3:02pm

Fri February 17, 2012
The Two-Way

N.J. Gov. Christie Vetoes Gay Marriage Bill

Credit Mel Evans / AP

As he had promised, N.J. Gov. Chris Christie conditionally vetoed a bill that would have allowed gay marriage in his state.

The governor issued his veto just a day after the state's legislature passed the bill. According to The Star-Ledger, Christie said that he was, however, appointing an "ombudsman to address complaints of same-sex couples and strengthen New Jersey's civil union's law."

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2:34pm

Fri February 17, 2012
History

Hail To The Veep: America's Executive Underdog

Originally published on Wed May 23, 2012 8:01 am

Forty-seven men have been vice president. John Adams was the first, and he ascended to the presidency after George Washington's second term. But only 13 other vice presidents did that.

With Presidents Day just around the corner, we want to salute the rest of them — the overlooked vice presidents who never rose higher than that office, and then quietly shrank from the national stage.

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2:25pm

Fri February 17, 2012
The Two-Way

Postal Service Seeks 5 Cent Hike For First-Class Stamps

In a letter, the postmaster general told Congress, yesterday, that in order to mitigate losses the United States Postal Service needed to raise the price of stamps by as much as 5 cents.

That means stamps could cost 50 cents.

The New York Times reports that Patrick Donahoe also said that if it didn't raise postage prices and slow first-class mail by one day, the service could lose up to $18.2 billion a year by 2015.

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1:35pm

Fri February 17, 2012
The Salt

Sprouts Growers Say They Need FDA To Set New Safety Rules

Credit Stephanie Phillips / iStockPhoto.com

Another week, another outbreak of illness caused by sprouts. The latest troubles come to people who ate sandwiches from Jimmy John's restaurants in five Midwestern states.

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1:20pm

Fri February 17, 2012
Shots - Health Blog

Fight Over Contraceptive Coverage Heats Up In Court

Credit iStockphoto.com

The fight over who pays for birth control isn't confined to Congress or the campaign trail. It's burning in federal court, too.

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1:16pm

Fri February 17, 2012
Around the Nation

Crumbs May Soon Dry Up For New York Subway Rats

A New York lawmaker wants to put the brakes on eating donuts, and anything else for that matter, in the city's subway system. State Sen. Bill Perkins of Harlem says an eating ban would help combat rats and litter. But, the issue is stirring somewhat of a food fight among subway riders.

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12:58pm

Fri February 17, 2012
The Two-Way

Celebration As Improv: In Libya 'We Don't Know How To Celebrate'

Originally published on Fri February 17, 2012 3:01 pm

Credit Gianluigi Guercia / AFP/Getty Images

I've spent the day in the company of Malik L, a Benghazi-based hip hop artist who seems to get stopped every 100 feet by either a friend or a fan. In between these conversations, I asked Malik about what celebrations were scheduled for tonight.

"I have no idea," he replied. "No one does. Libya has never done this before. We don't know how to celebrate an anniversary."

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12:34pm

Fri February 17, 2012
The Two-Way

In Normally Stable Sengal, Police, Protesters Face Off

Credit Rebecca Blackwell / AP

Police fired tear gas into crowds of demonstrators in Senegal's capital on Friday. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton was on what is usually a busy street in Dakar and she told our Newscast unit that all day there has been a cat-and-mouse game between police and young protesters.

Protesters are throwing rocks and pieces of concrete and police have responded with tear gas.

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12:25pm

Fri February 17, 2012
Shots - Health Blog

WHO Panel Supports Publication Of Bird Flu Details, Eventually

The full details of two controversial experiments on bird flu should be published openly, says a panel convened by the World Health Organization.

But information about the studies should remain secret a while longer so that there's time to address public concerns, the group recommends. The experiments should stay on hold, too.

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11:55am

Fri February 17, 2012
Book Talk

Book Talk February 19 2012

Alan talks with Emily Leider about her biography "Myrna Loy - The Only Good Girl in Hollywood."

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