News

Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers breaks his bat on a single to right field during a game in June. The rate of such breaks has been cut in half since 2008.

Sports

How Major League Baseball Alleviated Its Broken Bat Problem

6:29pm August 03, 2013

by NPR Staff

In 2008, bats split into pieces once a game on average, posing injury risks to players, umpires and even fans. The issue coincided with a rapid rise in the popularity of maple bats. So Major League Baseball called in a pinch-hitter: the U.S. Forest Service.

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Daniel Ellsberg was a military analyst in 1971 when he released the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret study of U.S. government decision-making in Vietnam.

Pentagon Papers Leaker Daniel Ellsberg Praises Snowden, Manning

4:49pm August 03, 2013

by Scott Neuman

The man who in 1971 went public with the comprehensive study of two decades of U.S. policy in Vietnam spoke with NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday.

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Durbin, Harkin Take On Immigration Critic In His Own District

1:46pm August 03, 2013

by Joyce Russell

Democratic senators Dick Durbin and Tom Harkin went to Republican Rep. Steve King's Iowa district on Friday to refute his statement about "Dreamers" — young people brought to the U.S. by undocumented parents — that even some top Republicans called outrageous.

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As part of its rebranding effort, Greeley has adopted the slogan "Greeley Unexpected," appearing on a billboard on Highway 34 in Weld County, Colo.

National

Cow Town Opts For Funk Over Funky Smell

1:46pm August 03, 2013

by Nathan Heffel

The stench of cattle haunts Greeley, Colo., and that's not doing the tourism industry any favors. The city, long reliant on meatpacking, is desperately trying to shake its image by constructing a new one.

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If you worked here, you'd be worried about losing your employer-funded health insurance contributions.

Congress May Be Getting Its Own Obamacare Glitch Fixed

10:16pm August 02, 2013

by Julie Rovner

The Obama administration says it has solved a thorny issue that threatened the health insurance coverage of more than 10,000 congressional staffers. But critics say the administration is overstepping its legal authority.

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Tommy Peebles shines a light on the pond. With the help of Bick Boyte, the two Tennesseans catch frogs with homemade "gigs" for a frog leg fry they hold every year.

National

The Old Gig: Catching Frogs On Warm Summer Nights

7:05pm August 02, 2013

by Blake Farmer

Summer nights — for a small few in the South — are a time for wading through yucky ponds with a flashlight in one hand and a frog gig in the other. It's a good way to pass the time, hang out with friends, and find some yummy frog legs for a cookout later in the summer.

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Activists from a group called "Third Square," which promotes a middle way in the rift between the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of the army's overthrow of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, shout slogans as they gather to oppose both parties at Sphinx

World News

In Egypt, 'Third Square' Protesters Seek Middle Road

7:05pm August 02, 2013

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

Growing numbers of Egyptians are turning against the generals, politicians and youth group credited with sparking the popular groundswell that led to the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi less than a month ago. Some are joining Third Square, a new movement that's emerged as a result of growing discontent.

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Obama Nominee For IRS Chief Has History With Tough Tasks

6:26pm August 02, 2013

by Brian Naylor

President Obama has nominated John Koskinen as commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. While the president calls him "an expert at turning around institutions in need of reform," Koskinen will likely face tough questions from Republicans during his upcoming confirmation hearings.

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The offshore wind farm in the North Sea near Borkum, Germany, is nearly complete. The Riffgat facility, seen here on June 23, includes 30 turbines, each with a generating capacity of 3.6 megawatts.

Sold! First Parcels Auctioned For Future Offshore Wind Farms

6:01pm August 02, 2013

by Elizabeth Shogren

The federal government held its first ever auction for the right to build offshore wind farms on Wednesday. After 11 rounds, a Rhode Island company was the highest bidder, at $3.8 million.

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Chris Viehland helps her daughter Jenna try on shoes for the new school year at a Famous Footwear store in Fenton, Mo., Aug. 9, 2012.

As Back-To-School Shopping Begins, Consumers May Turn Frugal

6:01pm August 02, 2013

Most economists say this year's back-to-school sales will be slower than last summer's because consumers have been coping with more expensive gasoline and higher payroll taxes. Still, several states are offering tax-free shopping to encourage purchases.

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