State and National News

Over the weekend, Syrian troops continued their brutal campaign against those who oppose the regime of President Bashar Assad. And a questionable video has been released by a group claiming responsibility for massive explosions that shook Syria's capital last week.

Twenty years ago, few Americans approved of homosexuality or thought gay marriage should be legal. Now, nearly half of all Americans support same-sex marriage, though most Christians are still opposed to it.

The head of JPMorgan Chase says the trading strategy that cost it $2 billion in a matter of weeks won't really affect the bank's bottom line. But the trade happened during a presidential campaign where the economy and Wall Street are major themes.

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with a Mother's Day shakeup.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

INSKEEP: Yahoo says its CEO, Scott Thompson, is out, after a shareholder revealed an in accuracy on his resume. Mr. Thompson had claimed that he held two college degrees. In fact, he only had one. Thompson's resignation is a victory for an activist hedge fund that has been pressing for a shakeup in how Yahoo is run.

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Some other news. The oil boom in western North Dakota has sparked one of the largest migrations to a single area in the United States since the Great Depression. Communities that once struggled to keep people at all, are now struggling to absorb all the newcomers as workers from across the country arrive to seek their fortunes in oil.

The conference finals are underway in the National Hockey League playoffs. In the East, the New York Rangers will face the New Jersey Devils Monday. In the West, the Los Angeles Kings have won Game 1 — beating the Phoenix Coyotes 4-2.

There have been hints that the obesity epidemic's rise has slowed a bit among certain populations, but for the most part, it continues to dominate American health. One third of children and teenagers are now overweight or obese. And researchers forecast as many as half of our nation's population could be obese — not overweight but obese — by 2030.