National

If Reps. Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner win and their plan becomes law, it would kill what's known on Capitol Hill as the "doc fix."

Is Capitol Hill Ready To Rest Its Near-Annual 'Doc Fix' Exercise?

12:11pm March 26, 2015

by Juana Summers

Doctors who treat Medicare patients will face a huge cut, 21 percent, if Congress doesn't act by the end of the month. House leaders now think they fix a problem that has plagued Congress since 1997.

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National

Remote Jailing Cuts Off Inmates From Real-World Support System

11:49am March 26, 2015

by Rowan Moore Gerety

County jails that send inmates far away to serve short-term sentences can be a cost-saver to local governments. But it could have major consequences when prisoners are released.

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Some surgeons aren't adept at laparoscopic surgery, although it is often the better choice for patients.

Patients Often Aren't Offered Minimally Invasive Surgery

10:32am March 26, 2015

by Nancy Shute

Laparascopic surgery can be faster, safer and cheaper, but patients don't always get the choice even if it's appropriate, a study finds. Using it more often would reduce complications and save money.

Water molecules between two layers of graphene arranged themselves in a lattice of squares — unlike any other known form of ice.

Scientists Discover A New Form Of Ice — It's Square

9:24am March 26, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Researchers were surprised by what they found when they sandwiched a drop of water between two layers of an unusual two-dimensional material called graphene.

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A riot late last month forced officials to close the Willacy County Correcitonal Center in Wallcy County, Texas.

Closure Of Private Prison Forces Texas County To Plug Financial Gap

9:17am March 26, 2015

by John Burnett

A riot at a private immigration prison in Willacy County, Texas, forced officials to close the facility and relocate 2,800 inmates. But it also left the county with a $2.3 million budget shortfall.

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Former Illinois Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Released From Prison

8:46am March 26, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson will serve out the remainder of his sentence for misappropriating campaign funds for personal use at a halfway house in Washington, D.C.

Gedde Watanabe as Long Duk Dong in Sixteen Candles.

National

What's So 'Cringeworthy' About Long Duk Dong in 'Sixteen Candles'?

8:21am March 26, 2015

by Kat Chow

Inquiring minds want to know: What's with the Gedde Watanabe shade in Thursday's post about Asian-Americans in TV and movies?

Supreme Court Rejects Ruling That Upheld Alabama's Gerrymandering

7:43am March 26, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

In a 5-to-4 ruling, the justices called a district court decision that upheld the state's redistricting plan, which overloaded some districts with black Democrats, "legally erroneous."

National

U.S. Military Charges Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl With Desertion

7:43am March 26, 2015

by David Welna

U.S. Army officials said Wednesday that Bergdahl's 2009 disappearance is considered a crime of desertion. Bergdahl was freed last May after being held captive by the Taliban for nearly five years.

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National

Calif. Lawyer's Ballot Proposal Calls Referendum System Into Question

8:00pm March 25, 2015

NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Vikram Amar, a professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law, about the initiative that would allow the killing of gays and lesbians.

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