Rebuilding Japan
1:39 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

To Save Japan's Northeast, A Radical Rethink Required

Originally published on Mon March 12, 2012 8:56 pm

With a fierce yell and a resounding thwack, 13-year-old Japanese student Nanami Usui brings her bamboo sword down on her opponent.

By practicing Kendo, or Japanese swordsmanship, Usui is one of several students in the town of Minamisanriku who are rebuilding their confidence after last year's tsunami washed away their homes and shattered their hometown in the country's northeast.

Usui says she dreams of being a police officer, but she doesn't know yet where she wants to live and work.

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The Two-Way
1:36 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

Penn State: Paterno Was Fired After 'Failure Of Leadership'

Credit Carolyn Kaster / AP
Penn State head coach Joe Paterno stands with his team before they take the field during an NCAA college football game against the University of Wisconsin in State College, Pa., on Oct. 13, 2007.

In a report issued today, the board of directors of Penn State University confirmed what everyone already figured: They fired head coach Joe Paterno over his actions concerning the sexual abuse allegations against his once assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

The university said it made its decision based on a grand jury report that said graduate student Mike McQueary had told the coach that he saw Sandusky "in the Lasch Building showers fondling or doing something of a sexual nature to a young boy."

The board says:

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The Two-Way
1:20 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

Priest 'Placed On Leave' After Denying Communion To Lesbian

The Gaithersburg, Md., priest who refused to give Communion to a lesbian parishioner during a funeral mass for the woman's mother has been has been placed on leave, according to NBC Channel 4 news.

A letter from an archdiocese official says that Rev. Marcel Guarnizo was placed on leave for engaging in intimidating behavior. The archdiocese had previously apologized for Guarnizo's behavior.

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Afghanistan
1:06 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

Afghan Shooting Leaves Many Unanswered Questions

Originally published on Mon March 12, 2012 4:09 pm

Many details remain unknown about Sunday's shooting in southern Afghanistan, where a U.S. Army sergeant is suspected of walking through villages near Kandahar and killing 16 Afghan civilians.

But the shooting has raised the specter of reprisals against American troops and also led to questions about how much damage it could cause to the larger American war effort in Afghanistan.

Here's a look at what is, and isn't, known so far.

The Suspect

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The Two-Way
12:39 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

Before He Became 'Tricky Dick,' Richard Nixon Wrote Love Letters

We're all familiar with the gruff Richard Nixon of the Watergate tapes. But the presidential library of the 37th president of the United States has an exhibit that shows a different side of him — the softer, gushy side of him that emerged as he was courting Pat Ryan, the woman who would become his wife.

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Planet Money
12:04 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

What's The Opposite Of A Jobless Recovery?

Credit Danny Johnston / AP
But for how long?

Originally published on Mon March 12, 2012 1:00 pm

In the past decade or so, we've gotten used to jobless recoveries, when the economy grows its way out of a recession without adding many new jobs.

At the moment, we may be living through the opposite of a jobless recovery. In the past few months, job growth has picked up, while economic growth has slowed.

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NPR Story
12:00 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

Why That Song Gets Stuck In Your Head

Credit iStockphoto.com
Researchers at Goldsmiths, University of London are collecting earworms — songs or bits of melody that get stuck in your head. What's yours?

Chances are, you've fallen victim to earworms — pesky songs or melodies that get stuck in your head and just won't get out.

Research suggests that there are psychological reasons why some songs are more likely to stick, including memory triggers, emotional states, and even stress. Some researchers hope to better understand why this happens and figure out what, if anything, music memory can teach psychologists about how to treat patients dealing with memory loss.

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Race
12:00 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

Black Students More Likely To Be Disciplined

A Department of Education study found from 2009 to 2010, black students were 3 1/2 times more likely to be suspended or expelled than white ones. Though the reasons are unclear, many argue harsher punishments push many black and Latino students out of schools and into the criminal justice system.

Opinion
12:00 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

Op-Ed: File Criminal Charges For Hard Hits

The NFL found some two dozen players for the New Orleans Saints took part in a pay-for-hits program that paid bounties for knocking specific players out of games. Those involved likely face fines or suspensions. But lawyer Eldon Ham argues that doesn't go far enough, and proposes criminal charges.

World
12:00 pm
Mon March 12, 2012

The Challenges Of Aid Work In Conflict Zones

In Afghanistan and other conflict zones, the military is often first on the ground, followed by diplomats, contractors and journalists. Next, in many cases, are aid workers: People who work for private organizations and strive to remain impartial in some of the world's most dangerous places.

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