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It's All Politics
6:50 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

Boehner Seeks To Reassure House GOP On Immigration

Credit Susan Walsh / AP
House Speaker John Boehner is getting flak from fellow Republicans over immigration legislation.

Originally published on Tue June 18, 2013 7:53 pm

Faced with the threat of mutiny for what seems like the umpteenth time during his speakership, John Boehner moved to mollify fellow Republicans on Tuesday, saying immigration legislation would need the support of a majority of the House GOP before it could be brought to a floor vote.

After emerging from a meeting with House Republicans, following days of warnings by conservatives that the Ohio Republican had better not try to pass an immigration bill with mostly Democratic votes, Boehner sought to calm the roiling Republican waters.

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This Is NPR
6:25 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

NPR In The News: On The Ground For Iran's Election

Credit CNN
Steve Inskeep on CNN

On Saturday, Iran elected Hasan Rowhani as its new president in a vote watched by people around the world. NPR's Morning Edition Host Steve Inskeep was reporting from the country last week and joined CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront to discuss what they saw on election day:

Yesterday, Burnett was back in the United States and spoke with Inskeep and the Carnegie Endowment's Karim Sadjadpour about what Rowhani's nomination means:

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The Two-Way
6:21 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

A Field Guide To Jimmy Hoffa Searches

Credit Carlos Osorio / AP
Law enforcement officials search an area in Oakland Township, Mich., on Tuesday for the remains of Jimmy Hoffa. The former Teamsters president was last seen at a Detroit-area restaurant in 1975.

Originally published on Tue June 18, 2013 6:32 pm

The mystery of Jimmy Hoffa's final resting place was opened yet again Monday, when the FBI began digging up a field near Detroit in the hopes of finding the former Teamsters president, who was last seen on July 30, 1975.

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The Two-Way
6:13 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

'We Were Told To Lie,' Say Bank Of America Employees

Credit Chuck Burton / AP
Employees say Bank of America encouraged them to lie and falsify records to push more accounts into foreclosure.

Six former employees and one contractor say Bank of America's mortgage servicing unit consistently lied to homeowners, fraudulently denied loan modifications and offered bonuses to staff for intentionally pushing people into foreclosure, according to a Salon.com report.

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The Two-Way
5:34 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

Perk Backlash: Do Surprise Upgrades Make Us Uneasy?

Credit iStockphoto.com
A new study finds that while "receiving unearned preferential treatment does generate positive reactions, it is not always an entirely pleasurable experience." Examples include getting a free upgrade on a hotel room.

Whether it's a free upgrade on a hotel room or skipping ahead in the check-in line, many businesses give preferential treatment to some customers, hoping to make them more loyal. The practice often works — but a new study suggests that when we get perks we didn't earn, negative feelings can result. And they can make a surprise deal a little less sweet.

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The Two-Way
5:05 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

The 'Standing Man' Of Turkey: Act Of Quiet Protest Goes Viral

Credit Petr David Josek / AP
Erdem Gunduz (center) stands in Instanbul's Taksim Square early Tuesday. After weeks of clashes with police, many Turkish protesters were inspired to emulate Gunduz, and stand silently.

As protests against the Turkish government enter their third week, activists are taking increasingly creative measures to maintain their momentum.

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NPR Story
4:51 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

Congressman On NSA: Checks And Balances Prevent Abuse

Originally published on Tue June 18, 2013 6:03 pm

Melissa Block talks to Republican Congressman Mac Thornberry, who serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He talks about the testimony by leaders of the National Security Agency, the Department of Justice and the FBI on Tuesday morning. He's been supportive of the NSA surveillance program, saying it's not only legal, but vital to security.

It's All Politics
4:26 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

Obama's Unplanned NSA Discussion

Credit Evan Vucci / AP
President Obama listens to French President Francois Hollande during the G-8 summit at the Lough Erne golf resort in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday.

Originally published on Tue June 18, 2013 4:58 pm

You have to wonder if President Obama ever thought, when he first ran for the White House, that he would need to defend himself from accusations his presidency would be a mere extension of his Republican predecessor.

But there he was with journalist Charlie Rose having to explain why his approach to national security wasn't really like that of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

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The Two-Way
4:22 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

'Days Of Rambo Are Over': Pentagon Details Women's Move To Combat

Credit Scott Olson / Getty Images
Women in the U.S. military will be integrated into front-line combat units by 2016, the Pentagon says. Here, female Marine recruits stand in formation during pugil stick training in boot camp earlier this year at Parris Island, S.C.

Women in America's armed services will have new options for what units they can join in coming years, the Pentagon says. The military said in January that it will end its combat exclusion that set a minimum size for units in which women could be deployed; the limit kept many women away from front-line combat units. The shift means women could join elite forces such as the Army Rangers and Navy SEALs.

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The Salt
4:06 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

The Mystery Of the Ridiculously Pricey Bag Of Potatoes

Credit iStockphoto.com
How much for that bag of potatoes?

Originally published on Tue June 18, 2013 5:39 pm

On Monday we told you about allegations that America's potato growers had banded together in a price-fixing Potato Cartel.

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All Tech Considered
3:52 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

Mexico's Tech Startups Look To Overcome Barriers To Growth

Credit Mónica Ortiz Uribe for NPR
Enrique Lima is a co-founder of Publish 88, a Mexican startup that develops software for publishing companies.

Originally published on Tue June 18, 2013 6:18 pm

In the past decade, Mexico's tech industry has flourished, growing three times faster than the global average. Most of that growth has been fueled by demand from the United States. But as Mexico's startups strive to make it in foreign markets, they say they need more engineers and ways to finance their growth.

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Theater
3:41 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

In NYC, A Play Festival Spotlights Stories Of Disability

Credit Carol Rosegg / Theater Breaking Through Barriers
Mary Theresa Archbold (left), Anita Hollander and Tiffan Borelli star in Bekah Brunstetter's Gorgeous, part of Theater Breaking Through Barriers' initial Some of Our Parts Festival in 2011. A third round of new short plays runs through June 28 at New York City's Clurman Theatre.

Ike Schambelan doesn't like thinking about disability, and he's guessing you don't either.

"We hate it. We do not want to see it," he says. "Personally, I want to see it least in myself, second in my wife, third in my cat and fourth in you and all others. I don't want to know about it. I want to be in a total state of denial about it as much as I can be."

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Parallels
3:29 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

British Leader: Trendsetter, Or A Bit Too Casual?

British Prime Minister David Cameron is sometimes picked on for his privileged background, and at the Group of Eight summit in Northern Ireland, he sought to go casual.

Not only did he ditch the tie, as did other leaders, Cameron also shed his jacket and even rolled up his sleeves.

Not everyone was won over.

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Parallels
2:11 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

U.S., Europe May Share Intelligence, But Not Privacy Rules

Credit Odd Andersen / AFP/Getty Images
Protesters demonstrate in Berlin on Tuesday on the eve of President Obama's visit to the German capital. Obama is expected to encounter a more skeptical Germany in talks on trade and secret surveillance practices.

Originally published on Tue June 18, 2013 3:55 pm

The United States and Europe stepped up cooperation on security issues after Sept. 11, 2001. But that doesn't mean they agree on everything. The latest point of friction: What are the rules when it comes to privacy rights?

The revelations about the National Security Agency's surveillance programs not only touched off a ferocious debate in the U.S. but also struck a nerve in Europe.

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Afghanistan
2:07 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

A Look Ahead To The Future Of Afghanistan

Twelve years after the war began, Afghanistan's president announced Tuesday that Afghan forces officially assumed control of security for the country. U.S. and NATO troops will remain until the 2014 deadline, but the Afghan military is now expected to fight without NATO support.

Media
2:05 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

Breaking Bad News To Kids: How Media Has Tweaked The Process

Parents have always had to break hard news to kids, from family hardships to national tragedies. Now there are more ways for children to learn about news faster — through 24 hour news and social media. So, what's changed in how parents broach these subjects? How can media help, or hurt?

National Security
2:03 pm
Tue June 18, 2013

Obama's Former Legal Adviser Urges U.S. To 'Disciple Drones'

Transcript

JOHN DONVAN, HOST:

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