NPR 2012-02-08

 A federal appeals court says California's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Joshua Johnson of member station KQED reports the ruling finds Proposition 8 serves no other purpose than to discriminate 2 against gay and lesbian couples.

 
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Proposition 8 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment 3. The panel also finds that the lower court Judge Vaugh Walker is within his discretion 4 to rule on the matter, even though he is in a same-sex relationship and could benefit from the case's outcome. A dissenting 5 opinion questions whether Prop 1. 8 is purely 6 discriminatory or could serve a legitimate 7 community purpose. Today's ruling does not answer the question of whether same-sex marriage bans in general are constitutional. It also will probably not clear the way for these unions to resume in California right away, giving time for supporters of Prop. 8 to appeal. For NPR News, I'm Joshua Johnson in San Francisco.
 
A top executive for the Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity is stepping down. Karen Handel was at the center of the firestorm over the organization's decision to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood. Opponents said the group was bowing to pressure by anti-abortion rights activists 8. The foundation has since reversed the decision. But Handel says she supported it and is disappointed by what she calls its gross mischaracterization.
 
The Romney campaign is trying to downplay expected losses in contests in Minnesota and Missouri today. Mitt 9 Romney himself is in Colorado, ahead of this evening's caucuses 11. And as NPR's Tamara Keith reports, he's remaining positive.
 
Romney held a rally at a massive RV showroom in Loveland, Colorado.
 
"For the guys way back there behind the RV and behind the cameras, hi, you guys, how are you back there?"
 
There he encouraged supporters to get out and caucus 10.
 
"Colorado's got something to say about who our nominee 12's gonna be, and I think I'm gonna be that nominee."
 
In a memo 13 posted this morning, Romney political director Rich Beeson downplays the importance of today's primaries and caucuses, saying no delegates will be awarded. He argues Romney is the only Republican candidate with the recourses to compete in all of the upcoming contests where more delegates are on the line. Tamara Keith, NPR News, Loveland, Colorado.
 
President Obama's reelection campaign says it now supports his super PAC Priorities USA. Mr. Obama had opposed the 2010 Supreme 14 Court ruling that allows so-called super PACs to amass 15 unlimited 16 amounts of money. The president's reelection campaign has struggled to match the amount of money collected by Republican super PACs. The president's campaign manager Jim Messina is now urging fundraisers to support Priorities USA, saying there can't be two sets of rules.
 
On Wall Street at this hour, the Dow is up 37 points at 12,882; the NASDAQ is up four at 2,906.
 
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Los Angeles school officials are removing the entire staff of an elementary school where two teachers are under arrest, charged with lewd 17 acts against students. Authorities are temporarily replacing the principal, teachers, even custodial 18 staff from Miramonte Elementary School, while they conduct an investigation 19 into allegations that include one teacher blindfolding 20, gagging and feeding semen to several students. 
 
A new 24-hour cable news channel aimed at the nation's growing Hispanic population could be on the air later this year. Disney and the nation's largest Spanish-language broadcaster Univision are said to be negotiating a deal. As NPR's Giles Snyder reports, the channel would broadcast in English.
 
The discussions for a joint 21 venture between Disney's ABC News and Univision have reportedly been going on for at least the past six months and reflect efforts by big media companies to target Hispanics. Last year's census 22 shows US-born Hispanics who are more likely to speak English as their first language are the fastest growing segment of the nation's Hispanic population. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the talks. The paper says they are ongoing 23 and cautions that the deal could still unravel 24, but that the goal would be to begin broadcasting before the November elections. If a deal is reached, it would mark a departure for Univision, which prides itself on its Spanish-language content, and it would give Disney's ABC News a cable-news presence. Giles Snyder, NPR News.
 
Signs today that BP is recovering from the disastrous 25 2010 accident in oil spill in the Gulf 26 of Mexico. The oil giant is reporting nearly 40 billion dollars in profits for 2011 and says it's increasing shareholder 27 dividends 28.
 
I'm Barbara Klein, NPR News in Washington.