Plus lawmakers have voted against the measure making it a federal crime to provide an abortion to a woman who is motivated by the sex of the fetus. NPR’s Elizabeth Blair reports.

The bill to ban gender based abortions was introduced by Arizona congressman, Trent Franks.

It is my hope that by protecting unborn children from being aborted based on their sex, that one day very soon, we will also recognize the humanity and justice are protecting unborn children regardless of their race or color as well.

But researchers say that studies so far show the practice is not wide spread in the US. Though there is some evidence that it occurs in Asian American communities. The American College of Obstetricians(产科学) and Gynecologists(妇科医生) opposes sex selected abortion, but is against the bill proposed by Franks, because among other things, it would violate doctor-patient confidentiality. Elizabeth Blair, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

Prisoners in California’s Pelican Bay State Prison have filed a law suit, protesting what they call inhuman treatment. Many of the inmates say they’ve been held in solitary confinement for more than a decade. NPR’s Carrie Johnson reports on conditions inside the prison.

Criminals held in the special housing unit spend at least 22 hours a day in a small cell with no windows. They say they’re denied phone calls, family visits and any kind of education behind bars. More than 500 prisoners in Pelican Bay have spent more than 10 years in solitary confinement. And a few dozen have been isolated there for more than 20 years. Their lawyers at the * constitutional rights, argue that violates the 8th Amendment, which bans cruel and unusual punishment. The prisoners say they have no way to get out of the unit, short of informing on other inmates, which violates their due process rights. Several of the inmates helped lead hunger strike last year. Carrie Johnson, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

The Dragon spacecraft has landed safely back on earth. The unmanned cargo ship parachuted into the Pacific this morning after leaving the international space station. It brought back nearly 1,400 tons of old gear. It’s the first vessel to return such a load since last shuttles retired last year. It will take a few to transport the capsule by barge(驳船) to Los Angeles. From there, Dragon will be taken to the Space X rocket factory in Texas for unloading and inspections.

 

 

On Wall Street, the Dow was up almost 2 points at 12,421; The Nasdaq down 16; The S&P down 16.

 

 

This is NPR news.

 

 

Super-sized sugary drinks in New York City may no longer be an option. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing to ban the sales of large size sugary beverages in an effort to fight the nation’s obesity epidemic. The ban which could take effect as soon as March, would not apply to diet sodas, food juices or alcohol beverages. Documents show 58% of New York City adults and nearly 40% of city public school students are overweight or obese.

 

 

European Central Bank Chief Mario Draghi is critical of the way the Eurozone crisis has been handled, saying it’s the job of European Union leaders and not the bank to come up with a vision for the common currency’s future. Teri Schultz in Brussels has the details.

Draghi says the central bank can’t fill the policy void and the European leaders must decide now how they want the Euro and their own cooperation to develop. He criticized the way governments have underestimated their economic problems and then had to issue correction after correction as their assessments became more realistic.

That’s the worst possible way of doing things because everybody ends up doing the right thing but at the highest possible cost and price.

Using the example of bank recapitalization specifically, Draghi says it’s better to do too much than too little. He suggests a cross border banking union with centralized funding and supervision so that no matter what country is struggling bank in, it will be supported. Germany is opposed to such collective guarantees. From NPR news, I’m Teri Schultz in Brussels.

 

 

Then the update on the John Edwards’ case is unclear whether the juror announced its decision on count 3. The jurors say that’s the only count they could agree on. The judge sent the jurors back to key deliberating.

 

 

I’m Windsor Johnston, NPR news in Washington.