NPR News

Tom Perez has been one of the most aggressive advocates for civil rights in decades. He prosecuted a record number of hate crimes cases and got huge settlements from banks that overcharged minorities for home loans. But Republicans say he has questions to answer about a whistle-blower case.

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Tom Perez has been one of the most aggressive advocates for civil rights in decades. He prosecuted a record number of hate crimes cases and got huge settlements from banks that overcharged minorities for home loans. But Republicans say he has questions to answer about a whistle-blower case.

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He beat Angel Cabrera of Argentina in a two-hole playoff after they both made birdies at the 72nd hole Sunday. Scott is the first Australian champion at Augusta National.

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Communications between the Earth and Mars are going on a month-long hiatus, thanks to interference from the sun. That means NASA's spacecraft on Mars will be on their own until NASA's radio signals can reach them again.

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The melting of ice in the northern latitudes is feeding new industries. Among them: speculating for petroleum products where vast amounts of undiscovered oil and natural gas are believed to be, and hunting for mammoth tusks unearthed in the softening tundra.

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Sen. Mitch McConnell is the latest victim in what has become a tradition in American politics. We look back at some of the other politicians whose private dealings were made public.

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Faced with criticism and ridicule, the New York Yankees have yanked a sign touting a "Craft Beer Destination" stand at their stadium, after beer fans noted that all the products are from MillerCoors. At other ballparks, genuine craft beer is easy to find.

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Inmates fought guards at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after authorities decided to end communal housing in one of the prison's camps, and instead put prisoners in individual cells. At least one detainee was reportedly injured by a rubber bullet in the clash Saturday.

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Oh, there's golf at Augusta? We thought it was all about the food. Tea-Time at the Masters is just one example of an enduring form of community-created cookbooks put out by Junior Leagues since the 1920s. These ladies were way ahead of their time.

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A police sergeant in Port Canaveral, Fla., has been fired after he brought targets that were made to resemble Trayvon Martin — a figure in a hooded sweatshirt, holding a can or bottle — to a police target practice session.

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Gordon Cosby is perhaps the most influential pastor you've never heard of. His congregation in Washington, D.C., Church of the Saviour, launched more than 40 different nonprofit groups to help the poor and homeless. Cosby died last month at the age of 95.

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Health officials in China say they've confirmed 11 new bird flu diagnoses, bringing the number of H7N9 infections to 60, according to the official Xinhua news agency. The virus, which began in eastern China, has now sickened at least one person in Beijing, and two in the central province of Henan.

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After weeks of threats from North Korea, some South Koreans turned their attention this weekend away from weapons and toward a new song by the country's global rap star, PSY. On Saturday night the singer unveiled his follow-up single and video to the viral phenomenon, "Gangnam Style," at a sold-out concert.

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Taxpayers have until 11:59 p.m. Monday to get their federal returns filed. If necessary, procrastinators can file for an extension that pushes the filing deadline back to Oct. 15. Read tips on last-minute filing.

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In the coming weeks, the Obama administration will ply host to the leaders of several Middle Eastern nations. They are coming, in part, to register their concerns about the ongoing violence in Syria and to nudge the Obama administration to do more to tip the balance in favor of the rebels trying to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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Tension in the Pennsylvania city continues between new Spanish-speaking immigrants and longtime residents. Longtime residents still struggle with their new neighbors' presence, while others are helping the families become part of the community.

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Forty-five states have adopted the Common Core State Standards. Proponents say these new guidelines will significantly improve what is taught and how students are prepared for college and work. Skeptics say it's a misguided effort to create the first-ever national curriculum and tests.

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At Alice Terry Elementary School in Colorado, a music teacher decided the students should occasionally have a "silent" lunch break. No talking, just listening to live music. Ami Hall says hearing new sounds makes children curious, which then carries over into other subjects.

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"The top priority is diagnosis — the capability to be able to pick up this virus, should it emerge outside of China," says virologist John McCauley. Flu researchers are getting started on creating a vaccine, but there are still many unknowns.

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Big Data is considered a tool for finding correlations amid vast amounts of information. But without the ability to unearth causation, Big Data can only reveal so much.

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