The New York University student was accused of disorderly conduct, but the video showed him breaking no laws. In a twist, the student had actually been working on a project aimed at portraying police in a better light.

Bike to Work Day is this Friday. And that prompts a question: Do you bike to work? If so, you should prove it — by taking a photo of yourself and your bike. Then share the picture, and we'll consider it for a Bike to Work Day gallery. Post it to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #NPRbike.

The descriptions of the White House lunch meeting from those on the opposing red and blue teams made it sound like yet another meeting featuring the nation's top policymakers that you could have accurately scripted beforehand.

The U.S. Navy is in the process of renewing its permits to conduct sonar and explosive tests off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. But the recent unexplained death of a young orca who washed ashore in February has thrown a wrench in the process. Experts say injuries to the whale may indicate she was exposed to an underwater explosion or sonar testing.

Many residents of Dish, Texas, blame the fracking operations that surround their tiny town for a host of health problems — from nosebleeds to cancer. The former mayor was so scared, he left town. But scientists who've studied Dish say there's not enough evidence to link natural gas operations to any illness.

Wisconsin's Republican governor, Scott Walker, will face Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett next month in a recall election. President Obama has expressed support for Barrett, just as his Republican rival Mitt Romney is supporting Walker, who is a hero to many conservatives. But both President Obama and Romney face a choice over how deeply involved they should be in the recall election. Neither man wants the contest to become a referendum on their candidacies.

The defense in the John Edwards trial rested on Wednesday. Attorneys for the former presidential candidate and vice presidential nominee did not call Edwards, his daughter or Rielle Hunter, the woman he had an affair with and who bore his child. Edwards is accused of skirting federal campaign finance laws by accepting secret payments to cover up the affair and further his political ambitions. North Carolina Public Radio's Jeff Tiberii speaks with Melissa Block from Greensboro, N.C.

The House Wednesday passed a Republican version of a bill to renew the Violence Against Women Act. This is expected to set up a battle with the Democratic-controlled Senate, which has already passed a broader measure that's supported by the White House.

The U.S. has sent Marines to Australia as part of a military pivot that will place greater emphasis on Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Some Australians are wondering how this might affect their relations with China.

The homicide rate in Chicago has soared more than 50 percent in the first few months of 2012 over the same time period last year. The number of non-fatal shootings is up sharply, too. Why? Some say it could be just a statistical blip or due to rising temperatures, as Chicago had an extremely mild winter this year with record-setting warmth in March, the bloodiest month. But others say there is a deeply entrenched culture of violence in some city neighborhoods and within the prolific Chicago street gangs. They worry 2012 could be one of the most violent years in the city since the 1990s.

The Florida Board of Education has voted to temporarily lower the passing grade for its state writing test after a dramatic drop in scores on this year's exam. The state had made the test more difficult and raised the passing grade in an attempt to upgrade standards. But education officials were stunned when preliminary results showed the passing rate for 4th graders this year had plummeted from 80 percent to less than 30 percent.

Republican voters in Nebraska defied the expectations of pundits and the intentions of outside groups, nominating a little-known rancher and state lawmaker to run for an open U.S. Senate seat. Deb Fischer, 61, will face a former governor and former senator, Democrat Bob Kerrey, in November.

Now the fastest growing voting group, Latinos have never been so heavily courted in a presidential race. They could play a key role in battleground states in the 2012 elections.