NPR 2012-06-24

 Jurors deliberating the child sexual abuse case of Jerry Sandusky had their differences, but were committed to a fair outcome, according to one member of the jury. Joshua Harper told NBC’s Today Show that the evidence against the former Penn State assistant coach was very strong.

 
“I wasn’t rattled 1 by the emotions. I think we were real focused on the facts and determining creditibility.”
 
Jerry Sandusky is now in prison, having been found guilty of 45 counts of child sexual abuse. His lawyer is planning an appeal. 
 
Also in Pennsylvania, Monsignor William Lynn has spent tonight behind bars after his conviction on charges of child endangerment. Prosecutors 2 say that Lynn helped the Catholic Church keep predators 3 inside parishes, while failing to inform the faithful about the priest’s background.
 
FOX News reporter Greg Burke will move from his job as Rome-based correspondent to the position of media relations expert for the Vatican.
 
Congressional Republicans are renewing their attacks on the president’s health care law. As NPR’s Sonari Glinton reminds us, a Supreme 4 Court ruling is expected soon.
 
Even if the Supreme Court opposes the federal health care overhaul 5 in whole or in part, Republicans in Congress say they’ll fight for a repeal 6 of the law. Bill Cassidy, a doctor and congressman 7 from Louisiana, gave the Republican weekly address.
 
“So unless the court throws out the entire law, we should repeal what is left and implement 8 common-sense, step-by-step reforms.”
 
Cassidy says Republicans will move to replace the legislation, regardless of the outcome from the court. The Supreme Court is expected to rule next week on the constitutionality of the law that Mr. Obama signed in 2010. Sonari Glinton, NPR News.
 
Iraq is warning the violence in Syria could spill over into neighboring countries, if the situation is not contained. NPR’s Isra Alubie'i has more.
 
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, speaking at the press conference with his Swedish, Bulgarian and Polish counterparts, said if the conflicts in Syria were to turn into an all-out sectarian or civil war, Syria’s neighbors including Turkey would be affected 9. Zebari says Iraq should be involved in any negotiations 10 on Syria.
 
“We don’t want chaos 11 reigns 12 in that region, and that’s why Iraq should have a say, a role in the region.”
 
Iraq shares a long border with Syria, and its semi-autonomous Kurdish region has received thousands of refugees fleeing the armed conflict there. Isra Alubie'i, NPR News, Baghdad.
 
In Tahrir Square, a rally in Cairo by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood’s presidential candidate Mohammed Morsi, both he and Ahmed Shafiq have claimed victory in last weekend’s balloting 13. Tomorrow the nation’s election commission will release its official findings.
 
This is NPR News.
 
Former media mogul Conrad Black is urging Canada to widen its global influence. Dan Karpenchuk reports that Black spoke 14 in his first public appearance since he was released from a Florida prison.
 
Black says his time in prison gave him a refreshed perspective on Canada. He began his speech to the Empire Club in Toronto by saying he was unjustly convicted of fraud and obstruction 15 of justice. Black served 42 months in jail after a long legal battle with US authorities over his management of the Hollinger Group media empire. He said Canada, a country which he turned his back on in 2001 to accept a British peerage, has for too long stood in the background. But he said the country has proved that it can hold its own. Referring to the US, he said it seemed to have lost its talent for strategic thinking and self-governance, especially with its massive debt, dependence 16 on foreign oil and near collapse 17 of the financial sector 18. He said that gives Canada the opportunity to have its voice heard on the world stage. For NPR News, I’m Dan Karpenchuk in Toronto.
 
There’s good jobs news for France for the first time ever. Toyota Motor Corp. will be exporting cars from Europe. The company’s decided 19 to transfer its Yaris compact car production for North America to France from Japan next spring. Analysts 20 say the move is aimed at protecting Toyota earnings 21 from the effects of a strong Yen 22 and soaring energy costs.
 
An award for World’s Ugliest Dog has netted a dog from the UK 1,000 dollars and a year’s worth of biscuits. The prize went to an eight-year-old dog named Mugly, a short snout, beady eye, and white whiskers, Chinese crested 23. The event took place at the Marin-Sonoma Fairgrounds in Northern California.
 
I’m Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.