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The Salt
10:52 am
Wed May 22, 2013

How Genomics Solved The Mystery Of Ireland's Great Famine

An international group of plant pathologists has solved a historical mystery behind Ireland's Great Famine.

Sure, scientists have known for a while that a funguslike organism called Phytophthora infestans was responsible for the potato blight that plagued Ireland starting in the 1840s. But there are many different strains of the pathogen that cause the disease, and scientists have finally discovered the one that triggered the Great Famine.

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The Two-Way
9:48 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Man Killed By FBI In Florida Was Linked To Boston Suspect

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 11:50 am

In Orlando, Fla., early Wednesday "an FBI agent was involved in a deadly shooting connected to the Boston Marathon bombing case," NBC News is reporting. A man who was being questioned by the agent is dead. NPR's Dina Temple-Raston and Carrie Johnson have also confirmed the news.

Just how firm the man's alleged connection to the marathon case is, though, remains unclear.

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U.S.
9:29 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Oklahoma's Gov. Fallin On Life-Saving, Recovery Efforts

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 1:05 pm

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene. We now know the tornado that struck the city of Moore, Okla., on Monday was an EF5, with winds over 200 miles an hour. That designation is the strongest possible rating for a tornado. Federal, state and local teams are on the ground this morning, cleaning up debris and tending to survivors. But there is little - if any - chance of finding any more survivors; that, according to the fire chief in Moore.

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The Two-Way
8:33 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Eric Garcetti Wins L.A. Mayor's Race

Credit Lucy Nicholson / Reuters /Landov
Incoming Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti celebrated with supporters late Tuesday in Hollywood.

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 11:13 am

The next mayor of Los Angeles will be City Councilman Eric Garcetti.

In a race in which the two top contenders were both Democrats, the 42-year-old Garcetti has opened a 7- to 8-percentage-point lead over City Controller Wendy Greuel as Tuesday's votes are being counted.

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Animals
8:26 am
Wed May 22, 2013

'Morning Edition' Listeners Get Their Feathers In A Bunch

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 9:29 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Good morning, I'm David Greene.

Well, our wings have been clipped by some listeners. Yesterday, we told you about how some scientists in Canada saw their research crops destroyed by geese. We used the term Canadian geese. Listeners like Frank Kohn said we got that wrong.

FRANK KOHN: They're not Canadian geese. They're Canada geese because they don't hold passports, as far as I know, and it's not a nationality. It's a species name.

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Around the Nation
8:26 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Red Cross Expects Okla. Shelters To Be Open For Weeks

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 9:29 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

On a Wednesday, this is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm David Greene.

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

And I'm Linda Wertheimer. Renee Montagne comes back tomorrow.

Rescue workers are nearing the end of their search for survivors in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, where a powerful tornado claimed 24 lives and injured hundreds. Officials said heavy rain slowed the rescue effort on Tuesday, but at least 100 people have been pulled from the debris alive. Now attention turns to the huge cleanup effort.

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Around the Nation
8:26 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Can Anything Be Done To Tornado Proof A House?

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 9:29 am

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

As you heard, repairing the physical damage to Moore, Oklahoma will take a long time. Reducing that time and the damage these storms cause is something Andrew Graettinger is working on. He's a civil engineer, a professor at the University of Alabama, and he was part of a study that looked at the structural impact of the 2011 tornados that ripped through Joplin, Missouri and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He joins us now. Good morning, Dr. Graettinger.

ANDREW GRAETTINGER: Good morning.

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Business
8:26 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Parking Industry Tries To Make Your Life Easier

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 9:29 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Finding a parking space, probably not at the top of the list of things you like to do. Well, experts in parking think they might be able to change that. One key, they say, is for developers to think about the parking experience when they're designing malls or apartment complexes, instead of just treating it as an afterthought.

This came up in Florida this week, at the International Parking Institute's annual conference. Reporter Kenny Malone, from member station WLRN, was there.

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Politics
8:26 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Battle Lines Harden In Debate Over Blame For IRS Controversy

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 9:29 am

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Lawmakers are demanding to know what went wrong and who is to blame at the IRS. Two Senate committees held hearings yesterday on the agency's aggressive handling of applications from conservative groups who were seeking tax-exemption. A top IRS official facing a House committee, today, intends to invoke her Fifth Amendment right not to testify. NPR's Peter Overby reports.

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Around the Nation
8:26 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Boy Scouts To Decide Whether To Admit Gay Youth

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 9:29 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm David Greene.

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

And I'm Linda Wertheimer.

This week, Boy Scouts of America officials will meet in Texas to consider changing the group's longstanding ban on gay members. The first round of voting starts tomorrow. A new membership policy would allow gay youth, but continue to ban adult leaders who are gay.

NPR's Kathy Lohr reports.

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Business
8:26 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Court Rules Vacation Rental Site Illegal In New York

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 9:29 am

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Here's some news for travelers. If you can't afford or don't want to pay the price for a hotel room, maybe you've used the cheap lodging site Airbnb. If so, you have to take New York City off your list. The popular website has suffered a major setback in court. A judge in New York ruled that an Airbnb user in Manhattan violated local laws when he rented a room to an out-of-towner.

From member station WNYC, Ilya Marritz reports.

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Around the Nation
8:26 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Drummer Waits For Gas, Uses Time Along Highway To Practice

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 9:29 am

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Linda Wertheimer. A drummer in Baltimore pulled off the interstate yesterday, out of gas. So he pulled his drum kit out of the trunk and sat up on the shoulder and played along with traffic. When a state trooper pulled up, drummer boy explained he was just biding his time until help arrived, practicing his chops. He got away without a ticket and with the gift of gas from the highway department. Rock on. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

The Two-Way
8:22 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Top Stories: Oklahoma Recovery; Weiner For NYC Mayor?

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 11:06 am

Good morning, here are our early stories:

-- In Oklahoma, Rescue Efforts Give Way To Recovery.

-- Anthony Weiner Jumps Into Race To Be NYC Mayor.

And here are more early headlines:

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The Two-Way
8:03 am
Wed May 22, 2013

In Oklahoma, Rescue Efforts Give Way To Recovery

Credit Rick Wilking / Reuters /Landov
A teddy bear sits atop some of the rubble in Moore, Okla.

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 8:49 pm

  • On 'Morning Edition': Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin speaks with NPR's David Greene
  • On 'Morning Edition': David Schaper reports from Moore, Okla.

(Most recent update: 8:30 p.m. ET.)

The news Wednesday from Moore, Okla., much of which was destroyed by a massive tornado Monday, begins with word that officials doubt they will find any more survivors or bodies under the hundreds of homes, businesses and other buildings that were leveled.

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The Two-Way
7:57 am
Wed May 22, 2013

Anthony Weiner Jumps Into Race To Be NYC Mayor

Credit Andrew Gombert / EPA /Landov
Former Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., in June 2011 — at the height of the sexting scandal that led to his resignation from Congress.

Originally published on Wed May 22, 2013 11:03 am

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