U.S.

In North Carolina Wednesday, two half-brothers wrongfully imprisoned for more than 30 years for a murder they did not commit were awarded $750,000 each. They were released last year.

Winning over its 34th member of the Senate, the Obama administration now has enough votes to block Congressional efforts to derail the nuclear deal with Iran. Secretary of State John Kerry also boosted the deal in a speech Wednesday in Philadelphia.

When Congress votes on the deal this month, it will be considered under rules that favor the president, even if his opponents gain a majority.

Ohio will vote this fall on whether to legalize marijuana. The measure allows 10 growing sites; 10 groups of big investors already have dibs. Some would-be pot proponents are crying foul.

A University of California, Berkeley psychologist has found that people can create a map in their heads with scents as location markers. NPR replicates the experiment with a master sommelier, and discovers that olfactory navigation is lot more successful if you have a sophisticated nose.

Pope Francis announced that priests will be able to offer absolution to women who've had an abortion. The policy, in place for a year, is part of a Holy Year of Mercy that starts in December.

The GOP's post-mortem in the wake of the 2012 election suggested the party needed to appeal to Latinos. But the current immigration conversation sparked by Donald Trump could threaten that goal.