Don't Ask, Don't Tell; Oil Cleanup; National ID Cards?; Housing Market; 'Sex and the City 2'

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Friday, May 28, 2010

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' moves closer to repeal; questions and answers about dealing with the millions of gallons of crude oil floating in the Gulf; Britain to scrap a national ID card as American lawmakers consider one here; updates on the housing market; 'Sex and the City 2': offensively bad, or goofy good fun?

Top of the Hour: Repealing 'DADT', Headlines

We talk to a gay service member about what the repeal means; headlines.

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Gay Service Members on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 16-12 on Thursday evening to allow the Pentagon to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell - the law that forbids gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemen and women from serving openly.

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Cleanup Stalls as BP Halts 'Top Kill'

Yesterday, BP temporarily halted its "top kill" approach to capping the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. According to reports, the drilling fluid was escaping into the water along with the crude oil. Drilling was expected to resume by midnight. We get an updated from Chris Kirkham, a reporter with the Times-Picayune in New Orleans.

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LA Lakers Triumph in Close Game

It was a big night for basketball. The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns 103-101 in game five of the Western Conference finals of the NBA Playoffs to take a 3-2 series lead. The Takeaway’s sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin tells us what made the game so close, and what to expect when the teams meet again for game 6 in Phoenix. He also gives us an update on where NBA star Lebron James may be headed.

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Is the Gulf Oil Spill Obama's Katrina?

Amid criticisms about slow response times and an unclear chain of command, the question has been asked, "Is This Obama's Katrina?"  In a press conference yesterday - his first since the gulf oil leak five weeks ago - President Obama sent a clear message: I take responsibility.  This is my job.  And things should have moved faster.

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Trains Collide in India, Killing 65

At least 65 people were killed and more than 200 were injured when two trains collided in the Indian state of West Bengal. A passenger train was traveling from Calcutta to Kurla near Mumbai when five of its carriages were thrown into the path of a goods train coming in the opposite direction. State police said Maoist rebels had sabotaged the line. The BBC's Dehli correspondent, Sanjoy Majumder has the details.

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Celebrity Financial Advisor Charged With Defrauding Clients $30 Million

Kenneth Starr, financial advisor to Hollywood celebrities like Wesley Snipes and Sylvester Stallone has been charged with defrauding his clients of $30 million since 2008.

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'Sex and the City 2': Good or Bad for Women?

Carrie and "the girls" are back in 'Sex and the City 2.' There's shopping, there's sex, there's Mr. Big, and there's expensive fashion in the latest chick-flick from the SATC franchise, which women have been patiently awaiting for two years. But, is this movie good or bad for the women who are watching it?

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Top of the Hour: Oil Spill Update, Morning Headlines

Director of the New America Foundation's Energy Policy Initiative, Lisa Margonelli on the spill; headlines.

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Experts Answer Your Questions About Oil Spill

As we learn more about the BP oil leak, there's more that doesn't make sense. It's been almost six weeks since the explosion, which caused the disastrous gusher in the Gulf of Mexico, and many of the public's questions are still unanswered.

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Bracing for a Harsh Hurricane Season in the Gulf

Hurricane season begins next week and the government’s top weather agency is predicting it may be the most intense since 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.

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Royal Dutch Shell to Buy Pennsylvania Natural Gas Company

While oil is subject to environmental disasters and oscillating prices, the prices of natural gas remains relatively cheap and seemingly less risky. This morning, Royal Dutch Shell announced plans to buy Pennsylvania's East Resources Inc., one of the biggest explorers of a natural gas field that stretches from New York to West Virginia.

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Is There Hope for the Housing Market?

Home sales beat expectations in April, in part due to a now-expired homebuyer tax credit and low mortgage rates. Sales of previously owned homes rose 7.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.77 million, according to a report out this week by the National Association of Realtors. And mortgage rates have dropped to their lowest point so far this year, according to loan giant Freddie Mac. So is the housing market finally recovering?

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The Return of the Drugstore Cowboy

Twenty-one years ago, Gus Van Sant brought the story of James Fogle, the narcotics-stealing "Drugstore Cowboy," to the screen. This week, Fogle, now 73-years-old, was arrested again - for robbing a pharmacy.

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Mosque Attack Leaves 70 Dead in Lahore

An attack in Lahore, Pakistan has left more than 70 dead after gunmen opened fire on two mosques during prayers. The attacks targeted the Ahmedi community, a minority sect that suffers harsh discrimination in Pakistan. The BBC's Aleem Maqbool details the story.

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Start the Conversation: Who Will You Memorialize on Memorial Day?

People across America will take advantage of an extra vacation day this weekend. Many will also be paying their respects to the men and women who have died serving their country in the U.S. military. Some also take the chance to remember people outside of the military who have been important to them. We're asking listeners, who will you memorialize this Memorial Day? Tell us who, and why

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