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Must Reads : The Two-Way Some stories are just too weird, too funny or too sad to ignore. They may not be "serious news," but are so fascinating you must read them. NPR correspondents are on the watch for such tales. We pass along the best, from NPR and other news outlets.
The Two-Way

The Two-Way

Must Reads

Friday

Huge Asteroid Makes Its Closest Pass To Earth Today

Radar images of asteroid 1998 QE2, taken when the cosmic traveler was about 3.75 million miles from Earth, revealed that the asteroid, with a 1.7-mile diameter, has a moon or satellite revolving around it. NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSSR hide caption

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NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSSR

Must Reads

Huge Asteroid Makes Its Closest Pass To Earth Today

The space rock, which is nine times the size of a cruise ship, is dropping by Earth and it's not coming alone. Asteroid 1998 QE2 has already given scientists a surprise: It has its own moon, measured at about 2,000 feet wide.

All Are OK After Small Plane Crashes Through Apartment Roof

This photo from the Virginia State Police shows the tail of the small plane that crashed into the living room of an apartment in Herndon, Va., early Friday. AP hide caption

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AP

Must Reads

All Are OK After Small Plane Crashes Through Apartment Roof

When a single-engine plane apparently ran out of fuel, it nose-dived into an apartment building near Washington, D.C. Amazingly, both the pilot and passenger walked away. And, no one in the apartment was seriously injured. The plane just missed the bedrooms where people were sleeping.

Thursday

Smelted In Space? Ancient Iron Beads Linked To Meteorite

The metal in an Egyptian iron bead dating from around 3,300 BC has been found to have originated from space, according to analysis. Here, the bead is seen in (clockwise from top left) a photograph, a CT cross-section view, a model of nickel oxides, and a model in which blue areas represent the rich presence of nickel inside the bead. The Open University/University of Manchester hide caption

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The Open University/University of Manchester

International

Smelted In Space? Ancient Iron Beads Linked To Meteorite

Since its discovery in 1911, an Egyptian iron bead has sparked debate over how it was produced — made around 3,300 BC, it predates the region's first known iron smelting by thousands of years. Now researchers say the iron was made in space, and delivered to Earth via meteorite.

Wednesday

Tempest Over A Teapot: JC Penney Removes 'Hitler' Billboard

Photos of a JC Penney billboard in Culver City, Calif., spurred an online debate over whether the tea kettle resembles German tyrant Adolf Hitler. Imgur, via KPCC hide caption

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Imgur, via KPCC

America

Tempest Over A Teapot: JC Penney Removes 'Hitler' Billboard

After receiving complaints that a billboard ad included an image resembling Adolf Hitler, JC Penney has reportedly taken the sign down. The move comes after images of the billboard in California's Culver City spurred an online controversy. The retailer says any resemblance is unintended.

Tuesday

Little Dog Does A Big Job In Oregon

Xander, a pug mix, lost both his eyes in an accident. He now works as a therapy dog, and visits groups such as this class at a daycare center. Steven Silton/Herald and News hide caption

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Steven Silton/Herald and News

America

Little Dog Does A Big Job In Oregon

He can't see, and he's not very big — but as dogs go, Xander the pug is having a big impact on Klamath Falls, Ore. The blind pup even made the front page of the local paper, for bringing empathy and happiness to people for whom such things are in short supply.