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7:10pm

Tue March 27, 2012
The Two-Way

Pope Arrives In Havana, Where He's Expected To Meet Raúl Castro

Credit Marcelino Vazquez / AFP/Getty Images
Pope Benedictus XVI arrives at Jose Marti airport in Havana on Tuesday.

Pope Benedict XVI landed in Havana today and he's expected meet Cuban President Raúl Castro.

The pontiff's visit has put Cuba's dictatorship in the spotlight, because during his speeches the Pope has been taking subtle shots at the regime. The Los Angeles Times reports:

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6:09pm

Tue March 27, 2012
The Salt

Activists Say Americans Support Labeling Genetically Modified Food

Credit Ren Haijun / Xinhua /Landov
People march demanding labels for genetically modified food near the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 16, 2011.

Activists who want genetically modified food to be labeled in the U.S. say there's more support than ever for their cause. As evidence, a coalition calling itself Just Label It released the results today of a survey it commissioned from The Mellman Group, a national pollster. The survey found that 91 percent of voters favor the labeling of food with genetically modified ingredients.

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6:00pm

Tue March 27, 2012
The Two-Way

British Student Jailed For Racist Tweets About Collapsed Soccer Player

Credit Matt Dunham / AP
Bolton Wanderers' Fabrice Muamba is obscured by medical staff trying to resuscitate him after collapsing. His teammate Ryo Miyaichi, right, and Tottenham Hotspur's Jermain Defoe, center top, watch.

A British student has been sentenced to 56 days in jail for posting racist tweets about a soccer player who collapsed on the pitch.

Liam Stacey pleaded guilty to "incitement to racial hatred," after he let loose a barrage of tweets that contained the n-word and crude sexual references. It all started earlier this month, when Fabrice Muamba, a soccer player, collapsed on the pitch and Stacey tweeted that he was dead, followed by "#Haha."

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5:59pm

Tue March 27, 2012
It's All Politics

EX-Clinton Solicitor Gen'l, Colo. Atty Gen'l React To SCOTUS Arguments

It was a question that seemed to be one of the most difficult for the current solicitor general, Donald Verrilli Jr., to answer persuasively, at least to the obvious satisfaction of the conservative justices: If the individual mandate for the purchase of health insurance was found constitutional, what would limit Congress from passing other laws requiring people to buy products from broccoli to cellphones?

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5:30pm

Tue March 27, 2012
The Two-Way

After 'Hunger Games,' U.S. Archer Shoots For Olympic Games

Originally published on Wed March 28, 2012 10:31 am

This summer, U.S. archer Khatuna Lorig hopes to return to the Olympic Games. But she's already helped put archery into The Hunger Games this spring — by training the film's star, Jennifer Lawrence, to shoot.

In the kill-or-be-killed competition in the film drawn from Suzanne Collins' book, Lawrence's character, Katniss Everdeen, relies on her ability with a bow. And Lorig worked with the actress to ensure she had proper form.

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5:26pm

Tue March 27, 2012
It's All Politics

Buddy Roemer: All Americans In November Could Have A Third Choice

Originally published on Tue March 27, 2012 7:58 pm

Credit Charles Krupa / AP
Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, shown here last summer in Bedford, N.H., is now seeking the presidential nomination of two third parties.

Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, a onetime Republican candidate for president now seeking the nomination of both the Reform Party and Americans Elect, said he could be a problem in November for Barack Obama and the eventual GOP nominee.

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5:13pm

Tue March 27, 2012
National Security

Romney, GOP Pounce On Obama's Russia Comment

Credit Jewel Samad / Getty Images
President Obama's remarks about missile defense to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev were meant for his ears only. But they were picked up by a microphone, and have drawn sharp criticism from Mitt Romeny and other Republicans. Obama and Medvedev are shown here on Monday at a nuclear summit in Seoul, South Korea.

President Obama went to South Korea to talk about nuclear security, only to find that the presidential campaign followed him there.

Obama is now facing sharp criticism from Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and other GOP figures following comments he made Monday, in seeming confidence, to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

As reporters gathered for a news conference in Seoul, South Korea, Obama leaned over to his Russian counterpart. Without realizing a microphone was open, he said:

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4:52pm

Tue March 27, 2012
It's All Politics

As Court Gets To Heart Of Health Arguments, Protests Grow

Originally published on Tue March 27, 2012 5:11 pm

Credit Mark Wilson / Getty Images
An activist dressed as the Statue of Liberty participates in a protest on the second day of oral arguments over President Obama's health care law on Tuesday.

The talent show outside the U.S. Supreme Court continued Tuesday as activists for and against President Obama's health care law sought to outdo each other with ever more artistic forms of protest.

At one point a middle-aged group of women started singing in harmony with a young drummer at their side. "Health care for everyone, I'm gonna let it shine," they sang soulfully to the tune of the hymn "This Little Light of Mine."

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4:43pm

Tue March 27, 2012
The Two-Way

U.S. Soccer: Does The National Team Draw Against El Salvador Matter?

Credit Mark Humphrey / AP
Terrence Boyd of the United States lies on the field after the United States tied 3-3 with El Salvador in a CONCACAF Olympic qualifying soccer match on Monday.

Last night in what is being billed as a heartbreaking late draw against El Salvador, the United States Under-23 soccer team missed their opportunity to qualify for the Olympics.

"A nightmare loss," says USA Today.

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4:15pm

Tue March 27, 2012
It's All Politics

Mitt Romney Rival Digs Up Details On GOP Frontrunner's New Man Cave

Originally published on Tue March 27, 2012 6:21 pm

Credit Denis Poroy / AP
Mitt Romney at his beach house in La Jolla, Calif., in 2008.

Presumably, most people who've been paying attention know by now that Mitt Romney is very, very rich.

But to say that he possesses a fortune estimated at up to $250 million can be too abstract for most people. From an opposing campaign's point of view, better to provide voters with a concrete example of how Romney differs from most people.

And it's hard to find a more concrete example, literally and figuratively, than a supersized basement.

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4:10pm

Tue March 27, 2012
Shots - Health Blog

Supreme Court Cheat Sheet: A Quick Guide To The Day 2 Arguments

Originally published on Tue March 27, 2012 8:11 pm

Credit John Rose / NPR
Opponents and supporters of President Obama's health care overhaul rallied outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Bob Mason shows support for the Tea Party by dressing in costume as one of the Founding Fathers.

A clearly divided U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday took up the centerpiece of President Obama's health care law: its requirement that by 2014 individuals have insurance coverage or face a penalty.

In contrast to Monday's dense and technical arguments, Tuesday's session was filled with sharp rhetorical volleys and clever analogies. Here are some of the more telling exchanges between the lawyers and the high court justices.

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3:36pm

Tue March 27, 2012
Asia

In China's Crime Crackdown, Claims Of Abuse

The swift downfall of ambitious Chinese politician Bo Xilai exposed a bitter power struggle in the highest echelons of government. Now his victims are telling their stories, exposing a darker side to Bo's signature clampdown on organized crime.

Charismatic and outspoken, Bo seemed headed for the country's top leadership body, the Politburo Standing Committee, before he was removed abruptly from his post — as party secretary of the major southern city of Chongqing — earlier this month.

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3:33pm

Tue March 27, 2012
Fresh Air Weekend

Fresh Air Weekend: Matthew Weiner, Rachel Maddow

Credit Bill Phelps / Courtesy of the author
Rachel Maddow hosts the nightly news talk show The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC.

Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, and new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors, and musicians, and often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:


'Mad Men' Creator On What's Next For Don Draper: Matthew Weiner offers his thoughts on Sunday night's Season 5 premiere, the character development of Don Draper, and what may be in store for the staff of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.

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3:21pm

Tue March 27, 2012
Music Reviews

Baloji: Finding A Home In His Music

Credit Nicolas Karakatsanis
Baloji's new album, Kinshasa Succursale, was released in the U.S. on March 6.

Rapper Baloji was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo but raised in Belgium. He's built a reputation for incorporating Congolese music into his mix, though he mostly raps in French, his deep voice full of cocky brashness. You can catch his vibe without translation, but it's worth reading the liner notes to get his messages, as well. Baloji raps with brazen ease about the indignities of life as an African in Belgium, but also the tragic, bloody history of his homeland on his second album, Kinshasa Succursale.

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3:15pm

Tue March 27, 2012
The Two-Way

2 U.S. Servicemen Arrested In Drug Cartel Murder-For-Hire Plot

Credit Justice Department
1st Lt. Kevin Corley.

An Army officer and a soldier were arrested earlier this month for allegedly plotting a murder-for-hire scheme, the Justice Department said.

1st Lt. Kevin Corley, 29, and Sgt. Samuel Walker, 28, were arrested after police said they cut a deal with federal officials posing as members of a drug cartel to raid a Texas ranch were they believed 20 kilograms of stolen cocaine were being kept by members of a rival cartel. Police said Corley, who took the lead in striking the deal, also agreed to kill the rivals using a small team in exchange for $50,000 and five kilograms of cocaine.

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3:10pm

Tue March 27, 2012
The Two-Way

Scary Moments Aboard JetBlue Flight When Captain Has 'Medical Situation'

Originally published on Tue March 27, 2012 3:14 pm

3:00pm

Tue March 27, 2012
Politics

Buddy Roemer Eyes Presidency

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Robert Siegel.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And I'm Melissa Block.

He's been a congressman, a governor, the head of a bank, and now he wants to be president. Buddy Roemer of Louisiana was running as a Republican. He dropped out of that race and is now seeking the nomination of the Reform Party and of Americans Elect, a new online platform for third-party candidates. Buddy Roemer says he won't take contributions of more than $100 and he won't take PAC money.

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3:00pm

Tue March 27, 2012
Middle East

Syria OKs Annan Plan, But Violence Persists

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

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

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel.

The United Nations special envoy for Syria says that country has agreed to a six-point peace plan. Envoy Kofi Annan called it a positive step toward ending the violence that. The U.N. now estimates that the conflict has cost more than 9,000 lives. But still, the violence continued and it has spilled over into northern Lebanon, according to witnesses.

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2:56pm

Tue March 27, 2012
Music Interviews

Dry The River: Songs Of Cardiac Anatomy

Originally published on Tue October 23, 2012 3:43 pm

Credit Courtesy of the artist
A veteran of punk bands, Dry the River's Peter Liddle (center) began playing acoustic guitar to keep quiet as a med student.

2:20pm

Tue March 27, 2012
The Two-Way

Information Will Be Free: Media, Groups Get Around Supreme Court's Rules

Originally published on Tue March 27, 2012 5:47 pm

Credit Mark Wilson / Getty Images
While some reporters inside scrambled to get word out, there were plenty of protesters and spectators outside the Supreme Court this morning.

Cameras aren't allowed. There are no broadcasts. No one's supposed to leave the courtroom and then come back in.

As we've said, the U.S. Supreme Court isn't very interested in having its proceedings covered "live" in any way shape or form.

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