National

National

Women In Combat Ban To Be Lifted

1:19pm January 24, 2013

The Pentagon is expected to officially announce Thursday that it will lift the military ban on women in combat. The defense chief's groundbreaking move opens up thousands of front-line positions for women. For more on the Pentagon's decision Steve Inskeep talks to NPR's Tom Bowman. And from Kentucky, Blake Farmer of member station WPLN has reaction from Fort Campbell.

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Gen. Carter Ham, who heads the U.S. Africa Command, meets with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika last September. Amid upheaval in the region, AFRICOM is still attempting to define its mission.

U.S. Military Seeks Its Role In Troubled North Africa

8:53pm January 23, 2013

by Tom Bowman

The U.S. Africa Command, designed to strengthen defense relationships in Africa, is still trying to define its mission. African states have been wary, while the State Department and aid groups also express concerns. But growing conflicts in the region may soon put AFRICOM to the test.

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National Transportation Safety Board investigators inspect a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Japan's Takamatsu Airport. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation into the plane's troubles has widened into a review of the agency's certification process for

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Dreamliner Woes Expose FAA's Potential Weak Spots

8:53pm January 23, 2013

by Wendy Kaufman

The investigation into the Boeing 787 has widened to include not just its batteries and electronics, but also the Federal Aviation Administration's certification process. Chronically understaffed, the agency often relies on manufacturers themselves to assist in the testing of new planes.

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National

Lawsuit Questioned Constitutionality Of Ban On Women In Combat

8:53pm January 23, 2013

Melissa Block talks to University of Virginia law professor Anne Coughlin about the announcement expected Thursday from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta about the removal of the ban on women in combat. Coughlin and her students did the research which inspired a lawsuit filed by two women in the Army Reserves last year, alleging that policies banning women from ground combat units violated constitutional rights.

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Each January, anti-abortion protesters mark the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling with the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Attendance often reaches into the thousands, such as during the 25th anniversary march pictured here. The 40th March for Life

'Roe V. Wade' Turns 40, But Abortion Debate Is Even Older

3:57pm January 23, 2013

by Julie Rovner

Abortion foes say the U.S. Supreme Court's aggressive decision set the issue on the path toward becoming intractable. Others say factors besides the landmark case — including doctors, lawyers, President Nixon and the Catholic Church — more strongly influenced the state of today's debate.

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'We Have No Choice': A Story Of The Texas Sonogram Law

9:19am January 23, 2013

Journalist Carolyn Jones wrote about her experience with the law for The Texas Observer after having an abortion last year. The state requires that a woman seeking an abortion receive a sonogram at least 24 hours before the procedure.

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Obama's Promise To Close Guantanamo Prison Falls Short

8:13am January 23, 2013

by Jackie Northam

In January 2009, the president signed an executive order to close the U.S. prison camp. But four years later, the prison remains open, and critics say the president miscalculated how difficult it would be to close the facility that houses terrorism suspects.

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National

Gen. John Allen Cleared In Email Probe

8:13am January 23, 2013

A Pentagon investigation has cleared General John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. The Pentagon had been looking into whether the general's email correspondence with a Florida socialite was inappropriate and violated military rules. Allen's nomination to become the top commander of NATO is still on hold, however.

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Patient William Wishart, age 4 months, looks on as Dr. Melanie Walker uses a portable computer to enter information from his exam into an electronic medical records system, in North Raleigh, N.C., in November.

Growing Pains As Doctors' Offices Adopt Electronic Records

8:48pm January 22, 2013

by Eric Whitney

Millions of dollars have been spent to digitize medical records. But doctors are only slowly adopting the the new systems, and many systems won't talk to each other. Some now wonder when the promised benefits in care and cost savings will arrive.

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"We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations," President Obama said Monday during his second inaugural address.

In Second Inaugural, Obama Makes Climate A Priority

8:48pm January 22, 2013

by Elizabeth Shogren

President Obama pulled out a surprise in his inaugural address. After barely mentioning climate change in his campaign, he put it on his short list of priorities for his second term. Experts believe he'll use the EPA to ramp up efforts to reduce greenhouse gases from power plants.

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