1:00am

Thu January 26, 2012
Movies

'Beasts Of The Southern Wild' Shines At Sundance

Originally published on Thu January 26, 2012 2:27 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The Sundance Film Festival wraps up this weekend in Park City, Utah. Movies and more movies have been on offer at the gathering, famously backed by Robert Redford. Our own Kenneth Turan is taking it all in and joined us from member station KPCW in Park City.

Good morning.

KENNETH TURAN, BYLINE: Morning, Renee.

MONTAGNE: Well, let us begin with the dramatic films. What stands out for you this year?

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1:00am

Thu January 26, 2012
NPR Story

Spanish-Speaking Vote Up For Grabs In Florida

Cuban-Americans are an important part of the Republican presidential electorate in Florida. Both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have reached out to these voters in Spanish-language TV and radio ads. Romney, in particular, has racked up many endorsements from prominent Cuban-American political figures.

1:00am

Thu January 26, 2012
NPR Story

On The Road, Obama Pushes U.S. Energy, Manufacturing

Originally published on Thu January 26, 2012 3:35 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep.

Take a map of the United States and stick pins in every state President Obama visits this week, and you would have a partial picture of how he hopes to win re-election. The president is visiting states he hopes to win this fall.

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12:08am

Thu January 26, 2012
Politics

Today on Your Call: The standoff between Iran, Israel, and the West

On today's Your Call, we’ll have conversation about the recent rounds of sanctions on Iran. In response, Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz through which 20 percent of global oil supplies pass. How are the sanctions impacting Iran’s economy? Join us at 10 or email feedback@yourcallradio.org. How alarming is the standoff between Iran and the West? It’s Your Call with Rose Aguilar, and you.

Guests:

Kaveh Ehsani, assistant Professor of International Studies at DePaul University 

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9:01pm

Wed January 25, 2012
Business

To Grow Business, Starbucks Thinks Outside The Cup

Credit Ted S. Warren / AP

Just four years ago, Starbucks seemed to be losing its mojo. Howard Schultz, the man who made Starbucks a household name, returned to the company as CEO. He closed hundreds of stores, streamlined operations and set the company on a path to record revenues and strong profits.

Starbucks serves 60 million beverages a week, which adds up to big profits. The company reports its earnings Thursday. In a bid to further expand its consumer base, Starbucks has a new roast and plans to produce more retail products to sell outside of its coffeehouses.

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9:01pm

Wed January 25, 2012
Business

Quiznos Gives Up Control To Stave Off Bankruptcy

Credit Rob Kim / Landov

Quiznos narrowly avoided bankruptcy this week when the sandwich chain shifted ownership to private equity firm Avenue Capital in exchange for erasing some debt.

The recession and poor management have hit the Denver-based sub-maker hard. The company once boasted more than 5,000 restaurants, but 40 percent of them have now shut their doors.

Andre Bonyadian owns nine Quiznos franchises in and around Los Angeles.

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9:01pm

Wed January 25, 2012
Middle East

For Turkish Journalists, Arrest Is A Real Danger

Originally published on Thu January 26, 2012 8:42 am

In the wake of the Arab Spring, some Muslims in North Africa are looking across the Mediterranean to Turkey as a potential model of a state that can be modern, Islamic and democratic.

But some analysts in the region say that model is flawed, and they are questioning Turkey's human-rights record and its dealings with the press.

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9:01pm

Wed January 25, 2012
Space

Want To Make A Giant Telescope Mirror? Here's How

Originally published on Wed May 23, 2012 8:05 am

The world's largest mirrors for the world's largest telescopes are made under the football stadium at the University of Arizona.

Why there? Why not?

"We wanted some space, and it was just used for parking some cars, and this seemed like a good use," says Roger Angel.

Angel is the master of making big mirrors for telescopes. For 30 years he has been using a method called spin casting to make the largest solid telescope mirrors in the world.

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9:01pm

Wed January 25, 2012
Planet Money

No, Hedge Funds Can't Foreclose On The Acropolis

Originally published on Mon May 7, 2012 9:12 am

Credit DIMITAR DILKOFF / AFP/Getty Images

Greece is broke. But there's no blueprint for a country to declare bankruptcy, so Greece's creditors are sort of making things up as they go along.

"You're taking some sort of loss," Hans Humes of Greylock Capital Management told me. "But it's like, how much of a loss do you take? There's this thing called sovereign immunity. You can't go in and take the Acropolis."

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9:01pm

Wed January 25, 2012
Middle East

Growing Pressures Prompt Plunge In Iranian Currency

The value of Iran's currency — which had been sliding steadily for months — took another plunge this week. Faced with new economic sanctions from the U.S. and Europe, the rial now seems to be in free fall.

But at least part of the dive could be linked to currency manipulation by the government itself in an effort to fund candidates in upcoming elections.

In images posted on the Internet, hundreds of Iranians are seen gathered outside the headquarters of the Bank Melli in Tehran Monday. They wanted to buy dollars, but there were no dollars to be had.

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