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The Two-Way
7:27 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Was There A Coverup? Report On Penn State Scandal May Tell Us

Credit Mark Wilson / Getty Images
Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky being led away from court after his conviction last month.

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 4:36 pm

  • NPR's Tom Goldman on what's expected in the Freeh report

In a scathing report that takes to task former head football coach Joe Paterno and other top Penn State officials, an independent report from investigators led by former FBI director Louis Freeh says there was a "total disregard for the safety and welfare" of Jerry Sandusky's child victims "by the most senior leaders" at the school.

That is "our most saddening and sobering finding," Freeh concludes about his investigation into the scandal that rocked the school last year.

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NPR Story
6:42 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Contents Of Ireland's 'Big House' Auctioned

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 1:22 pm

The mansion belonged to aristocrat Ambrose Congreve, who died last year at the age of 104. He spent a lifetime amassing a fabulous collection of art and antiques. Thanks to the eurozone crisis, the Irish are in trouble. So a lot of them flocked to the auction to see if there were any antiques worth investing in.

Research News
5:40 am
Thu July 12, 2012

U.S. Feel Less Guilt About Environmental Choices

Originally published on Fri July 13, 2012 8:56 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

You might think that Americans, renowned for consuming a disproportionate share of the Earth's resources, would feel the most guilty about using up those resources. Not so, according to a new study. NPR's Richard Harris reports on the latest findings from a National Geographic project called Greendex.

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NPR Story
5:40 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Mobile Ad Networks Accused Of Invasive Apps

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 1:21 pm

Mobile apps are aggressively placing unwanted ads on phones. Lookout, a mobile security firm in San Francisco, tested mobile apps and found some disturbing practices. Those include transmitting consumer phone numbers and email addresses and transmitting to third parties and placing ads on the mobile phone's desktop.

NPR Story
5:40 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Penn State Braces For Sex Abuse Report

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:21 pm

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 a sobering morning at Penn State University. Today, former FBI Director Louis Freeh release released a scathing report on how Penn State dealt with a series of shocking allegations that led to the by Jerry Sandusky scandal.

Sandusky was the revered former defensive coach for the Penn State football team. He was found guilty last month of 45 counts of child sexual abuse.

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NPR Story
5:23 am
Thu July 12, 2012

GOP Courts Republicans Living In Israel

Originally published on Sat July 14, 2012 8:49 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Both Republicans and Democrats will tell you, the Jewish vote is vital in the upcoming presidential election. And this year, one party is going very far in its efforts to woo Jewish voters, all the way to Israel. Israel is home to a large American community, and for the first time, the Republican Party has crossed the Atlantic to actively campaign.

NPR's Middle East correspondent Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports that Republican Party envoys find themselves on fertile ground.

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NPR Story
5:23 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Business News

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:21 pm

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with a giant deal for Boeing.

It's a big deal that would be worth billions of dollars for Boeing. United Airlines is set to buy about 100 of its planes - the single-aisle 737s. Boeing would still be behind Europe's Airbus when it comes to new orders for the next generation of narrow body jets.

Today's announcement on United's Boeing purchase has long been rumored. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

NPR Story
5:23 am
Thu July 12, 2012

DirectTV, Viacom Battle Over Distribution Fees

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:21 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Almost 20 million subscribers of the country's largest satellite TV provider are now unable to access dozens of channels.

NPR's Mandalit del Barco reports that DirecTV ordered the blackout after its distribution agreement with Viacom ended.

MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: If you believe this Viacom video, the sky is about to fall because DirecTV viewers can no longer tune into the antics of "SpongeBob SquarePants," Jon Stewart, or Snooki.

(SOUNDBITE OF THE AD)

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

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Middle East
3:09 am
Thu July 12, 2012

For Syrian-American Doctors, A Painful Homecoming

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 8:30 pm

The Turkish border is a key link for the revolt in neighboring Syria. Turkish ambulances are stationed at border crossings to cope with the flood of injured Syrians, often as many as 30 a day. And now, Syrian-American doctors are volunteering in a humanitarian effort to help the wounded and to bring crucial medicines for field hospitals inside Syria.

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The Salt
3:08 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Nightly Glass Of Wine May Protect Boomer Women's Bones

Credit / iStockphoto.com
Cheers! Moderate drinking might slow age-related bone loss in women.

Originally published on Fri July 13, 2012 10:00 am

It's well-known that exercise is good for our bones, even as we age, but how about that nightly glass of wine?

A new study of women in their 50s and early 60s finds that moderate alcohol consumption may help prevent bone loss. The women in the study consumed about 1 1/2 drinks per day.

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All Tech Considered
3:08 am
Thu July 12, 2012

New Online Users Have A Longer Timeline

Credit iStockphoto.com
More older adults are using the Internet, thanks in part to introductory classes offered offline.

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 1:50 pm

Facebook started as a social network for college students. But now that anyone can join, here's a status update: Many of its newest members are senior citizens.

At 101 years old, Florence Detlor is one of the oldest people on Facebook. She says she's always been someone who wants to keep up on the cutting edge of technology.

"Because that's what makes one time different from another," she says.

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Africa
3:07 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Al-Qaida Arm In Yemen Flexes Its Muscles In Nigeria

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:25 pm

An unusual terrorism case started in Nigeria late last week. Prosecutors in the capital city of Abuja accused two local men of being members of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP. They were charged with accepting thousands of dollars from the group to recruit potential terrorists inside Nigeria and then send them to Yemen. Olaniyi Lawal, 31, and Luqman Babatunde, 30, have pleaded not guilty.

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Movie Interviews
3:06 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Watch This: Lisa Kudrow Recommends Golden Oldies

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:21 pm

AIDS: A Turning Point
3:06 am
Thu July 12, 2012

'Treatment As Prevention' Rises As Cry In HIV Fight

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:21 pm

AIDS researchers, policymakers and advocates are increasingly convinced that treating HIV is one of the best ways of preventing its spread.

The rallying cry is "treatment as prevention," and it's the overarching theme of this month's International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C.

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Around the Nation
3:05 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Waste Not, Want Not: Town To Tap Sewers For Energy

Credit Conrad Wilson for NPR
Brainerd Public Utilities' Scott Sjolund at a sewer site. Sewers around the city were monitored to gauge the amount of potential energy flowing through the system.

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:21 pm

Most Americans use electricity, gas or oil to heat and cool their homes. But the small city of Brainerd, Minn., is turning to something a bit less conventional: the sewer.

As it turns out, a sewer — the place where a city's hot showers, dishwashing water and organic matter end up — is a pretty warm place. That heat can generate energy — meaning a city's sewer system can hold tremendous potential for heating and cooling.

It's just that unexpected energy source that Brainerd hopes to exploit.

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Law
3:04 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Fake Pot Is A Real Problem For Regulators

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 1:09 pm

This week, President Obama signed a law banning synthetic marijuana and other synthetic drugs. Dozens of states and local governments have already tried to outlaw fake marijuana, which has been blamed for hundreds of emergency room visits and a handful of fatalities.

But the bans have proved largely ineffective, and there are fears that the federal law won't be any different.

Synthetic marijuana looks a bit like dried grass clippings. It's readily available on the Internet and in convenience stores and smoke shops, where it's sold as herbal incense or potpourri.

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The Two-Way
6:59 pm
Wed July 11, 2012

From Our Readers: A Tale of Two Cities

In San Bernardino, Calif. the city government is suddenly seeking bankruptcy, while in Scranton, Pa. city workers have seen their salaries reduced to minimum wage. One of our readers disparages San Bernardino's actions while another advocates bankruptcy for Scranton.

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The Two-Way
6:49 pm
Wed July 11, 2012

Syria's Ambassador To Iraq Says He Has Joined The Revolution

Marking him the most senior diplomat to defect from the Bashar Assad regime, Syria's ambassador to Iraq said he has joined the revolution.

Reuters reports that Nawaf Fares posted a video on Facebook announcing his resignation.

"I declare that I have joined, from this moment, the ranks of the revolution of the Syrian people," Fares said according to Reuters.

The AP, which reported the defection earlier quoting the opposition, says this is the second prominent Syrian to defect in less than a week. The AP adds:

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The Two-Way
6:07 pm
Wed July 11, 2012

VIDEO: When A Shark Steals Your Catch

Credit YouTube
A shark eats a fish.

Originally published on Wed July 11, 2012 6:10 pm

Politics
5:33 pm
Wed July 11, 2012

Arizona Immigration Activists Mobilize Latino Vote

Credit Andrea Hsu / NPR
Maxima Guerrero and Daniel Rodriguez canvass for votes in Phoenix. Rodriguez moved to the U.S. with his mother when he was a child, and is undocumented. "The best thing I can do now," he says, "is organize those that can [vote], and make them vote for me."

Originally published on Wed July 11, 2012 6:21 pm

For years, Maricopa County, Ariz., has been ground zero in the debate over immigration.

On one hand, the massive county, which includes the state capital of Phoenix, has a growing Latino population. On the other, it's home to publicity savvy Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has made his name by strictly enforcing, some say overstepping, immigration laws.

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