Around the Nation

Expecting Parents Ask For Help Naming Their Son

5:46am June 27, 2013

A Connecticut couple couldn't decide whether to name their soon-to-be-born son Jackson or Logan. So according to the New Haven Register, they decided to take a poll of customers at Starbucks. In the end, they went with their own suggestion: Logan Jackson.

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National

Gay Military Spouses To Benefit From Supreme Court Ruling

5:01am June 27, 2013

by Larry Abramson

Gay spouses of service members have long been denied the substantial benefits available to heterosexual couples. Now, Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act means gay married couples can look forward to more equal treatment from the Pentagon.

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In the current New Yorker, Michael Specter explores the conflict among some people who suffer from Lyme disease, and the doctors who study it.

'The Lyme Wars' That Tiny Ticks Have Wrought

4:50pm June 26, 2013

Since Lyme disease was first identified in the late 1970s, it has become the most commonly reported tick-borne illness in the country. Journalist Michael Specter talks about his New Yorker article on the disease and its controversial history.

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The testimonies of James "Whitey" Bulger and his Winter Hill Gang cohort have been filled with well-preserved mob lingo.

National

The 'Time Capsule' Of Mob Lingo At The Whitey Bulger Trial

11:39am June 26, 2013

by NPR Staff

The trial of the notorious gangster has been filled with well-preserved jargon like "vig," "shylock," and "boiler." Linguist Ben Zimmer says some of that lingo has been around for at least a century or so.

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National

Service Members Receive Sexual Assault Prevention Training

11:13am June 26, 2013

by Larry Abramson

All this month, service members around the world are taking time out for training on how to prevent and respond to sexual assault. The move is a statement by the military that it's serious about addressing this problem.

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Supreme Court Frees 9 States From Voting Laws Oversight

11:13am June 26, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

The Supreme Court struck down part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act by a vote to 5-4 on Tuesday. It essentially shifts the burden of fighting off voting discrimination from the government to minority voters.

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Coal Industry Concerned By Obama's Climate Change Plans

11:13am June 26, 2013

by Jeff Brady

President Obama on Tuesday announced a wide-ranging plan to address climate change. Rather than taking it to Congress, Obama is implementing the plan on his own. The president wants the Environmental Protection Agency to restrict carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. The biggest source of those emissions is coal-fired facilities.

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Voting Rights Ruling By Supreme Court Draws Mixed Reactions

11:13am June 26, 2013

by Pam Fessler

Voting rights groups and others reacted strongly to Tuesday's Supreme Court ruling that struck down part of the Voting Rights Act. It had required all or part of 15 states to get Justice Department approval for any voting law changes.

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President Obama unveils his plan on climate change Tuesday at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The president laid out his plan to reduce carbon pollution and to prepare the country for the impacts of climate change.

Obama's Climate Strategy Doesn't Require Congressional Approval

7:06pm June 25, 2013

by Richard Harris

The sweeping plan calls for the Environmental Protection Agency to tighten carbon dioxide emissions on power plants and is designed to foster cleaner forms of electricity. The initiative also aims to help the nation cope with droughts and other weather related changes that are already happening.

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National

What's Next For The FBI: A New Generation Of Challenges

6:06pm June 25, 2013

As Robert Mueller's tenure at the director FBI comes to a close, the Obama administration narrows the global war on terror. The White House is expected to nominate former deputy attorney general James Comey. The new leader will face a host of new challenges.

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