horsley joins host Guy Raz to talk about the president's response to the newly formed GOP ticket.

Sports
3:59 pm
Sun August 12, 2012

Tears And Drama Punctuate Olympics' Final Weekend

The U.S. men's basketball team defended its Olympic title today as the London Summer Games draw to a close, and there was plenty of drama elsewhere on the final game of the competition. NPR's Tom Goldman tells host about Guy Raz the greatest moments and those that were a little embarrassing.

Music
3:59 pm
Sun August 12, 2012

The Olympic Soundtrack: A Story Of National Pride

It's a moment of pride and glory when athletes hear their country's national anthem ringing out at the medal ceremonies of the Olympic Games. Host Guy Raz talks to freelance journalist Alex Marshall, whose writing a book on the history of national anthems, about some of the patriotic tunes.

Music Interviews
3:59 pm
Sun August 12, 2012

The Very Best: A Would-Be Lion Chaser's Backup Plan

Credit Niall Kenny / Courtesy of the artist
Esau Mwamwaya and Johan Karlberg perform and record as The Very Best.

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 3:51 pm

How do a Swedish producer and a Malawian singer end up collaborating? The partnership that became The Very Best was sparked several years ago, when Johan Karlberg stopped into a London secondhand store that was run by the Malawi-born Esau Mwamwaya, and the two started talking music.

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The Torch
3:42 pm
Sun August 12, 2012

London Games Bid Spectacular Farewell

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 9:34 am

The closing ceremony to the London Games used fireworks, theatrics and music to celebrate the athletes and their countries who participated in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

The night included a shout-out to Winston Churchill and a performance from the Pet Shop Boys, to mark the end of two weeks of competition and stunning athletic displays.

The surviving members of the rock band Queen, The Who and the Spice Girls were on the schedule to entertain millions watching around the world.

Update at 5:11 p.m. ET: 'Imagine'

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Sports
3:29 pm
Sun August 12, 2012

Hard Lessons At the Olympics, Like The Metric System

Credit Anja Niedringhaus / AP
Turkey's Nevin Yanit (from left) United States' Kellie Wells and Russia's Tatyana Dektyareva compete in a women's 100-meter hurdles semifinal. Exactly how many yards is that?

Originally published on Sun August 12, 2012 3:59 pm

Olympic winners like gold medalist Claressa Shields have said the games were a learning experience, but what were they learning? Hard work? Sure. Sportsmanship? Maybe. The metric system? Certainly not.

U.S. judo competitor Kyle Vashkulat competes at 100 kg, which he knows means he weighs 220 lbs. But does he know height?

"We were in a sauna, and the guy's telling us the height of the boxers, and he's like, 'Yeah, this guy's like, 1.7 meters' — and we're like, 'How tall is that?'" Vashkulat says, laughing.

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Presidential Race
2:32 pm
Sun August 12, 2012

Ryan Brings The Love To Romney's Campaign

Originally published on Sun August 12, 2012 3:59 pm

Since Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., came on the scene Saturday, Mitt Romney's rallies have felt different. The crowds are bigger. The audience is more raucous. Lines that used to be a routine part of the Republican presidential candidate's stump speech have become rousing battle cries.

At the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C., 1,600 people crowded into the room and thousands more swarmed outside.

"I feel like I'm in Woodstock," gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory exclaimed. "There's a parking jam!"

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