National

Why The FISA Court Is Not What It Used To Be

1:52pm June 18, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

President Obama says federal judges have been "overseeing" the recently exposed government surveillance programs. But few, if any, experts in the Bush or Obama administrations believe that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has the enforcement teeth it once had.

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National

Collection Of Kids' Shoes Carries Message About Gun Violence

5:45pm June 17, 2013

by Sarah Gonzalez

Old shoes can tell a story. A mother in New Jersey is hoping her exhibit of old shoes will help young people avoid violence. She's trying to collect a pair of shoes connected to every young person killed by gun violence in the U.S. in 1998 — the year her son was shot to death.

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The Deserters is Charles Glass' second book relating to World War II. His last book, Americans in Paris, told the story of the U.S. citizens who remained in the French capital after the 1940 German invasion.

WWII 'Deserters': Stories Of Men Who Left The Front Lines

5:11pm June 17, 2013

In his new book, journalist Charles Glass explores the little-known history of thousands of American and British soldiers who deserted during World War II. Glass describes how the strain of war can push a soldier to the breaking point — and how the line between courage and cowardice is never simple.

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National

Reflections On 30 Years Of NYC: A Look Ahead With Margot Adler

4:06pm June 17, 2013

From the AIDS movement to the Sept. 11 attacks to Occupy Wall Street, NPR's Margot Adler has covered important issues facing New York City for more than three decades. As part of TOTN's "Looking Ahead" series, Adler reflects on her years in the business and the future of New York City.

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National

After SCOTUS DNA Ruling, What Changes For Police?

1:54pm June 17, 2013

The Supreme Court ruled in June that police can routinely take DNA samples from people who are arrested for comparison against a national database. The decision raises major questions about how law enforcement and criminal justice processes will change.

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Protesters gather outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday to rally against the National Security Agency's recently detailed surveillance programs.

National

Privacy Past And Present: A Saga Of American Ambivalence

6:17pm June 16, 2013

by NPR Staff

American privacy concerns go back as far as the country's origins. Today, in the wake of major revelations about the scope of the National Security Agency's surveillance, polls show that feelings are still mixed.

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Cattle stand in a heavily irrigated pasture in Oregon's Upper Klamath Basin. The state has ordered ranchers in the region to shut down irrigation. The move is aimed at protecting the rights of Indian tribes who live downstream.

Water Wars: Who Controls The Flow?

7:39pm June 15, 2013

by NPR Staff

So often, we take water for granted. But it's not always where we need it, or there when we need it. Two rivers on opposite sides of the country — the Chattahoochee in the South and the Klamath in the far West — may provide lessons for the inevitable and growing dispute over how we manage our most precious resource.

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New York artist Tatayana Fazlalizadeh uses posters to combat unwanted cat calls and attention from men in her neighborhood.

Fighting Unwanted Cat Calls, One Poster At A Time

6:19pm June 15, 2013

by Stephen Nessen

For women on city streets, unwanted attention from men often comes in the form of cat calls, whistles and roving eyes. New York artist Tatayana Fazlalizadeh says she's had enough and is taking her art to the streets.

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The National Security Agency's headquarters in Fort Meade, Md.

National

The Case For Surveillance: Keeping Up With Terrorist Tactics

4:40pm June 15, 2013

by Tom Gjelten

Since the leak of the National Security Agency's data-gathering program, U.S. officials have been defending their strategies. But they've been arguing for years that intelligence gathering has to keep up with the new ways America's enemies are planning and communicating.

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Once homeless herself, Kimberly McKenzie now works for Lamp Community, a nonprofit that helps the homeless.

National

'I'm Not The Only One': Transgender Youth Battle The Odds

4:40pm June 15, 2013

by Gloria Hillard

National polls show a growing acceptance of gay men and women, but the transgender community often feels left out of the discussion. Young transgender people face discrimination in all aspects of life, and many find themselves on the streets.

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