Youth Radio
5:25 pm
Mon October 22, 2012

Teen Debaters Parse Candidates' Style And Substance

Credit Jenny Bolario/YouthRadio for NPR
Young debaters at the Bay Area Urban Debate League in Oakland, Calif., say that there are a lot of differences between the way that they debate the issues and what they see the presidential candidates doing on debate nights.

The high school debaters at the Bay Area Urban Debate League get together every week in downtown Oakland, Calif., to hone their arguments and debating styles. But the young debaters have had a chance during the recent presidential debates to see how it's done on the national stage.

They watch with pen and worksheet, taking notes and analyzing the candidates' debating styles, hoping to glean some lessons from the pros.

There is a lot for these young debaters to observe and compare, but they have also noticed some key differences.

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Around the Nation
5:21 pm
Mon October 22, 2012

For Ex-Felons, Limited Rights Mean A Future On Hold

Credit Michael Ciaglo / News21
Former felon Vikki Hankins has been fighting for civil rights for convicts for years. After applying to have her own civil rights restored in 2008, 2009 and 2011, Hankins was recently informed that she will not be eligible to apply again until 2017.

Vikki Hankins wants nothing more in the world than to have her civil rights restored. Hankins, 43, lost the right to vote — and many others — when she went to a federal prison for selling cocaine in December 1990. She spent almost two decades behind bars for her crime.

Today, Hankins is an author and an undergrad who dreams of going to law school. She got out of prison four years ago and quickly applied to have her rights — like voting, serving on a jury and becoming a lawyer — restored.

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3rd Congressional District Race
5:03 pm
Mon October 22, 2012

Congressional Candidates Debate Federal Deficit, Farm Bill

Two long-shot contenders for Louisiana's Third Congressional District seat were the only candidates to attend a debate Monday at the Baton Rouge Press Club.

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The Two-Way
5:00 pm
Mon October 22, 2012

Lawmakers Demand Update On 'Fast And Furious' Personnel

Originally published on Mon October 22, 2012 5:01 pm

Two Republican lawmakers investigating the botched gun trafficking operation known as Fast and Furious say they aren't finished yet.

In a letter obtained by NPR, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., are demanding an update on personnel actions taken by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives after a lengthy investigation by Congress and the Justice Department inspector general.

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All Tech Considered
4:50 pm
Mon October 22, 2012

European Union Protests Google's New Privacy Policy

Credit Jeff J. Mitchell / Getty Images
In this photo illustration, the Google logo is seen through a pair of glasses in Glasgow, Scotland. The European Union says a change in Google's privacy policy is a breach of European privacy law.

Originally published on Tue October 23, 2012 5:53 pm

Parisian dance professor Charlotte King says she needs Google for her job and life, but she doesn't trust the world's top Web search engine.

"When I'm doing some research, the day after I have some proposition of products, of stores, of places, and it's really espionage. I was spied on. I don't want that. It's unacceptable," King says.

That viewpoint resonates in Europe. The European Union says a recent change in Google's privacy policy that allows it to combine and share data collected from all of its different services is a breach of European privacy law.

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The Two-Way
4:39 pm
Mon October 22, 2012

Former CIA Officer Expected To Plead Guilty In Leak Case

Credit Jacquelyn Martin / AP
Former CIA officer John Kiriakou (right), accompanied by his attorney, John Hundley, leaving federal court in Alexandria, Va., last January.

Originally published on Tue October 23, 2012 11:11 am

Update at 11:35 a.m. ET, Oct. 23:

Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, as expected, pleaded guilty this morning to revealing an undercover operative's identity.

According to The Associated Press:

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The Two-Way
4:23 pm
Mon October 22, 2012

Great Caesar's Ghost! Clark Kent Quits 'Daily Planet'

Credit Hulton Archive / Getty Images
Back in the day, Clark and Lois were news hounds. Would they be bloggers today? (George Reeves and Noel Neill, from the television series Adventures of Superman, circa 1955)

Originally published on Mon October 22, 2012 4:53 pm

Another reporter has quit the mainstream news business because he thinks there's too much emphasis on entertainment rather than old-fashioned reporting:

"In Superman issue 13, the Man of Steel's alter ego, mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent, quits the Metropolis newspaper that has been his employer since the DC Comics superhero's earliest days in 1940," USA Today says.

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Presidential Race
4:12 pm
Mon October 22, 2012

How Big Should The U.S. Navy Be?

Credit Toni Burton / AP
Navy mine countermeasure ships line up in August to conduct a replenishment-at-sea during Middle East Gulf naval exercises in this photo provided by the U.S. Navy, 5th Fleet.

Originally published on Mon October 22, 2012 5:25 pm

In many of his campaign speeches, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney likes to chide the Obama administration for cutting military spending. And Romney says one force in particular is suffering from a lack of resources.

"The size of our Navy is at levels not seen since 1916," he says in many of his stump speeches. Romney promises to rebuild the Navy until it reaches 350 ships. But does a bigger Navy make the U.S. more secure?

Echoes Of Reagan

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The Two-Way
3:50 pm
Mon October 22, 2012

Tibetan Farmer Is Eighth Protester To Self-Immolate This Month

The Tibetan Labrang Monastery in Gansu, northwestern China, is normally a place of tranquility. Now, it is also known for tragedy. Early this morning, a Tibetan farmer known as Dhondup headed to Labrang to perform the Buddhist ritual of walking around the monastery in prayer. Near the prayer hall inside the gold-roofed monastery, Dhondup lit himself ablaze in protest of Chinese rule in Tibet.

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The Diane Rehm Show

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