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In just the past week we've seen a bunch of signs that the housing recovery is gaining steam. Most important for the economy, homebuilders are hiring more workers and building more houses.

The NSA says it's only examining traffic information, not the content of Americans' phone calls. How much can that information tell you? Quite a lot, and in some ways it's more useful than actual content. NPR's Larry Abramson learns what analysts can discover about his life and contacts just by looking at his Gmail account.

Thursday's vote comes just weeks after a federal judge ruled the NYPD violated the civil rights of minorities. But Mayor Michael Bloomberg refuses to back down. He's appealing the judge's ruling, and working to block the council bills as well.

The National Security Agency illegally collected emails of tens of thousands of Americans. The numbers are revealed in a newly declassified secret court opinion. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court found the collection of those emails unconstitutional and ordered the NSA to fix the problem.

In downtown Madrid, music floats through the air — amateur musicians playing for money. But many are not that good. To shield residents from mediocre musicianship, the city created an "acoustic protection zone." Buskers who wish to perform will be talent tested.

If you board a plane excited for your trip but dreading the possibility of a baby crying, this news is for you. The budget arm of Singapore Airlines — called Scoot — is offering a $14 upgrade to sit in a child-free zone — no one under 12 allowed.

Democratic Mayor Bob Filner has reached a tentative deal to settle a suit brought by one of the women who accuses him of sexual harassment. Details of the deal, which must be approved by the city council, have not been released. The Union-Tribune, though, says it sets the stage for his departure.

Also: Speculation mounts that San Diego mayor will soon step down; former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to be under house arrest after he's released from prison; Bradley Manning says "I am female"; and California kidnap victim Hannah Anderson talks about her ordeal.

Onondaga County is planning to spray for mosquitoes after the first finding of the Triple E virus in two years. Mosquito pools in the Cicero swamp area…

Weeks after detainees at Guantanamo Bay were said to be voracious readers of Fifty Shades of Grey, an attorney says his client was given a copy by guards at the prison and had never heard of it before.