National and World News from NPR

Mitt Romney sweeps five primaries and all but locks up the GOP nomination. Even Newt Gingrich agrees Romney is the presumptive nominee. More veepstakes speculation on Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio. Two centrist House Democrats bite the dust in Pennsylvnaia, while Utah GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch lives to fight another day.

NPR's Ken Rudin and guest host Mara Liasson have the latest political news in this week's roundup.

The beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers sparked the chain of events that led to the deadly L.A. riots 20 years ago this weekend. Host Michel Martin speaks with Rodney King about his memories of the riots, the beating, and his new book, The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption.

The Los Angeles riots stunned the nation in 1992, claiming more than 50 lives in that city. As the unrest approached Koreatown, store owner Kee Whan Ha mobilized his fellow business owners to arm themselves and defend their property. Host Michel Martin talks with him about the riots, and the neighborhood today.

In an historic judgment, the UN-backed court at The Hague found Liberia's former president, Charles Taylor, guilty of war crimes. He was convicted of abetting murder, rape, and the forced enlistment of child soldiers during Sierra Leone's civil war. Host Michel Martin talks about reactions in Liberia and Sierra Leone with journalist Tamasin Ford.

It's no secret that Americans are short on sleep. But there's been disagreement as to why. A new study says here's one big reason: work.

An analysis from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health asked people where they're working, and how much they sleep. The more people work, the less sleep they're likely to get. And some jobs are much less sleep-friendly than others. Sort of saw those coming, even through our bleary eyes.

It must take a boatload of energy to be Michel Nischan. He owns a restaurant, writes cookbooks and lead the fast-growing non-profit Wholesome Wave, which connects low-income neighborhoods with local, farm fresh foods. WW has doubled its reach over the last few years, linking about 2,300 local farmers with thousands of people.

The U.S. economy hit the recession exit ramp nearly three years ago, but it's been lost on the back roads somewhere near Recoveryville ever since.

Growth rates have been modest at best compared with the 4-plus percent growth in the years well before the U.S. began slouching toward its worst post-World War II recession.

The U.S. economy grew at a 2.2 percent annual rate in the first quarter of the year, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

That's down from the 3 percent pace in fourth-quarter 2011, but is still better than the 1.7 percent growth for all of last year.

The first-quarter figure will be revised twice, in each of the next two months.

We'll have more about the report shortly.

Update at 8:47 a.m. ET. Behind The Numbers: