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Shots - Health News
2:41 pm
Sun March 3, 2013

Scientists Report First Cure of HIV In A Child, Say It's A Game-Changer

Credit NIAID_Flickr
HIV particles, yellow, infect an immune cell, blue.

Originally published on Mon March 4, 2013 11:02 am

Scientists believe a little girl born with HIV has been cured of the infection.

She's the first child and only the second person in the world known to have been cured since the virus touched off a global pandemic nearly 32 years ago.

Doctors aren't releasing the child's name, but we know she was born in Mississippi and is now 2 1/2 years old — and healthy. Scientists presented details of the case Sunday at a scientific conference in Atlanta.

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Education
2:35 pm
Sun March 3, 2013

Teaching 2.0: Is Tech In The Classroom Worth The Cost?

Credit NPR / Celeste Headlee
Students at Westlake High School in Waldorf, Md., participate in an interactive digital conversation with historian Kenneth C. Davis about late 19th and early 20th century American history on Thursday. The school uses a state of the art "telepresence center" for students to connect with experts all over the world.

Originally published on Sun March 3, 2013 3:05 pm

The hallways at Westlake High School in Maryland are just like thousands of other school hallways around the country: kids milling around, laughing and chatting on their way to class.

On a recent morning, about 30 kids took their seats in a classroom that initially seems like any other. The major difference here is that instead of a chalkboard and a lectern at the head of the class, there are two enormous flat-panel screens and thin, white microphones hanging in four rows across the ceiling.

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Energy
2:20 pm
Sun March 3, 2013

Turning It Down: Cities Combat Light Pollution By Going Dim

Credit Mike Hewitt / Getty Images
This summer Paris will start dimming its streetlights, though major landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, will not be affected.

Originally published on Sun March 3, 2013 2:35 pm

Bright lights are part of a city's ecosystem. Think of Times Square or the Las Vegas Strip or right outside your bedroom window.

Electric lighting is ubiquitous in most urban and suburban neighborhoods. It's something most people take for granted, but appreciate, since it feels like well-lit streets keep us safer. But what if all this wattage is actually causing harm?

"We're getting brighter and brighter and brighter," warns Paul Bogard, author of the upcoming book, End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light.

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It's All Politics
10:53 am
Sun March 3, 2013

In First Post-Election Interview, Romney Calls Race A 'Magnificent' Experience

Credit Al Bello / Getty Images
Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and wife, Ann, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Dec. 8, 2012, in Las Vegas.

It was not the outcome they had hoped for, but in his first interview since losing the presidential election, Mitt Romney said he and his wife are moving on.

Speaking to host Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday, Romney described last year's presidential race, his second attempt at serving in the White House, as a "great, thrilling experience of a lifetime."

"It didn't end the way we wanted it to, but the experience itself was magnificent," Romney said.

Both he and his wife, Ann, said they did not expect to lose to President Obama last November.

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Politics
3:49 am
Sun March 3, 2013

As 'Devastating' As Sequester Is, Not 'Immediate Catastrophe'

Originally published on Sun March 3, 2013 5:43 am

Host Rachel Martin speaks with congressional scholar Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution about the economic and political impact of sequestration. He is the co-author of a book about political gridlock, called It's Even Worse Than It Looks.

Politics
3:49 am
Sun March 3, 2013

If Sequestration Isn't The Apocalypse, What Is It?

Originally published on Sun March 3, 2013 5:43 am

Host Rachel Martin and NPR's Scott Horsley cover the three most important elements of the federal budget cuts known as sequestration, which went into effect Friday.

Politics
3:49 am
Sun March 3, 2013

Rove Tells Calif. GOP To 'Get Back In The Game'

Originally published on Sun March 3, 2013 5:43 am

Karl Rove had a sharp message to California's Republican Party Saturday. He implored party leaders to "get up off the mat" and work to revitalize the state GOP. Republicans hold no statewide offices in California and have given up a supermajority to Democrats in the state legislature.

Sports
3:49 am
Sun March 3, 2013

In New Jersey, Win Or Lose Big From The Comfort Of Your Home

Originally published on Sun March 3, 2013 5:43 am

Last week was a big week if you love online gambling and you live in the Garden State. New Jersey legalized online gambling. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mike Pesca.

Around the Nation
3:49 am
Sun March 3, 2013

A Contest That Would Make Dr. Seuss And His Cat Tip Their Hats

Originally published on Sun March 3, 2013 5:43 am

Host Rachel Martin talks with Judith Schulz of the Logic Puzzle Museum in Burlington, Wis., about its International Tongue Twister Contest. This weekend, new Tongue Twister champions were named, and their prizes ranged from a toy boat to a portion of a peck of pickled peppers.

Sports
3:49 am
Sun March 3, 2013

Rodeo's Barrel Race Puts Women In The Saddle

Originally published on Sun March 3, 2013 5:43 am

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is one of the biggest rodeos in the world. Rodeo athletes come from all over the U.S. and Canada to compete for some of the biggest cash purses in the sport. And it's not just cowboys in the ring. Cowgirls compete in the sport of barrel racing, where they trace a looping pattern on horseback against the clock.

The Two-Way
10:09 am
Sat March 2, 2013

Florida Sinkhole So Dangerous Rescuers Can't Search For Missing Man

Credit Chris O'Meara / AP
After a sinkhole swallowed a man in his bedroom in Seffner, Fla., an engineer tethered with a safety line walks in front of a home on Saturday.

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 4:56 pm

Update at 6:53 p.m. ET Rescuers End Search:

Hillsborough County Administrator Mike Merrill says efforts to find Jeffrey Bush, who disappeared in a sinkhole, have been discontinued. He says that the conditions at Bush's home have become too dangerous for rescue workers.

"At this point it's really not possible to recover the body," Merrill said at a news conference on Saturday.

He says workers will begin efforts to demolish the home on Sunday.

Our Original Post Continues:

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Law
6:11 am
Sat March 2, 2013

In Gulf Oil Spill Trial, Testimony Cites Series Of Missteps

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 9:04 am

This was the first week of testimony in a civil case to assign blame and financial liability for the 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico.

Business
6:11 am
Sat March 2, 2013

How The Sequester Will (Or Won't) Affect Wall Street

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 9:04 am

Wall Street hardly seemed rattled by the $85 billion across-the-board spending cuts that went into effect Friday. As just one indicator, the Dow closed the week within 100 points of hitting an all-time high. For more, host Scott Simon talks with New York Times columnist Joe Nocera.

Law
6:11 am
Sat March 2, 2013

Voting Rights Act Takes Harsh Criticism In Court

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 9:04 am

It was a big week at the Supreme Court. The court heard arguments on a case challenging the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. Plus, the Obama administration filed an important brief in an upcoming gay marriage case. NPR's Nina Totenberg joins host Scott Simon for analysis.

U.S.
4:05 am
Sat March 2, 2013

Can Detroit Be Saved?

Credit Paul Sancya / AP
Michigan is taking over Detroit's finances and will appoint an emergency manager to deal with the city's massive debt.

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 9:04 am

Detroit is broke. On Friday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced the state will take over the city's finances.

"It is time to say, we need to start moving upward with the city of Detroit," he said.

But the question on many people's minds is whether state intervention will be enough — and whether the more ominous and painful scenario of municipal bankruptcy can be avoided.

Adding Up The Debt

Just how far gone is Detroit? Eric Lupher, director of local affairs for the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, sums it up like this:

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U.S.
4:05 am
Sat March 2, 2013

Florida Atlantic Donation Sparks Outrage, But University Doesn't Budge

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 9:04 am

Florida Atlantic University says it's standing by its deal to sell naming rights to its new football stadium to a controversial private prison company. The Boca Raton-based GEO Group faces allegations of abuse and neglect at some of its facilities, and there's a growing call on campus for the school to sever its ties.

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Sports
4:05 am
Sat March 2, 2013

In Alaska's Iditarod Sled Race, Vets Are A Dog's Best Friend

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 10:15 pm

In Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, the "Last Great Race on Earth" begins.

Sixty-seven sled dog teams will start the 998-mile Iditarod race across the barren, frigid and unforgiving land. In this year's competition, there are a handful of first-time racers — but those aren't the only rookies.

One is veterinarian Greg Reppas, whose job is to ensure the dogs are healthy throughout the race.

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NPR Story
4:05 am
Sat March 2, 2013

Let The Cuts Begin: Sequestration Deadline Passes

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 9:04 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon.

Sequestration is official. President Obama signed an executive order on spending late last night as required by law. He sent the order to Congress and that triggered budget cuts known as sequestration. Earlier in the day, the president met with congressional leaders and when they left without a deal, he took questions at the White House.

NPR's Ari Shapiro was there.

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NPR Story
4:05 am
Sat March 2, 2013

Dealing With 'Root Causes' To Tackle Incarceration Rates

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 9:04 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News, I'm Scott Simon. Jeffrey Beard has watched America's prisons grow larger and larger every year adding prisoner after prisoner. He began working in the Pennsylvania Corrections system in the early 1970s when there were about 8,000 prisoners. He was secretary of corrections by the time he left in 2010 and by that time Pennsylvania had more than 50,000 people in its prisons.

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NPR Story
4:05 am
Sat March 2, 2013

'It Can't Go On Forever': Michigan Steps In To Help Detroit

Originally published on Sat March 2, 2013 9:04 am

Host Scott Simon talks with the Republican governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, who on Friday announced he will appoint an emergency financial manager for Detroit. The city faces a $327 million budget deficit and more than $14 billion in long-term debt.

U.S.
4:35 pm
Fri March 1, 2013

Michigan Officials Take Control Of Detroit's Empty Wallet

Originally published on Fri March 1, 2013 6:01 pm

In a small public-TV studio before an invitation-only audience of 30 people, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder made his case Friday for taking control of Detroit's finances away from the city's elected officials.

The state's signature city is grappling with a declining population, a dwindling tax base and decades of mismanagement — including corruption so pervasive at times that former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is currently on trial for federal racketeering charges.

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Energy
3:22 pm
Fri March 1, 2013

Natural Gas Dethrones King Coal As Power Companies Look To Future

Credit Michael Williamson / The Washington Post/Getty Images
American Electric Power's natural gas-burning plant in Dresden, Ohio, is one of the energy company's new investments in alternatives to coal-burning plants.

Originally published on Fri March 1, 2013 6:01 pm

The way Americans get their electricity is changing. Coal is in decline. Natural gas is bursting out of the ground in record amounts. And the use of wind and solar energy is growing fast. All this is happening as power companies are trying to choose which kind of energy to bet on for the next several decades.

Until recently, half of these plants burned coal to make electricity. Now, that's down to about one-third. Since 2010, about 150 coal plants either have been retired or it's been announced they will be retired soon.

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Politics
3:01 pm
Fri March 1, 2013

Obama Says He Can't Force A Budget Deal: 'I'm Not A Dictator'

Originally published on Fri March 1, 2013 6:01 pm

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Audie Cornish.

MELISSA BLOCK: And I'm Melissa Block. President Obama has seen the country through quite a few fiscal showdowns - standoffs with Congress over the budget, the debt ceiling, the so-called fiscal cliff. In each of those cases, a last-second bipartisan deal pulled the country out of a nosedive.

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Politics
3:01 pm
Fri March 1, 2013

Despite Sequester, Government Shutdown Remains Unlikely

Originally published on Fri March 1, 2013 6:01 pm

The long-feared automatic spending cuts are set to start late Friday, and now Congress must deal with another deadline at the end of this month. Tamara Keith talks to Melissa Block about what happens next.

Sports
3:01 pm
Fri March 1, 2013

Major League Soccer Finally On Solid Footing, But Hasn't Reached Big Time

Originally published on Fri March 1, 2013 6:01 pm

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

The Major League Soccer season starts tomorrow. Superstar David Beckham is gone and there aren't any new teams to get excited about this year. But the MLS is on solid footing, and as NPR's Mike Pesca reports, the league has big ambitions.

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Energy
3:01 pm
Fri March 1, 2013

State Department Finds No Major Objections To Keystone XL Pipeline Proposal

Originally published on Fri March 1, 2013 6:01 pm

The State Department released its environment assessment of the Keystone XL pipeline on Friday. Melissa Block talks to Elizabeth Shogren.

National Security
3:01 pm
Fri March 1, 2013

Pentagon Won't Feel Most Of Sequester's Effects Until Summer

Originally published on Fri March 1, 2013 6:01 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish.

$46 billion: That's the amount the Pentagon must cut from its budget by the end of September under the new regime of austerity that kicks in today. This afternoon, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel warned about the impact of that.

SECRETARY CHUCK HAGEL: Let me make it clear that this uncertainty puts at risk our ability to effectively fulfill all of our missions.

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Sports
3:01 pm
Fri March 1, 2013

Gay Athletes Face Discrimination In Professional Sports

Originally published on Fri March 1, 2013 6:01 pm

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

It's no secret that the atmosphere in pro sports for gay athletes, especially men, isn't always a comfortable one. This week came another story on that topic: a report that an NFL team asked college players about their sexual orientation when they were auditioning for the league. The NFL says it's investigating. And for more on this, sportswriter Stefan Fatsis joins us, as he does most Fridays. Hi there, Stefan.

STEFAN FATSIS: Hey, Audie.

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Around the Nation
2:50 pm
Fri March 1, 2013

Drought-Stricken Plains Farmers 'Giddy' Over Heavy Snow

Originally published on Mon March 4, 2013 3:34 pm

Two rapid-fire snowstorms belted Kansas with more than 2 feet of snow this week. They caused thousands of accidents and all kinds of hardships — but they also produced very broad smiles from some quarters.

That's because in a place as dry as Kansas has been lately, a blizzard can be a blessing for farmers and ranchers.

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