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The Two-Way
12:54 pm
Mon June 25, 2012

Vatican Hires Fox News Reporter To Advise Media Office

Credit Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images
People gather on St. Peter's square to hear Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican Sunday. The Vatican has hired Fox News correspondent Greg Burke to advise its press office.

Seeking to modernize and widen its dealings with the media, the Vatican has hired Fox News Channel's Rome correspondent to advise its press office. The move will put journalist Greg Burke, who is also a member of Opus Dei, into a new role working with Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi.

For NPR's Newscast desk, Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome:

"Greg Burke, 52, has been with Fox 10 years, and he'll be the first Vatican communications expert with experience outside the world of Catholic media.

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Law
12:38 pm
Mon June 25, 2012

Ala. Juvenile Murderers Law Ruled Unconstitutional

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

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Law
12:37 pm
Mon June 25, 2012

Supreme Court Makes 3 Key Rulings

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne.

It's been a busy morning at the Supreme Court. Justices released several opinions, including a ruling on Arizona's controversial immigration law aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration. That law gave police broad powers to stop suspected illegal immigrants and demand their papers, but civil rights groups said it went too far and gave states too much authority over immigration policy.

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Shots - Health Blog
12:14 pm
Mon June 25, 2012

Dropping Legal Barriers Doesn't Guarantee Interstate Insurance Sales

Credit Jim Burress / WABE, Atlanta
Small business owner Brian Mayfield has been eager for less expensive health insurance options. It looks like he'll have to wait a little longer.

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 6:05 pm

Starting next week, any health insurer licensed in Georgia can sell policies it offers in other states to Georgians. That includes policies that don't meet minimum standards for coverage in Georgia.

They'll be OK for sale under a new state law that aims to increase competition and lower prices for health insurance in the state.

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The Two-Way
12:06 pm
Mon June 25, 2012

Fukushima Markets Get First Local Seafood Since Nuclear Meltdown

Credit Hiro Komae / AP
Markets in the port city of Soma, in Fukushima, Japan, are once again selling local seafood. In this file photo, volunteers help clean up a Soma seafood restaurant damaged in last March's tsunami and earthquake.

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 1:11 pm

Seafood markets in Fukushima, Japan, are being stocked with locally caught products again, as officials seek to reintroduce local fare in the area that was hit by an earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear meltdown in March of 2011.

The AP reports on the details:

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The Two-Way
11:32 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Postal Workers Begin Four-Day Hunger Strike, Protesting Financial Situation

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Cartons of mail ready to be sorted sit on a shelf at the U.S. Post Office sort center in San Francisco, California.

Ten current and retired postal workers began a four-day hunger strike today to protest Congress' interference with the United States' Postal Service.

Specifically, the activists want lawmakers to kill a requirement that the service pre-pay its retiree health care and benefits fund and to approve a refund of surplus pension contributions.

"Not the Internet, not the recession, not private competition, Congress is killing the postal service," Community and Postal Workers United wrote in a statement.

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It's All Politics
11:17 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Supreme Court Says Montana Cannot Ignore Citizens United Ruling

Credit Matthew Brown / AP
Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock sought to prevent the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision from being used to strike down a state law restricting corporate campaign spending. On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected Bullock's argument, holding that "there can be no serious doubt" that Citizens United applies to Montana law.

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 11:51 am

The state of Montana has lost a closely watched bid to challenge Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that lets corporations deploy their money to help or attack specific candidates.

Citizens United dramatically loosened the restraints on corporate involvement in political campaigns. It also set strict new limits on what's considered "corruption or the appearance of corruption" when it comes to restricting money in politics.

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The Two-Way
11:09 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Venus Williams Bows Out Of Wimbledon On First Day

Credit Miguel Medina / AFP/Getty Images
Venus Williams stretches for a return in her first-round defeat to Russia's Elena Vesnina on the first day of the Wimbledon Championships. For Williams, 32, it was her earliest exit from Wimbledon in 15 years.

Venus Williams has lost in the first round of the Wimbledon Championships, a striking defeat for the five-time winner of the grass-court tournament. She lost to Elena Vesnina of Russia in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, after failing to establish her serve.

"I have to give credit to her," Williams said. "She made hardly any errors and served well."

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The Salt
11:08 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Struggling Dairy Farmers Find A 'Moo' Business Model

Credit Pull-Start Pictures
Laura Chase, a member of the MOOMilk dairy cooperative, sweeps her barn in a film still from documentary, Betting The Farm.

A year and a half after Aaron Bell lost his contract to sell milk to H.P. Hood LLC from his 45 cow dairy operation in Edmunds, Maine, he found himself leaving a voicemail with his lease agent.

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The Two-Way
11:02 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Life Sentences Without Parole For Juveniles Is Unconstitutional, High Court Rules

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 2:40 pm

The United States Supreme Court ruled that an Alabama law that gave juveniles convicted of murder mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole was unconstitutional.

In the majority opinion, Justice Elena Kagan wrote that the law violated the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

The AP reports:

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Law
10:55 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Supreme Court Decision, A Rebuke To Arizona?

The Supreme Court threw out key parts of Arizona's tough immigration law. But the court didn't rule on one of the most controversial elements of the law. Host Michel Martin speaks with NPR's Ron Elving, Professor Gabriel Chin with the University of California, Davis, and the vice dean of University of Arizona College of Law, Marc Miller.

Africa
10:55 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Religious Violence Shakes Up Northern Nigeria

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan fired his defense minister and national security adviser, saying the government needs new tactics to counter the militant Islamist group, Boko Haram. They have been blamed for sparking strife in parts of northern Nigeria last week. Host Michel Martin speaks with Al Jazeera English's Yvonne Ndege.

The Two-Way
8:51 am
Mon June 25, 2012

As Turkey Looks To NATO, Syria Defends Shooting War Plane

Credit AP
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, arrives for a cabinet meeting in his office in Ankara, Turkey on Monday.

Originally published on Tue June 26, 2012 7:28 am

Update at 3:16 p.m. ET. An Attack On All Of NATO:

The tension between Turkey and Syria has heightened this afternoon. First Turkey said that Syria had fired at another one of its planes; this one was involved in a search rescue operation of the war plane shot down by Syria last week.

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The Two-Way
7:52 am
Mon June 25, 2012

As Celebrations Continue, Morsi Begins Forming Government

Credit Marwan Naamani / AFP/Getty Images
Egyptian supporters of their new president-elect, Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, perform noon prayers in Cairo's Tahrir Square, one day after Morsi was elected as the country's "first civilian president" on Sunday.

Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate who became Egypt's president-elect yesterday, began consultations and moved into the office once held by the deposed Hosni Mubarak.

This was a historic weekend for Egypt: Many feared that the ruling military council would give the elections to Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak's last prime minister. But that didn't happen and when Morsi was handed the victory, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians poured into the streets.

From Cairo, NPR's Grant Clark filed this report for our Newscast unit:

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The Two-Way
7:02 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Supreme Court's Health Care Ruling Possible Today

Credit Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images
Waiting for word: The U.S. Supreme Court building.

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 1:13 pm

Update at 10:21 a.m. ET. Strikes Down Key Provisions Of Immigration Law:

The United States Supreme Court invalidated three of four challenged provisions of Arizona's controversial immigration law. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the majority opinion.

The high court upheld the part of the law that asked police to check the immigration status of those stopped for another violation.

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The Two-Way
6:43 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Moving Slowly In Gulf, Tropical Storm Debby Soaks Florida

Credit Phil Sandlin / AP
High winds, high tide strike at the main street of Cedar Key, Fla., as Tropical Storm Debby makes its way across the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday.

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:43 pm

Spinning off the coast, Tropical Storm Debby's effects have already been felt from Georgia south to central Florida, where it dumped rain and spawned some isolated tornadoes.

The path — as has been the case with this storm all along — is still unclear, but the National Hurricane Center expects it to move very slowly and make landfall in Florida in he next few days. At one point, the hurricane center had posted warnings over Louisiana. Those have now been discontinued.

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Around the Nation
6:11 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Ugly Mugly Crowned World's Ugliest Dog

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:37 pm

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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Around the Nation
5:54 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Ohio Octogenarians Skydive For Charity

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:37 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

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Animals
4:55 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Famed Tortoise Dies In Galapagos Islands

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:37 pm

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And we have a bit of sad news from the Galapagos Islands. The giant tortoise known as Lonesome George, believed to be the last living member of its subspecies - has died. We reported on the tortoise in 2008 when Lonesome George mated with a female from a similar species. The hope was his subspecies would be carried on. But the eggs turned out to be infertile. By tortoise standards, Lonesome George died relatively young. He was believed to be about 100 years old. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

Economy
4:55 am
Mon June 25, 2012

European Leaders To Meet To Consider Eurozone Fix

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:37 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. And I want to let you know that reporters at the Supreme Court are reading and listening to a decision this morning, on Arizona's immigration law. The Court has thrown our parts of the law, but retained the show your papers provision that allows police to stop and frisk suspected illegal immigrants. We'll bring you more as we learn it.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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Sports
4:31 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Worried By The Debt Crisis, Soccer Distracts Europe

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:37 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

You know, if you're weighed down by worry, you find a distraction. That at least is what Europeans are doing amid their economic trouble. They've been turning to their favorite sport - soccer. This weekend saw the last two Euro 2012 quarterfinals. This is a huge competition viewed in Europe, as second only to the World Cup. NPR's Philip Reeves of course has been following the action. He's on the line from London.

Hi, Phil.

PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Hi.

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Environment
4:13 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Alaska Glacier Studied For Clues On Water Supply

Credit Annie Feidt for NPR
Researchers measure the Eklutna glacier in Alaska to see how long the water it provides will last. The glacier supplies Anchorage with both drinking water and hydro power.

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:37 pm

Anchorage is one of the few North American cities that depend on a glacier for most of their drinking water. The Eklutna glacier also provides some of the city's electricity, through hydro power. So a team of researchers is working to answer a very important question: How long will the glacier's water supply last?

To get that answer, those researchers have to shovel a lot of snow. "It gets to be the consistency of really strong Styrofoam once you get down, maybe six or eight feet," glaciologist Louis Sass says as he flings pristine snow out of a growing hole in the glacier.

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Business
4:13 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Business News

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:37 pm

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with good times for bank chiefs.

While the financial world keeps grappling with losses, the industry's leaders have raked in annual pay raises averaging nearly 12 percent. The Financial Times found JPMorgan Chase's CEO Jamie Dimon was among the top earners, with a pay package of more than $23 million last year, an 11 percent increase over the previous year. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

NPR Story
4:09 am
Mon June 25, 2012

The Last Word In Business

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:37 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And today's last word in business takes a look at what happens when devices make a big hit in the water.

A couple of years ago, I jumped in a pool with my daughter, and we were in that pool quite some time before I realized that my phone had come with me - my late phone.

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NPR Story
4:09 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Despite New President, Egypt's Military Wields Real Power

Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 7:40 pm

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep.

The next leader of Egypt promises he will be president of all Egyptians. That's a vital promise for Mohamed Morsi to make and it addresses an issue on which he will be closely watched.

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NPR Story
4:09 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Georgia To Begin Sales Of Cross-State Health Insurance Policies

Originally published on Tue June 26, 2012 3:57 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We're expecting soon to learn Supreme Court decisions on two gigantic cases. One case involves the Arizona immigration law. The federal government has challenged that law as an intrusion into federal authority.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Justices are also deciding the constitutionality of President Obama's health care law. The main challenge is to the individual mandate, which after 2014 would require most people to get health insurance or pay a fine.

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Shots - Health Blog
2:02 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Obesity Stokes Rheumatoid Arthritis With More Than Just Extra Weight

Credit Richard Rudisill / iStockphoto.com
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can cause painful inflammation in the fingers and other joints.

Originally published on Tue June 26, 2012 10:36 am

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes painful joint inflammation and can be debilitating for many people who suffer from it. New research shows that the female hormone estrogen, along with proteins produced by the body's fat cells, may play an important role in the development of the disease.

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All Tech Considered
2:01 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Prevent Your Password From Becoming Easy Pickings (Or PyPfbEp)

Credit Mihai Simonia / iStockphoto.com
Your crafty password may not be powerful enough to overcome a cyberattacker. Earlier this month, LinkedIn urged its users to change their passwords after a database was hacked, exposing millions of passwords.

Originally published on Tue June 26, 2012 10:35 am

When 6.5 million LinkedIn passwords were stolen earlier this month, the revelation made Internet users think again about their ubiquitous words and phrases, and what they can do to make their online accounts a bit safer.

Shoppers in a suburban Seattle mall were asked recently about their password habits. Aaron Brown and Erin Gilmer have very different approaches.

"I try to keep as few as possible," Brown said.

And Gilmer said she has too many.

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Mitt Romney
2:00 am
Mon June 25, 2012

Romney's Next Challenge: Woo Skeptical Republicans

Credit Charles Dharapak / AP
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney greets attendees at the conference of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in Orlando, Fla., on June 21. The presumptive GOP nominee took knocks from congressional Republicans during the party's presidential primaries.

Originally published on Tue June 26, 2012 10:30 am

The battering Mitt Romney took from Republican rivals during the primary made big news. What seemed less noteworthy at the time — the knocks he took from Republicans in Congress — is now much more significant if there is to be a President Romney.

"He's the least of the candidates running right now that would be considered a Tea Party candidate," Rep. Tim Scott, R-S.C., told CNN.

After Romney won Florida, GOP Rep. Allen West told CBS that Romney has to do a far better job in "making the appeal as far as being a strong constitutional conservative."

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The Salt
1:59 am
Mon June 25, 2012

We Evolved To Eat Meat, But How Much Is Too Much?

Credit Allison Aubrey / NPR
Paleo diet promoter John Durant digs into some ribs.

Originally published on Tue June 26, 2012 10:31 am

You won't catch John Durant in a tie. Shoes are optional, too. He has traded cubicle life for something a little wild: Promoting the diet and lifestyle of our ancestors from the paleolithic era. He's blogging and writing a book about his approach.

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