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The Natural Resources Defense Council released its annual beach report card, detailing the levels of bacteria measured at beaches across the nation. Several beaches on the East Coast get gold stars.

The fight over abortion rights has heated up in Texas. A dramatic late night filibuster session derailed the passage of new abortion restrictions on Tuesday night. The next day, Gov. Rick Perry, an abortion rights opponent, called for a special legislative session to start July, 1, to reintroduce the legislation.

The U.S. military said in January that it will end its front-line combat exclusion for women; the shift means that women could join elite forces such as the Army Rangers and Navy SEALs in the next three years.

House Speaker John Boehner strongly suggested he would abide by the Hastert rule on immigration legislation, meaning no floor vote unless a majority of House Republicans backed the bill.

The Supreme Court has issued its ruling on a high-profile affirmative action case concerning college admissions: In a 7-1 ruling, it sent Fisher v. University of Texas back to a lower court. Renee Montagne speaks with NPR's Nina Totenberg.

Inspecting seafood for safety hazards is currently the job of the Food and Drug Administration. But U.S. catfish producers want the Department of Agriculture involved, too. Critics say it's just a crackdown on foreign producers who are taking over the U.S. market.

When ABC canceled the daytime soaps All My Children and One Life to Live in 2011, millions of fans suddenly found themselves left without their daily guilty pleasure. Both shows are relaunching Monday, but they won't be on any TV channel — the soaps are going online.

The Justice Department says about half of all international criminal organizations have links to extremist groups, such as Hezbollah, the Taliban and FARC rebels in Colombia. But diffuse priorities are hindering U.S. efforts to combat this growing problem of transnational, organized crime.

The U.S. says it will consider arming the rebels if it can confirm Bashar Assad's regime used the nerve gas sarin in recent attacks. But there's a danger that any weapons the U.S. provides could fall into the wrong hands.

As Colorado lawmakers debate rules regulating recreational marijuana use, one big question looms: how to charge taxes that will fund oversight of retail pot businesses. The tax requires a statewide vote. If it fails, some worry that underfunded enforcement will invite the feds to shut recreational pot down entirely.