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As fighting between the Syrian military and rebel fighters rages, concerns are growing about how the regime of President Bashar Assad might react if it becomes convinced it's about to lose power.

One theory involves the establishment of a breakaway region dominated by Syria's Alawite minority — which includes the Assad family — in the northwestern coastal mountains. Analysts say this would be a disaster both for Assad and the region, but it can't be completely ruled out.

A report released Monday by Senate Democrats says for-profit colleges exploit students with aggressive recruiting tactics, high tuition and low graduation rates. The report says some schools set tuition based on the level of government grants or raised the price for some courses if the school was not making enough profit on them. The report is the culmination of a two-year investigation.

The man accused in the Colorado theater shooting faces a total of 142 charges — including 24 counts of first degree murder. James Holmes was in court again on Monday. Colorado Public Radio's Megan Verlee was there and speaks with Audie Cornish.

In 2007, Eastman Chemical began marketing a tough new BPA-free plastic called Tritan. Business was good, says Lucian Boldea, a vice president at Eastman.

"We were able to make the statement that our product is not made with BPA and would release data to consumers to support that fact," he says.

Speaking from Israel on Sunday, presumptive GOP nominee for president Mitt Romney said that he would respect the nation's "right to defend itself" against Iran. He said the United States also has "a solemn duty and a moral imperative" to prevent Iran from creating nuclear weapons.

Romney's trip and his speech are typical of presidential candidates, who every four years work to outdo one another when it comes to credentials on Israel and U.S. relations with the Jewish state.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has a compelling life story that would add some sizzle to Mitt Romney's White House bid. But some worry he might not be a safe choice for vice president on the GOP ballot. One concern is his age. Jindal is 41 but some think he looks even younger than that, and that could be a problem at the polls. NPR's Jeff Brady originally reported this story on Morning Edition.

Something is happening when it comes to religion in America.

Though more Americans go to church or believe in God than their counterparts in virtually every other Western country, fewer Americans now trust religious institutions. A recent Gallup poll showed that just 44 percent of Americans have a great deal of confidence in "the church or organized religion."