People gather on St. Peter's square to hear Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican Sunday. The Vatican has hired Fox News correspondent Greg Burke to advise its press office.
Seeking to modernize and widen its dealings with the media, the Vatican has hired Fox News Channel's Rome correspondent to advise its press office. The move will put journalist Greg Burke, who is also a member of Opus Dei, into a new role working with Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi.
For NPR's Newscast desk, Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome:
"Greg Burke, 52, has been with Fox 10 years, and he'll be the first Vatican communications expert with experience outside the world of Catholic media.
Starting next week, any health insurer licensed in Georgia can sell policies it offers in other states to Georgians. That includes policies that don't meet minimum standards for coverage in Georgia.
They'll be OK for sale under a new state law that aims to increase competition and lower prices for health insurance in the state.
It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.
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It's been a busy morning at the Supreme Court. Justices released several opinions, including a ruling on Arizona's controversial immigration law aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration. That law gave police broad powers to stop suspected illegal immigrants and demand their papers, but civil rights groups said it went too far and gave states too much authority over immigration policy.
Markets in the port city of Soma, in Fukushima, Japan, are once again selling local seafood. In this file photo, volunteers help clean up a Soma seafood restaurant damaged in last March's tsunami and earthquake.
Seafood markets in Fukushima, Japan, are being stocked with locally caught products again, as officials seek to reintroduce local fare in the area that was hit by an earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear meltdown in March of 2011.
Ten current and retired postal workers began a four-day hunger strike today to protest Congress' interference with the United States' Postal Service.
Specifically, the activists want lawmakers to kill a requirement that the service pre-pay its retiree health care and benefits fund and to approve a refund of surplus pension contributions.
"Not the Internet, not the recession, not private competition, Congress is killing the postal service," Community and Postal Workers United wrote in a statement.
Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock sought to prevent the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision from being used to strike down a state law restricting corporate campaign spending. On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected Bullock's argument, holding that "there can be no serious doubt" that Citizens United applies to Montana law.
Originally published on Mon June 25, 2012 12:51 pm
The state of Montana has lost a closely watched bid to challenge Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that lets corporations deploy their money to help or attack specific candidates.
Citizens United dramatically loosened the restraints on corporate involvement in political campaigns. It also set strict new limits on what's considered "corruption or the appearance of corruption" when it comes to restricting money in politics.
Venus Williams stretches for a return in her first-round defeat to Russia's Elena Vesnina on the first day of the Wimbledon Championships. For Williams, 32, it was her earliest exit from Wimbledon in 15 years.
Venus Williams has lost in the first round of the Wimbledon Championships, a striking defeat for the five-time winner of the grass-court tournament. She lost to Elena Vesnina of Russia in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, after failing to establish her serve.
"I have to give credit to her," Williams said. "She made hardly any errors and served well."
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan fired his defense minister and national security adviser, saying the government needs new tactics to counter the militant Islamist group, Boko Haram. They have been blamed for sparking strife in parts of northern Nigeria last week. Host Michel Martin speaks with Al Jazeera English's Yvonne Ndege.
