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The Salt
10:40 am
Wed October 17, 2012

A New Look For The Salt

Love white space? Hate the busy right rail? Want bigger art and easier access to The Salt from your mobile phone and tablet? We hear you. And as you can see, we've responded.

Welcome to the new, more streamlined look, designed for The Salt and all of NPR's blogs as we move to a responsive web design for a world that's looking to get news and information on the go, in all forms.

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Election 2012
10:06 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Speechwriters Size Up Round 2

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I'm Michel Martin. Was it debate night or fight night? We'll spend some time talking about that today. Later we'll ask our panel of women commentators, our Beauty Shop Roundtable, for their reactions, and we'll ask them about the latest Chanel No. 5 ad featuring - wait for it - Brad Pitt. That's later.

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Shots - Health News
9:56 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Insurance Exchanges Can Aid Some Medicare Beneficiaries

Credit Michael McCloskey / iStockphoto.com
Increasingly, companies are contracting with Medicare exchanges to try to ease the transition for their former employees.

When D. Sloan Hill retired 20 years ago at age 65 from his job in public affairs for a major manufacturing company, his former employer provided a health insurance plan that filled in the gaps in his Medicare coverage. It was a good arrangement--until the end of last year when the company discontinued his private coverage, and Hill had to figure out what to do.

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Krulwich Wonders...
9:44 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Tough Old Lizard To Face Grave Romantic Troubles, Say Scientists

Oh, dear.

First off, this lizard? It's not really a lizard. It's an almost vanished species, a reptile like no other.

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The Two-Way
9:33 am
Wed October 17, 2012

June Trial For George Zimmerman, Accused In Trayvon Martin Death

Credit Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/pool / Getty Images
George Zimmerman, who is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Trayvon Martin, at a court hearing last June in Seminole County, Fla.

"George Zimmerman's murder trial in the death of Trayvon Martin was set for June 10 during a hearing in court this morning," the Orlando Sentinel reports. Attorneys expect the trial will take about three weeks, the newspaper adds.

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It's All Politics
8:51 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Debate Watchers Get A Town Brawl

Credit Liz Halloran / NPR
Debate watchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, check out President Obama's performance Tuesday night.

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 11:27 am

There will be blood.

Or at least a lot of aggressive walking and glaring, vigorous head-shaking and interruptions, all glazed with equal parts feigned respect and visceral distaste.

This season's presidential debates between incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his challenger, Republican Mitt Romney, including Tuesday's engagement, have evolved into base-rousing spectacles of their dislike for each other.

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The Two-Way
7:37 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Presidential Debate Spins 'Binders Full Of Women' Meme, Fact Checks

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 2:34 pm

The Two-Way
6:35 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Lance Armstrong Stepping Down As Livestrong Chairman

Credit Steve Ruark / AP
Lance Armstrong competes in the Rev3 Half Full Triathalon Sunday in Ellicott City, Md. Armstrong joined other cancer survivors in the event, which raised funds for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 2:43 pm

Cyclist Lance Armstrong is stepping down from his role as chairman of the cancer-awareness charity Livestrong, the organization said in a press release today. (Update at 8:34 a.m. Separately, Nike dropped its sponsorship of Armstrong.)

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The Two-Way
5:59 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Rare Earthquake Rattles New England

Credit USGS
A map from the USGS. The yellow represents the areas that felt the earthquake the most.

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 6:37 am

A rare 4.0 magnitude earthquake rattled New England, last night. While some of our readers on the West Coast would barely even blink with such a shake, it caused confusion and consternation for many around the epicenter about 30 miles outside of Portland, Maine.

The Bangor Daily News reports that the largest earthquake to strike the region measured 5.1 and it happened in 1904.

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It's All Politics
5:49 am
Wed October 17, 2012

A Stronger Showing At Hofstra, But Ghost Of Denver Still Haunts Obama

Credit Charles Dharapak / AP
President Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney participate in the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., on Tuesday.

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 10:42 am

President Obama beat at least one of his adversaries on the stage at Hofstra University last night. He easily outperformed that guy — whoever he was — who debated against former Gov. Mitt Romney two weeks ago in Denver.

That much was obvious — and necessary for the president. The question now is whether it will be sufficient to restore his momentum in the race itself.

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World
5:32 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Mongolia To Sell Last Lenin Statue

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 6:31 am

In 1990, a bloodless revolution brought down the Communist government of Mongolia,and their memorials to communist heroes were destroyed or sold for scrap. But one remaining statue of Lenin is being sold at auction.

Around the Nation
5:18 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Birth Control Pills For Squirrels?

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 6:31 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

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Latin America
2:47 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Cuba To Lift Travel Restrictions But Not For All

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 6:31 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

After controlling the comings and goings of its citizens for 50 years, Cuba is relaxing its grip. The government announced it would eliminate the exit visa requirements. That announcement has been welcomed by many there, but as Nick Miroff reports from Havana, not all Cubans will be treated equally when the new immigration rules take effect in January.

NICK MIROFF, BYLINE: Cuban broadcasters read the announcement word-for-word on state television, just in case there were some who wouldn't have believed it otherwise.

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