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Latin America
5:55 pm
Thu April 12, 2012

Some Latin Leaders Want New Approach To Drug War

When President Obama travels to Colombia this weekend for the Summit of the Americas, he'll be stepping into a vigorous debate about the drug war that could be awkward for the United States.

Some Latin American leaders, who also happen to be strong U.S. allies, say the American-sponsored war on drugs is failing and that new options need to be considered.

One proposal they want to discuss is legalizing some drugs — a move the U.S. strongly opposes.

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Around the Nation
1:00 pm
Thu April 12, 2012

Cities — But Not Their Citizens — Really Are Meaner

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JENNIFER LUDDEN, HOST:

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On Aging
1:00 pm
Thu April 12, 2012

Couples Can Conflict Over When To Retire

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JENNIFER LUDDEN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Jennifer Ludden, in Washington. Neal Conan is away. Baby boomers are the first generation with large numbers of dual-earner couples heading into retirement. That means negotiating the golden years is all the more complicated. Now there are two careers, two hard-earned nest eggs and quite possibly two competing visions of how and when to retire.

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Around the Nation
1:00 pm
Thu April 12, 2012

Do I Freak You Out? Living With Physical Scars

Credit iStockphoto.com
Approach a person with an obvious physical difference like a child might — openly, and with compassion, says writer Mary Elizabeth Williams.

"Do I freak you out?" It's a question that haunts writer Mary Elizabeth Williams and others whom she describes as "physically different, in ways both small and large."

Williams' surgery to remove cancer more than a year ago left a 5 centimeter bald spot on the back of her head. She doesn't mind it — it's a badge of survival — but her daughter, Beatrice, fusses about it from time to time.

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Law
1:00 pm
Thu April 12, 2012

Legal Strategies And 'Stand Your Ground' Cases

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JENNIFER LUDDEN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Jennifer Ludden, in Washington. Neal Conan is away. The man who Florida police first declined to arrest now faces second-degree murder charges for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. George Zimmerman claims he is not guilty under Florida's Stand Your Ground law, which allows for the use of force in self-defense.

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World
12:00 pm
Thu April 12, 2012

Will Americas' Summit Signal Shift In Drug War?

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VIVIANA HURTADO, HOST:

This is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I'm Viviana Hurtado. Michel Martin is away.

Coming up, the new TV drama, "Scandal," follows the life of a Washington fixer who helps politicians and celebrities survive scandals. We'll talk to Judy Smith, the real life crisis manager who is the inspiration behind the show.

But first, we turn to Colombia. More than 30 government leaders, including President Obama, are meeting this weekend in the coastal city of Cartagena. It's the sixth Summit of the Americas.

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Television
12:00 pm
Thu April 12, 2012

Judy Smith, Real Life Inspiration Behind 'Scandal'

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VIVIANA HURTADO, HOST:

Next, we'll hear from a woman whose ability to manage even the most headline-grabbing scandal has earned her the respect of CEOs, celebrities and heads of states. And now it's made her famous.

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Movie Interviews
11:01 am
Thu April 12, 2012

'Chico & Rita': An Animated Film With A Cuban Beat

The animated film Chico and Rita is set in 1940s Havana, at a time when Cuban musicians were starting to leave the country and join the jazz scene in New York. It was also a time when musical styles were fusing — and changing the Afro-Cuban jazz scene entirely.

The film tells the story of Chico, one of the best piano players in Havana, and Rita, his sultriest singer. They're lovers, and eventually their migration takes them past New York to Paris — criss-crossing continents to make music while struggling to keep themselves and their relationship afloat.

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The Two-Way
10:35 am
Thu April 12, 2012

Trayvon's Mother Wants Justice, But Also Believes Death 'Was An Accident'

Update at 1:15 p.m. ET, April 13: Since we first published this post, Sybrina Fulton has gone on other news programs to clarify her comments. We have a new post here, headlined "Trayvon's Mother: Encounter Was An Accident, Shooting Was Not."

Our original post:

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Around the Nation
10:31 am
Thu April 12, 2012

Sue Me? Not A Chance This Year

Credit Shen Hong / Xinhua /Landov
In Iowa, cutbacks in the state's judicial staff have led to long waits for retrieving documents from courthouses like this one in Muscatine.

If you feel like suing somebody, you'd better be patient.

Due to state budget woes, courts all across the country are cutting back on personnel and the number of hours or even days that they're open. That's causing long delays, especially when it comes to civil litigation.

"There's no question that there's been a pretty devastating impact in lots of states in how we deliver services," says Kevin Burke, president of the American Judges Association.

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