Environment
2:54 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

Feds Interview New Witnesses In Polar Bear Probe

Credit Paul J. Richards / AFP/Getty Images
Two polar bears spar on the shoreline of the Hudson Bay in November 2007.

Federal agents interviewed new witnesses this week in an ongoing investigation of government scientists that's been called "polar bear-gate," according to the scientists' lawyer.

The controversial probe, now entering its third year, is looking into allegations of scientific misconduct related to a 2006 report by wildlife researchers Charles Monnett and Jeffrey Gleason, who described seeing dead polar bears floating in Arctic waters.

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The Two-Way
2:32 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

No One's Claimed Mega Millions Win, Maryland Lottery Official Says

We still don't know who bought the three winning tickets in Friday's $656 million Mega Millions lottery drawing — one in Illinois, one in Kansas and one in Maryland.

And we still don't know what's going on with Mirlande Wilson, the Maryland woman who has made headlines by claiming to have purchased a big winner, but who hasn't yet provided any proof.

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Shots - Health Blog
2:17 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

Across America, The Grip of Prescription Painkillers Tightens

Credit Sue Ogrocki / AP
Hydrocodone is a key ingredient in the prescription painkiller Vicodin.

Originally published on Sat April 7, 2012 8:58 am

Tens of millions of Americans turn to powerful painkillers to ease their sufferings. But an analysis on the sales of two prescription drugs over a decade is particularly worrisome.

Check out The Associated Press' interactive map at the end of this post. It uses data from the Drug Enforcement Agency to show how sales of oxycodone and hydrocodone ballooned from 2000-10.

You can click on individual states to see which areas had the biggest increases.

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The Two-Way
1:58 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

'Three Cups' Author Mismanaged Charity, Will Repay $1 Million

Credit Central Asia Institute
Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea and Stone Into Schools, with schoolchildren in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan.

The author of Three Cups of Tea has agreed to repay $1 million to a charity he founded, after the Montana Attorney General's office found that he had mismanaged the nonprofit by spending charity money on personal items.

The AP reports that Greg Mortenson misspent Central Asia Institute funds on "family vacations and millions on charter flights."

The AP adds Mortenson pretty much had unchallenged control of the non-profit:

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The Two-Way
1:55 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

'Kill The Head, The Body Will Die,' NFL's Gregg Williams Heard Telling Players

Credit Bill Haber / AP
Gregg Williams, then a coach with the New Orleans Saints, in August 2011.
Economy
1:50 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

Just How Strong Is The Job Market?

Credit Spencer Platt / Getty Images
Job seekers attend a career fair in New York City. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the quick drop in unemployment might have been a reversal of overzealous cutbacks during the financial crisis.

Originally published on Fri April 6, 2012 3:30 am

The monthly employment report Friday could help answer a key question about the economy: Will the recently strong job growth slow once employers finish replacing the people they fired during the depths of the recession?

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U.S.
12:46 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

How Lawyer Got Nation Talking About Trayvon Martin

Credit Roberto Gonzalez / Getty Images
Benjamin Crump (right), the attorney for Trayvon Martin's family, is joined by the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson at a protest in Sanford, Fla., last week. Crump has enlisted the help of prominent civil rights activists to draw attention to the case.

The prosecutor investigating the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., has not yet decided if she will bring charges against the shooter, George Zimmerman.

It took several weeks for the Feb. 26 shooting to draw the nation's attention — after Benjamin Crump, the attorney for Trayvon Martin's family, launched a campaign to get the case before media and civil rights activists nationwide.

Two days after the shooting, the high-profile civil rights attorney started getting calls about the case. "My phone was buzzing," Crump says.

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World Cafe
12:45 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

Latin Roots: Forty Years Of Latin Funk

Credit Courtesy of the artist
Los Amigos Invisibles.

Originally published on Thu April 5, 2012 4:31 pm

On this seventh segment of the Latin Roots series, Josh Norek joins World Cafe to explore the cultural roots of Latin funk — a mix of Latin grooves and Afro-American funk. Norek is the co-host and executive producer of The Latin Alternative, as well as a musician, producer and journalist who currently works for the Latin indie label Nacional Records.

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World Cafe
12:34 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

John K. Samson On World Cafe

Credit Jason Halstead
John K. Samson.

John K. Samson, known for his eloquent lyrics and tenure as the frontman of Canadian indie-rock band The Weakerthans, just released his first solo album. Three years in the making, Provincial arose out of Samson's stated wish to capture the feel — a "musical map" — of three locations in his native Winnipeg.

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The Two-Way
12:18 pm
Thu April 5, 2012

Security Company Says About 600,000 Macs Infected With Trojan Virus

Credit Dr. Web
A map released by Dr. Web shows where the anti-virus software company found infected Macs.

A Russian computer security firm says it has discovered that about 600,000 Apple computers have been infected with a "Flashback Trojan" virus.

Now, before we move on, you should know that the company making the announcement is Dr. Web, which sells anti-virus software that will protect a computer against that kind of virus. It's also important to note that many of the parties weighing in are part of a security community that makes money off selling anti-virus software.

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