10:55am

Thu March 15, 2012
The Two-Way

'Star Rabbit' Dies When Photographer Takes Wrong Step

Credit Uwe Meinhold / AP

He's "like James Dean, a star dead before his time," according to The Local.

Spiegel Online says "the future had looked so bright for tiny Til."

Global Post somberly says that "an attempt to show a rare rabbit on TV took a tragic turn."

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10:15am

Thu March 15, 2012
The Two-Way

Report Slams Sen. Stevens' Prosecutors

Credit Alex Wong / Getty Images

In a "blistering" 500-page report released this morning a special prosecutor concludes that Justice Department lawyers "intentionally withheld" information that could have bolstered then-Sen. Ted Stevens' defense during the Alaska Republican's 2008 trial on corruption charges, NPR's Carrie Johnson tells us.

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9:31am

Thu March 15, 2012
It's All Politics

Thursday Political Grab Bag: Obama And UK's Cameron Showcase Unity

Credit Susan Walsh / AP

In the wake of the alleged killing of Afghan civilians by a U.S. soldier, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he wants all NATO troops moved onto existing large bases and a faster handover of security responsibilities to his nation's forces. This dovetails with growing opinion in the U.S. that the withdrawal of American troops happen sooner than scheduled.

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8:58am

Thu March 15, 2012
Shots - Health Blog

Mississippi Builds Insurance Exchange, Even As It Fights Health Law

Originally published on Fri March 16, 2012 9:24 am

Credit iStockphoto.com

Mississippi, a deeply red Southern state that is part of the Supreme Court case against the health law, is moving full speed ahead with one of the key provisions of that law: an online health insurance exchange.

Unlike Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and other conservative states in the South, Mississippi is well on its way to having an insurance exchange ready for operation by the 2014 deadline laid out by the health overhaul law.

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8:42am

Thu March 15, 2012
It's All Politics

Obama's Unofficial Ambassador To The Middle Class — V.P. Biden — Hits Ohio

Credit Phil Sears / AP

Vice President Joe Biden wears a lot of different hats in the Obama administration. He's a longtime Senate insider who can negotiate with Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. He's a foreign policy veteran who helped to lead the transition in Iraq.

And one other thing to keep in mind, whenever there's idle political gossip about replacing Biden on the ticket with Hillary Cinton: He serves as a kind of White House ambassador to the middle class.

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8:38am

Thu March 15, 2012
The Two-Way

Jobless Claims Fell By 15,000 Last Week

There was a 14,000 decline in the number of people filing first-time claims for unemployment insurance last week, the Employment and Training Administration just reported:

"In the week ending March 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 351,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 365,000. The 4-week moving average was 355,750, unchanged from the previous week's revised average of 355,750."

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8:25am

Thu March 15, 2012
The Two-Way

Priest Defends Denying Communion To Lesbian Mourner

Credit Saeed Khan / AFP/Getty Images

The priest who was put on administrative leave by the Archdiocese of Washington following a much-talked-about incident in which he denied communion to a lesbian woman attending her mother's funeral, has issued a long defense of his action and has said the church isn't being candid about the reason for its decision to put him on leave.

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7:25am

Thu March 15, 2012
The Two-Way

Afghans Object, U.S. Officials Defend Decision To Move Massacre Suspect

Credit Scott Olson / Getty Images
  • Tom Bowman
  • Larry Abramson speaks with Renee Montagne

The news that the U.S. Army staff sergeant who is suspected of murdering 16 Afghan civilians has been moved to a detention facility in Kuwait is sparking some small protests in Afghanistan.

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4:00am

Thu March 15, 2012
Asia

China Removes Flamboyant Politician From Post

Credit Feng Li / Getty Images

In a moment of high political drama, China has removed flamboyant politician Bo Xilai from his post as party secretary of the major southern city of Chongqing. The sacking comes as Beijing approaches a once-in-a-decade power transition this fall, offering a glimpse of the Machiavellian political struggle behind the scenes.

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Gary Pitts is a music loving outdoorsman who coincidentally loves outdoor music. He is a student at Murray State pursuing a music minor to complement his history major. Gary is a member of the MSU Guitar Ensemble and greatly enjoys the Latin grooves he and the other ensemble members get throw down on. When he is not producing news, jamming on his guitar, or pursuing music history research, he is usually canoeing or biking somewhere in nature with his wife Siobian.

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