U.S.

National

State Laws Govern Gun Purchases Very Differently Across The Country

7:17pm March 28, 2013

Melissa Block talks to Daniel Webster, director of the John Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, about the wide variation in gun laws from state to state, and how those laws correspond to gun violence.

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Maggie Gallagher has been an outspoken opponent of gay marriage for the past decade. She debated the issue at Saddleback College this month with John Corvino (right), a gay-marriage proponent who is also a personal friend.

National

As Support For Gay Marriage Grows, An Opponent Looks Ahead

7:17pm March 28, 2013

by Tovia Smith

Maggie Gallagher is one of the nation's most public opponents of gay marriage. These days, she's thinking more about how to continue advocating for marriage between one man and one woman, even as society's views — and laws — are shifting rapidly.

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Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., appears at the Reuters Washington Summit last year.

From Leadership Posts, Women Said To Be Changing Senate Tone

7:17pm March 28, 2013

by Ailsa Chang

The 20 women in the U.S. Senate this year is the largest number in history. Female senators also now claim an unprecedented number of leadership positions. And several female senators interviewed say that is causing a change on Capitol Hill in the tone and process of legislating.

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Pennsylvania Tightens Abortion Rules Following Clinic Deaths

6:38pm March 28, 2013

by Jeff Brady

A Philadelphia doctor who performed abortions is accused of murder in the deaths of a patient and seven babies who the prosecutor says were born alive. Abortion opponents cited the case as a reason to push for stricter regulations on clinics.

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A rescued manatee suffering from exposure to an algae bloom called red tide in southwest Florida comes up for air as it swims into a critical care tank at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.

National

Algae Bloom Kills Record Number Of Florida Manatees

6:38pm March 28, 2013

by Ashley Lopez

More than 200 manatees have died in Florida's waterways this year from an algae bloom called red tide. The deaths come as wildlife officials try to remove the marine mammal — whose biggest killer is usually boat propellers — from the endangered species list.

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Head coach Rick Pitino of the Louisville Cardinals is adamant about recording his team's deflections. It seems to be paying off: The Cardinals have been doing well during the NCAA tournament.

Deflections: The Unofficial Stat That Measures Success

12:08pm March 28, 2013

by Mike Pesca

The basketball tactic isn't officially tracked. There isn't even a universal definition (it can occur when a defensive player in any way redirects the intended flight of the ball). But University of Louisville coach Rick Pitino knows deflections are key to winning.

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Nick Wiseman, partner at DGS Delicatessen, inspects the kitchen as an employee prepares pastrami sandwiches for lunch in Washington, D.C.

Reviving The Spirit And Schmaltz Of The Jewish Deli

10:55am March 28, 2013

by Padmananda Rama

Smoked salmon pastrami may sound heretical, but owners of a revisionist Jewish deli in Washington, D.C., say it's all part of a revival of traditional Jewish cuisine.

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Justices Cast Doubt On Federal Defense Of Marriage Act

8:51am March 28, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

In oral arguments, several Supreme Court justices expressed strong skepticism about DOMA, the law that bars same-sex couples legally married under state law from receiving the same federal benefits as married heterosexual couples.

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Recruits listen to instructions during boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island, S.C., on Feb. 27.

National

As Qualified Men Dwindle, Military Looks For A Few Good Women

5:59pm March 27, 2013

by Tom Bowman

Pentagon officials say they're opening ground combat jobs to women as a matter of equality. But the military also needs them because the number of military-age men who qualify for service is declining.

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Dave Newcomb of the Illinois Fire Service Institute demonstrates the use of a grain rescue tube during an agricultural safety conference in Iowa in November.

National

Fines Slashed In Grain Bin Entrapment Deaths

5:58pm March 27, 2013

The persistence of grain bin entrapments and a horrific 2010 incident expose weaknesses in worker safety laws and enforcement. An NPR and Center for Public Integrity analysis has found that among 179 deaths since 1984, fines were reduced 60 percent of the time.

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