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2:00 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

National Guard May Receive Joint Chiefs Spot

The most elite club in the military, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is set to get a new member: the chief of the National Guard. Congress approved the change as part of the defense authorization bill last week and the president is expected to sign the bill into law.

Around the Nation
2:00 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

Kim's Death Met With Joy, Concern In Koreatown

Los Angeles is home to a huge Korean community. News of Kim Jong Il's death is being greeted with a mix of joy and concern about the future.

Iraq
2:00 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

Post-9/11 Vets Face Special Employment Challenges

Lynn Neary speaks with Michael Haynie, executive director of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, about the unemployment picture for American veterans. Haynie says veterans from the post-9/11 generation have to overcome not only a tough economy but a special set of challenges, including physical and psychological traumas in war.

The Two-Way
1:55 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

Scientists Pinpoint Source Of Stonehenge's Inner Stones

Credit Carl Court / AFP/Getty Images
The sun rises behind Stonehenge as revellers celebrate the pagan festival of 'Summer Solstice' in 2010.

It took scientists nine months, but they are now sure the inner stones of Stonehenge came from Pembrokeshire, Wales, about 160 miles from the Stonehenge site.

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The Two-Way
1:25 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

Don't Panic, It Wasn't Lil' Kim

Credit Korean Central News Agency / Ian Gavan / AFP/Getty Images
In case anyone's confused. Kim Jong Il is at left. And Lil' Kim is still with us.

Originally published on Mon December 19, 2011 1:28 pm

Just the headline of this Buzz Feed post made us laugh.

"25 People Who Thought Lil Kim Died."

It's funny either way:

-- If some folks were confused by the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

-- Or if they were just making mischief.

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The Two-Way
1:01 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

Report: So Far, 2011 Safest Year On Record For Air Travel

Credit iStockphoto.com
An airplane takes off.

2011 is shaping up to be the safest on record for airline travel, according to analysis of United Nations data by a trade group.

The International Air Transport Association reports that January to November of 2011 are the safest months on record since the U.N. started keeping data in 1945. The 11-month period has also seen a 22 percent improvement in safety from last year.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

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Shots - Health Blog
12:32 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

Second Neti-Pot Death From Amoeba Prompts Tap-Water Warning

Credit iStockphoto.com
Keep that tap water — and amoebas — out of your neti pot.

Washing noses with neti pots or squeeze bottles has become increasingly popular as a home remedy for colds, allergies and sinus trouble. But it's not such a great remedy if it kills you.

Now that two people have died from infection with brain-eating amoebas after using neti pots, doctors are warning: do not put tap water up your nose.

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Iraq
12:00 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

What Lessons Should Americans Draw From Iraq War?

The American public, military and the intelligence community were all affected by the Iraq war. Tom Ricks of the Center for a New American Security, retired Marine Col. Gary Anderson and Army veteran Andrew Exum discuss how Americans will remember the war, and what we should learn from it.

Europe
12:00 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

Dorfman on Havel: One Playwright Remembers Another

Former Czech President Vaclav Havel died Sunday. The dissident playwright who led the 1989 Velvet Revolution against the communist regime is remembered for artfully weaving theater and politics. Fellow dissident playwright Ariel Dorfman shares how Havel inspired him and how he will be remembered.

Asia
12:00 pm
Mon December 19, 2011

Future Uncertain For Reclusive North Korea

The death of North Korea's Kim Jong Il leaves many open questions about the secretive country's future. Former Ambassador Christopher Hill and North Korea experts Hazel Smith and Alexander Monsourov discuss how Kim's death may affect the country's relationship with the international community.

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