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The Torch

7:21 pm

Wed August 8, 2012

Sarah Attar Becomes Saudi Arabia's First Female Track Olympian

Credit Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images

Sarah Attar of Saudi Arabia walks off the track after competing in the Women's 800m Round 1 Heats.

By editor

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 10:27 am

It's a moment worth noting: Like judoko Wojdan Shaherkani before her, 19-year-old Sarah Attar became Saudi Arabia's first female track Olympian, today.

As Reuters reports, Attar ran the 800 meter heat in a "white head cover, a long-sleeved green top, black leggings" and " luminous green running spikes."

7:13 pm

Wed August 8, 2012

Internet's Cat Obsession Justifies Itself In Cancer Ward

Credit Courtesy of Seattle Children's Hospital

Maga Barzallo Sockemtickem, 16, received a bone-marrow transplant at Seattle Children's Hospital in 2011 for leukemia and returned in July 2012 for follow-up treatment. On July 25, an artist at the hospital set up a cat photo installation in her room.

By editor

Originally published on Thu August 9, 2012 11:06 am

6:41 pm

Wed August 8, 2012

Cue The Tape: How David Barton Sees The World

Credit ERIC GAY / ASSOCIATED PRESS

David Barton in 2004.

By Elise Hu

Credit Kainaz Amaria / NPR

Tanya Ballard Brown is a Southern girl, an editor for NPR.org and a wild dreamer who laughs loudly and often.

As an editor for NPR.org, Tanya collaborates with editors and reporters from the national desk to create compelling Web content that complements radio reports; brainstorms and develops Web-only features; manages online producers, Kroc Fellows and interns; and, line edits stories appearing on the website. Projects she has worked on include the "Dirty Money" series, winner of a Sigma Delta Chi Award for Investigative Reporting, a Scripps Howard National Journalism Award and an Edward R. Murrow award; the "Friday Night Lives" series, winner of an Edward R. Murrow Award; and, "WASP: Women With Wings In WWII," winner of a GRACIE Award.

Tanya is former editor for investigative and long-term projects at washingtonpost.com and during her tenure there coordinated with the print and online newsrooms to develop multimedia content for investigative reports.

She also led production of the 2006 "Being a Black Man" series, which won numerous awards including the Peabody, Scripps Howard National Journalism award, Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism and a regional Emmy award. Other Web projects included "Silent Injustice" and "Walter Reed and Beyond."

A native of Charlotte, N.C., and an alumna of N.C. A&T State University, Tanya is a former congressional fellow with the American Political Science Association. She has been a reporter or editor at GovExec.com/Government Executive magazine, The Tennessean in Nashville and the (Greensboro) News & Record.

In her free time, Tanya spoils her dog Alex, sings show tunes and dreams of being a bass player. Or Sarah Vaughan. Whichever comes first. She lives in Washington, D.C.

All Tech Considered

6:25 pm

Wed August 8, 2012

Text-Talented Or R U All Thumbs?

Next image Previous image

Credit Mary Altaffer / AP

Austin Wierschke, left, of Rhinelander, Wis., and Kent Augustine, of Jamaica, N.Y., compete during the final round of the 2012 LG U.S. National Texting Championship on Wednesday, in New York. Wierschke won the championship for the second time in a row.

Credit Tanya Ballard Brown for NPR

By Tanya Ballard Brown

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 8:38 pm

Back in front of my computer where thankfully I can use more than my thumbs to type, I see that Austin Wierschke of Rhinelander, Wis., grabbed the title again at the competition in New York City this afternoon. He's the first texting competitor to win back-to-back titles.

6:22 pm

Wed August 8, 2012

Obama App Showing Nearby Democrats Has Some Concerned About Privacy

Credit Pro-Publica

A screenshot of the new Obama campaign app.

By editor

Originally published on Thu August 9, 2012 10:20 am

A mobile phone application released by the campaign of President Obama last week has some privacy advocates crying foul.

The app taps publicly available data and allows you see registered Democrats near you. It shows the Democrats' first name, last initial, age and their home address.

6:15 pm

Wed August 8, 2012

Tax Evaders Beware! Money's Getting Harder To Hide

Credit Fabrice Coffrini / AFP/Getty Images

The U.S. government has been working for years to crack down on Americans dodging taxes overseas. In 2009, under intense pressure, the Swiss bank UBS released the names of its American customers.

By Jim Zarroli

Originally published on Thu August 9, 2012 3:51 pm

Listen

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has acknowledged that he had money in a Swiss bank account until 2010. Romney says he wasn't trying to hide the money, since he reported the account to the government.

Even so, he closed the account at a time when the federal government was in the middle of a major crackdown on offshore tax havens — a crackdown that has made it harder for Americans to hide their money overseas.

6:15 pm

Wed August 8, 2012

In Brawl Over Romney's Tax Returns, Harry Reid Gets Marquee Billing

Credit T.J. Kirkpatrick / Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. speaks to the media at the Capitol in March.

By Don Gonyea

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 6:57 pm

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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's decision not to release more of his past tax returns has fueled countless attacks and counterattacks.

The former Massachusetts governor has released his 2010 tax return and promises that his 2011 return is forthcoming. He says that's enough.

But that's not enough for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The result is an increasingly ugly fight.

5:42 pm

Wed August 8, 2012

Murder Trial Of Chinese Politician's Wife Set To Start

Next image Previous image

Credit Reuters/Landov

Gu Kailai, the wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai, will stand trial on charges related to the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood. Here, the couple is shown in 2007 attending Bo's father's funeral.

Credit Kyodo / Reuters/Landov

Gu Kailai and her husband, Bo Xilai, in 2007. Her trial involving the murder of a British businessman begins Thursday.

Credit Reuters/Landov

British businessman Neil Heywood, seen here at a gallery in Beijing last April, was found dead in his Chongqing hotel on Nov. 15, 2011. Heywood had ties to Bo Xilai's family, helping organize the education of son Bo Guagua, who studied at the exclusive British boarding schools Papplewick and Harrow.

By Frank Langfitt

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 7:35 pm

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One of China's biggest criminal trials opens Thursday, and its lurid details make for a sort-of Communist Party film noir. The wife of an ambitious Chinese politician is accused of murdering a British businessman. Her powerful husband allegedly blocks the police investigation, and the police chief, fearing for his life, takes refuge in a U.S. consulate and implicates the wife in the killing.

5:40 pm

Wed August 8, 2012

Poll Shows Voters Split On Presidential Candidates' Tax Returns

By Frank James

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 6:10 pm

About half of those surveyed in a new poll of voters in three swing states thought presidential candidates should release multiple years of their tax returns.

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