NPR News
Down Goes Kansas! Upsets Aplenty In Wild NCAA
Kansas is shocked in NCAA mens' basketball tournament, losing to Northern Iowa.
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Immigration: The Next Mountain To Climb?
Supporters of immigration overhaul are rallying on the National Mall in hopes their cause will be the next Congressional battle. They want a comprehensive rewrite of the immigration laws that would provide a path to citizenship for the roughly 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the country. But the politics of the immigration issue are complicated for both parties.
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Iowa Upsets Kansas In NCAA Shocker
No. 1-seeded Kansas was knocked out of the NCAA men's basketball tournament by 9th-seed Northern Iowa Saturday, and 11th-seed Washington ousted No. 3 New Mexico State. Host Liane Hansen talks to NPR's Tom Goldman about what has become a tournament filled with upsets.
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Nerves Raw, U.S., Israel Open Conference
When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to warn him that an Israeli housing project in East Jerusalem is harming U.S. interests, a pro-Israel lobby in Washington was quick to accuse Clinton of blowing things out of proportion. AIPAC, or the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, called on the Obama administration to tone down the rhetoric. The Obama administration did get support, though, from a new pro-Israel lobby, J Street, which says Israel has to take steps to improve relations. It is against this backdrop that AIPAC opens its annual policy conference, a meeting where both Clinton and Netanyahu are expected to speak.
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Rubik's Cube Still Confounds At 30
It has been 30 years since one of the world's great puzzles came to this country. The multicolored device was called the Magic Cube when it first went on sale in a Budapest toyshop. But by 1980, the puzzle carried the name of its inventor, Hungarian architecture professor Erno Rubik. Host Liane Hansen takes a moment to note the toy's anniversary.
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Fire Can Be Good For Global Warming
Scientists have calculated that it actually makes sense to start intentional fires to keep down debris and undergrowth. Even though these prescribed fires do put carbon into the atmosphere, the scientists calculate it's less than what would go up in big wildfires.
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IRS Taking On Crisis As Well As Taxes
The Internal Revenue Service has always been a source of consternation for many Americans, but in tough economic times like these, the anger seems more strident. Anti-tax forces have called for the abolition of the agency; one man took out his rage by flying his small plane into an IRS building, killing himself and one employee. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Douglas Shulman, the IRS Commissioner, about what the agency is doing to help people struggling financially, as well as the IRS' efforts to keep employees safe.
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EU Sets Out To Lead Climate Changers
Connie Hedegaard, the European Union's Commissioner for Climate Action, has laid out an ambitious goal — in five years, she says, she wants to see "a Europe that is the most climate-friendly region in the world." Host Liane Hansen speaks to Hedegaard about the EU's attempts to move forward on climate talks. Commissioner Hedegaard tells Liane how Europe has benefited from climate legislation, and what it might mean for the U.S.
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Equinox Ceremony Stands Eggs On End
For 35 years, Donna Henes has led public ceremonies in New York City. Her Spring Equinox Celebration is her most popular, where people stand 360 eggs upright at the exact first moment of spring.
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How A Pilot's Death Created Heroes
When the pilot of his plane died after takeoff last year, passenger Doug White took control and landed it with the help of air traffic controllers.
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Health Care Drama Reaches Fever Pitch
Despite the protests raging in and around the Capitol, at least 216 members of the House of Representatives are predicted to cast votes of "Yea" on the health care bill today, finally passing a history-making overhaul package. That is, if all goes according to the Democrats' plan.
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Democrats Say They've Got The Magic 216
That's the number of votes House Democrats need to pass a sweeping overhaul of the nation's health care system. Lawmakers are expected to vote Sunday, and with all 178 House Republicans and at least two dozen Democrats vowing to vote no, the vote will be extremely close. NPR White House Correspondent Scott Horsley joins host Liane Hansen live to talk about Obama's efforts to push the health care overhaul legislation through the House of Representatives.
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Earthquakes Not Shaking U.S. Insurance Concerns
The earthquakes in Haiti and Chile have piqued Americans' interest in earthquake insurance — as usually happens after news of big quakes overseas. But there's little sign this interest will do much to increase the number of people who actually buy coverage. Will the government be on the hook when the big one comes?
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Chilean Children Suffer From Quake's Mental Shocks
The Chilean capital, Santiago, withstood last month's 8.8 magnitude earthquake remarkably well. But mental health experts say the earthquake and the powerful aftershocks that followed it are having strong psychological effects, particularly on children.
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Gambling To Fix Pensions Can Lead To A Bigger Bind
Public pension fund investing has changed a lot over the past few decades. They used to investment conservatively. Now, a lot of cities and states are trying to rebuild pension funds by resorting to chancy investments in foreign currency, junk bonds and margin trades.
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Homeowners, A Shortcut To Short Sales Is Coming
Spring is the peak time for home sales, and, as the season begins, the federal government is launching a program to help the real estate market bloom again. Starting April 5, homeowners who qualify will get help selling their homes through a short-sale process rather than having to face foreclosure.
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Northern Iowa Shocks No. 1 Kansas In NCAA Play
The mightiest has fallen as play continues in the second round of the men's basketball tournament. Northern Iowa led for all but 47 seconds in taking down the powerful Jayhawks, 67-65. In another surprise, No. 10 seed St. Mary's beat Villanova.
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Cautious Celebration As Red River Levee Holds
Volunteers have placed more than a million sandbags around Fargo, N.D., and city officials say they think they've done enough to prevent major flooding. The Red River is expected to crest Sunday at 19 feet above flood stage — lower than earlier predictions.
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Combat Vet Says Gender Bias Led To Untreated PTSD
According to recent VA statistics, PTSD and depression are the top disability claims among America's female veterans. But many have trouble proving they saw combat — a key to being treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. One decorated war veteran's story is emblematic of the struggle to get help.
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House Opts For Straight Vote On Health Bill
Democratic House leaders say they've got the votes to pass a landmark health-care overhaul Sunday. And they're confident enough of getting an overhaul done that they've agreed to set aside the controversial "deem and pass" strategy. Host Guy Raz checks in with NPR's Julie Rovner on the latest maneuvering on Capitol Hill.
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