U.S.

The Brutal Business Of Heroin Brings Wave Of Overdoses In Pa.

6:42pm February 02, 2014

According to state and local authorities, 22 people in Western Pennsylvania have died of heroin overdose in less than two weeks. The wave of deaths is due to the appearance of an especially potent batch of heroin, mixed with the painkiller Fentanyl. NPR's Arun Rath speaks with Dr. Neil Capretto, medical director of the Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburgh.

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How To Predict The Super Bowl Champions

12:00am February 02, 2014

This weekend is all about Sunday's Super Bowl matchup between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks. NPR's Tom Goldman joins Scott Simon to talk about the history of the game, and the one key factoid that predicts Sunday's winner that no one has mentioned yet.

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National

Air Force Proficiency Cheating: More Than Punishment Needed?

6:45pm February 01, 2014

This past week, the U.S. Air Force announced that a cheating scandal among nuclear launch officers had grown. Now, the military says, more than 90 missile launch officers have been involved with cheating on monthly proficiency exams. NPR's Arun Rath speaks with former Air Force officer Brian Weeden, who thinks the missileer culture needs to change.

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Battles And Bashes: What's News In Sports

6:45pm February 01, 2014

From the NFL's ban on head-to-head hits, the change in the playoff structure and predictions for the Super Bowl, A. Martinez from member station KPCC joins NPR's Arun Rath to discuss the latest in sports news.

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Janet Yellen smiles as President Obama announces her nomination for Federal Reserve chairwoman on Oct. 9.

After Overcoming Early Obstacles, Yellen Assumes Fed's Top Job

7:51pm January 31, 2014

by John Ydstie

The world of central banking is largely a man's world. But Janet Yellen, the Federal Reserve's new leader, has been undeterred by such barriers since she was in high school in Brooklyn. Now global financial markets will be watching her every move.

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Sean Morey, then with the Arizona Cardinals, celebrates after blocking a punt against the Seattle Seahawks in 2007. Morey, who suffers from post-concussion syndrome, retired from the NFL in 2010 on the advice of doctors.

Sidelined By Brain Injury, Ex-NFL Player Copes With 'Desperation'

7:51pm January 31, 2014

by Melissa Block

During his 10-year career, Sean Morey absorbed countless hits, more than a few of which resulted in concussions. "Every time I hit somebody it was like getting tasered," he says. Now, he suffers from lingering conditions, like debilitating headaches, and is an advocate for players' health.

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More Republicans Push For Fixing, Not Repealing, Obamacare

7:51pm January 31, 2014

by Eric Whitney

Some conservatives say the health care law is here to stay. They're urging Republicans to shift their focus from repealing it to changing parts they don't like. The Tea Party wing calls that capitulation. And it's pushing primary challengers against Republicans they say are soft on repeal.

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New York Looks To Bring Bitcoin Out Of The Shadows

2:58pm January 31, 2014

by Ilya Marritz

Bitcoin has been tied to the dark side of the Internet, where it's been linked to drug trafficking. But New York's financial regulators say they want to foster innovation and are looking to legitimize the virtual currency by licensing it.

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The farm bill proposes a $1 billion cut to food stamps, which would affect nearly 850,000 struggling families who already depend on food banks like the Alameda County Community Food Bank in Oakland, Calif.

Small Cuts To Food Stamps Add Up To Big Pains For Many Recipients

8:00pm January 30, 2014

by Richard Gonzales

The proposed farm bill would cut nearly $1 billion a year from the food stamp program, known as SNAP. While it's far less than what Republicans had originally wanted, the proposal will affect roughly 850,000 households, many of which are still struggling from cuts made only three months ago.

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In 1984, an American Army unit engaged in this firefight as it shielded a Soviet defector who made a break across the Demilitarized Zone between North Korea and South Korea. Thirty years after the battle, one of the U.S. soldiers, Mark Deville, has finall

National

A Medal Of Valor, 30 Years In Coming

11:17am January 30, 2014

by Tom Bowman

Three decades after U.S. troops helped protect a Soviet defector during a firefight with North Korean troops, one of the soldiers finally received his Silver Star. Mark Deville's comrades were awarded their medals years ago.

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