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Shots - Health Blog
2:30 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

Worst Of West Nile Epidemic Appears To Be Over

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Technicians with the Contra Costa County Mosquito and Vector Control District spray insecticide in Brentwood, Calif., last month. Workers fogged areas of the county that had an increase in the numbers of mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus.

The numbers for West Nile virus cases continue to rise, up 35 percent in the last week. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is confident the nation has turned the corner on its worst-ever epidemic of West Nile virus disease.

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Shots - Health Blog
2:23 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

Portland, Ore., Becomes Latest Fluoride Battleground

Credit Ross William Hamilton / The Oregonian/AP
Demonstrator China Starshine holds up signs outside of City Hall in Portland last week.

Originally published on Wed September 12, 2012 2:58 pm

Over jeers and cheers from the audience, commissioners on the Portland, Ore., City Council voted Wednesday to add fluoride to the city's drinking water starting in 2014.

Portland is the largest American city that doesn't add fluoride to its drinking water. But some groups have raised questions about the possible risks from fluoridation and oppose its use.

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Economy
2:10 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

Poverty Rate Unchanged, But Still Historically High

Credit Spencer Platt / Getty Images
A child waits with a box of food at a mobile food bank in Oswego, N.Y., in June. New census data show that 46.2 million people in the U.S. lived below the poverty line last year.

Originally published on Wed September 12, 2012 6:45 pm

The U.S. poverty rate last year was unchanged from the year before, according to new figures Wednesday from the Census Bureau. But that still means almost 1 in 6 Americans was poor.

The new data show that 46.2 million people in the U.S. lived below the poverty line — about $23,000 for a family of four. The number of poor was almost exactly the same as it was the year before, but still historically high.

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Religion
2:10 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

Anti-Islam Film May Be Connected To Libya Attack

Originally published on Wed September 12, 2012 2:58 pm

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

We're going to hear more now about the film that was, at least in part, the catalyst for the violence in Libya, as well as protests in Egypt. Some news outlets are saying the filmmaker has gone into hiding.

As NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports, very few people have actually seen the supposed two-hour movie, if it exists at all.

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Presidential Race
2:10 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

Romney Criticizes Obama's Response To Libya Attack

Originally published on Wed September 12, 2012 2:58 pm

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

It didn't take long for the attacks in Benghazi and Cairo to become part of the presidential campaign. Mitt Romney jumped in first. In a statement last night before Ambassador Stevens' death had been announced, Romney accused President Obama of sympathizing with those who waged the assault. The Obama campaign responded, saying it was shocked that Romney would launch a, quote, "political attack" at this moment. And the politics have continued today as NPR's Mara Liasson reports.

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NPR Story
1:47 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

Sharp Differences Dull U.S. Influence On Euro Crisis

Originally published on Wed September 12, 2012 2:58 pm

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

The eurozone crisis has weighed heavily on the global economy and it will remain a central foreign-policy challenge for President Obama or Mitt Romney, whichever man wins in November. The Obama administration has repeatedly urged eurozone countries to shift their focus from austerity to growth. This week, we're focusing on foreign policy issues facing the next administration.

And NPR's Sylvia Poggioli has this story on the eurozone.

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NPR Story
1:47 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

New Politics Emerge In Aurora, Colo., After Shooting

Originally published on Wed September 12, 2012 2:58 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish.

The deadly movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado has become a key issue in at least two tight congressional races in that battleground state. Since the attacks, two Democratic candidates - running in districts in and around Aurora - have called for stricter gun laws. But Republicans have accused them of trying to politicize the tragedy.

From member station KUNC, Kirk Siegler reports.

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NPR Story
1:47 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

Facebook Could Be Powerful Tool In Targeting Voters

Originally published on Wed September 12, 2012 2:58 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

Every election season Republicans and Democrats tried to rally their base and to go after undecided voters. They're increasingly using the Internet in Get Out The Vote efforts.

NPR correspondent Shankar Vedantam, who reports on social science research, joins me now to talk about how Facebook could become a potent weapon in going after the biggest untapped voting bloc in the nation. Shankar, welcome.

SHANKAR VEDANTAM, BYLINE: Hi, Melissa.

BLOCK: Who are these mystery voters, this untapped voting bloc that we mentioned?

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Planet Money
1:09 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

Can You Patent Yoga Pants?

Credit USPTO

Originally published on Fri September 14, 2012 11:38 am

The WSJ reports:

The fashion industry's latest hope for protecting its designs may hang on a slimming pair of yoga pants.

Yoga-apparel maker Lululemon Athletica Inc. is accusing fashion house Calvin Klein Inc. of infringing on design patents for its popular $98 "Astro Pant" in a legal battle that could provide new ammunition for the industry to wield against copycats while bolstering Lululemon's dominant position in high-end yoga apparel.

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The Two-Way
12:44 pm
Wed September 12, 2012

Syrian Documentary Producer Orwa Nyrabia Is Freed; Was Arrested Two Weeks Ago

A Syrian documentary film producer whose disappearance two weeks ago prompted concerns for his safety and a letter of support from the Toronto International Film Festival is now free, according to reports.

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