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  • The news this week has put race on America's brain. There were the Supreme Court decisions, the trial of George Zimmerman and the downfall of celebrity chef Paula Deen. But the country is still fumbling through persistent inequality, even in the absence of overt prejudice.
  • In the golden age of the circus, aerialist Lillian Leitzel captivated crowds around the world with her effortless, high-flying stunts under the big top. Dean Jensen's new book, Queen of the Air, chronicles Leitzel's difficult but glamorous life, and the lives of her performing family.
  • Is the old saying still true? Can you work your way up from the bottom today, to become an innovator and a leader? Host Michel Martin explores the skills you need to compete and succeed in school and beyond.
  • Traditional hearing aids can be too expensive for many people. But a new type that uses Bluetooth technology costs only about $300. The company that makes the new devices aims to reach millions of people around the world who need hearing aids but have trouble paying for them.
  • In the United States, education is a right for all children. For Shabana Basij-Rasikh in Afghanistan, it was something she was willing to risk her life for. She speaks with host Michel Martin about her story, and a school she co-founded in Afghanistan that helps educate young women.
  • After the Supreme Court ruling overturning the Defense of Marriage Act, President Obama ordered federal agencies to revise their rules regarding benefits for same-sex spouses. But that will be simpler for some federal agencies than others.
  • The Obama administration announced Tuesday that it's delaying a key part of the Affordable Care Act. Businesses will now have another year to prove that they are providing health insurance — or that their employees otherwise have health insurance from some other source. Companies had complained that the reporting requirements to prove this were too complicated and burdensome.
  • The 19th-century courtesan died at 23 of tuberculosis, but her legacy inspired a successful play, several movies and the great Italian opera La Traviata. In The Girl Who Loved Camellias, Julie Kavanagh tracks her journey from Normandy peasant girl to romantic heroine.
  • So far during the 2013 wildfire season, more than 800 homes and businesses have burned to the ground, nearly 1.6 million acres were scorched and over 23,000 blazes have required suppression. And two dozen firefighters have died. But as dramatic as it's been, the season has yet to kick into high gear.
  • Small-scale protests are continuing in Brazil but the massive movement has died down as quickly as it flared up. One of the reasons is protest confusion. The perils of having no leadership are that people don't know what protests are real.
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