Around the Nation
11:59 am
Wed February 22, 2012

African American Museum Breaks Ground In D.C.

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

President Obama spoke Wednesday at the formal groundbreaking for the Smithsonian's newest museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The museum, Obama said, has been "a long time coming" and will serve "not just as a record of tragedy, but as a celebration of life."

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It's All Politics
11:47 am
Wed February 22, 2012

Then There Were ... Still Four: Buddy Roemer Leaves GOP Presidential Race

Credit Gerald Herbert / AP
Buddy Roemer announces an exploratory committee for a 2012 White House bid last March in Baton Rouge, La. On Wednesday, he announced that he would drop his GOP candidacy to seek third party avenues.

Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer seems to have finally hit on how to get noticed in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination: drop out of the race.

Or, more specifically, redouble his efforts to get to the White House by switching to the nascent "Americans Elect" movement while at the same time seeking the nomination of the Reform Party.

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The Two-Way
11:37 am
Wed February 22, 2012

Gov. Christie To Warren Buffett: 'Write A Check And Shut Up'

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is making some waves, today, after expressing some harsh words about billionaire Warren Buffett in an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan last night.

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The Salt
11:14 am
Wed February 22, 2012

FDA Says Brazil's Orange Juice Is Safe, But Still Illegal

Credit Antonio Scorza / AFP/Getty Images
Oranges for sale at a market in Rio de Janeirol.

If you happen to notice sometime later this year that you're suddenly paying a lot more for orange juice, you can blame America's food safety authorities. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, after several weeks of deliberation, has blocked imports of frozen, concentrated orange juice from Brazil, probably for the next 18 months or so, even though the agency says the juice is perfectly safe.

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The Two-Way
11:11 am
Wed February 22, 2012

Occupy Movement Plans National Conference In Philadelphia

A group affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement is planning a national conference in Philadelphia this summer. According to the group, which is dubbed "The 99% Declaration," an online election will decide on the 876 delegates — a man and woman from each Congressional district — who will gather in Philadelphia on July 4th.

Of course, the date and place is a nod to the delegates who met in Philadelphia in 1776 to declare independence from the British monarchy, who the founding fathers said had failed to address the grievances of Americans.

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The Two-Way
11:00 am
Wed February 22, 2012

'A Long Time Coming,' Obama Says Of African-American Museum

Credit Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup / Courtesy of the museum
An artist's conception of what the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture will look like when it's finished in 2015. The Washington Monument is in the background.
Oscar's Top Documentaries
10:55 am
Wed February 22, 2012

Underdog Football Team Shines In 'Undefeated'

Credit The Weinstein Company
Filmmakers Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin spent nine months in North Memphis, Tenn. with the Manassas Tigers.

All throughout the school's 110-year history, the Manassas High School football team in Memphis, Tenn., was known as a losing team. In 2009, volunteer coach Bill Courtney led the struggling Manassas Tigers to the playoffs.

Filmmakers Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin chronicle the challenges of the team — on and off the field — in the documentary Undefeated.

Lindsay and Martin talk with NPR's Neal Conan about the film, nominated for an Academy Award in the documentary feature category.

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News
10:48 am
Wed February 22, 2012

What's Driving The Backlash Against Traffic Cameras

Credit Damian Dovarganes / AP
Across the country, fed up drivers are fighting back against traffic cameras that target motorists who speed or run red lights. In Los Angeles, technician Charles Riggings services a traffic camera in 2010.

Have you ever opened your mail and found a traffic ticket sticking you with a not-so-small fine? If so, your reaction might well have been, "What the [expletive]?"

Then maybe you looked carefully at the enclosed photo and realized the vehicle shown (allegedly) running a red light or speeding was, in fact, yours.

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National Security
10:26 am
Wed February 22, 2012

Dealing With Dictators, The U.S. Playbook Varies

What is America's policy when it comes to dictators? Well, it depends.

The U.S. has adopted many different approaches toward different dictators and authoritarian regimes in recent years. In some cases – notably Iraq and Afghanistan – the U.S. military invaded to change the leaders of those countries.

But American presidents have also hosted friendly visits with leaders from undemocratic countries with questionable human rights records.

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Digital Life
10:00 am
Wed February 22, 2012

Truth And The World Of Wikipedia Gatekeepers

Wikipedia is the go-to source for succinct information on almost every topic imaginable. It strives to reflect neutral truths that can be verified by reliable sources. The site, known as "The Free Encyclopedia" is written and edited by volunteers.

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