National

Islamic State Seizes Villages; Australia Says It Foiled Beheading Plot

12:14pm September 18, 2014

by Scott Neuman

The Islamist rebels also known as ISIS or ISIL reportedly captured 16 Kurdish villages in northern Syria in a major push for territory. The move has prompted fears of a massacre of civilians.

A man played bagpipes on a "short walk to freedom" march in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Thursday as polling in the independence referendum began.

Scotland's Historic Decision: Should It Stay Or Should It Go?

10:47am September 18, 2014

by Scott Neuman

Scots went to the polls to vote in a referendum that will decide whether they remain with the United Kingdom or end a 300-year-old union.

In this Illinois ad, Doris and her friend Betty suggestively encourage two young men to come in ... and get voter ID cards.

Ads Get Creative, Even Seductive, To Attract Voters

9:17am September 18, 2014

by Pam Fessler

Voting might not be the sexiest thing in the world, but at least one ad campaign encouraging Americans to register is pretty provocative.

Queue Listen Now

Top Scientists Suggest A Few Fixes For Medical Funding Crisis

8:02am September 18, 2014

by Richard Harris

The answer, this time, isn't simply more cash, says Dr. Harold Varmus, director of the National Cancer Institute. Instead, changing the way research money is distributed might fix systemic problems.

Queue Listen Now

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks during a recent news conference in Rome. Zarif told NPR that the U.S. has been hesitant and contradictory in its approach to dealing with the self-declared Islamic State.

Iran's Foreign Minister: U.S. 'Not Serious' About Defeating Islamic State

7:50am September 18, 2014

by Scott Neuman

In an interview with NPR, Mohammad Javad Zarif says the U.S. has been hesitant and contradictory in its approach to defeating the Islamist insurgency.

Queue Listen Now

Should we drink diet soda or not? The latest study doesn't really clear things up.

Diet Soda May Alter Our Gut Microbes And Raise The Risk Of Diabetes

5:43am September 18, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

There's a new wrinkle to the old debate over diet soda: Artificial sweeteners may alter our microbiomes. And for some, this may raise blood sugar levels and set the stage for diabetes.

Queue Listen Now

Vikings Now Say Adrian Peterson Is Banned From Team Activities

7:50pm September 17, 2014

by Doreen McCallister

The change in running back Adrian Peterson's status will require him to stay away from the team while he takes care of legal proceedings regarding child abuse charges.

Queue Listen Now

Agents at the Air and Marine Operations Center at an Air Force Reserve base in Riverside, Calif., track 20,000 to 25,000 flights a day for suspicious activity.

National

Keeping Watch On America's Vertical Borders

7:50pm September 17, 2014

by John Burnett

Tens of thousands of private planes fly through U.S. airspace daily. Federal agents at a Southern California air base monitor those flights, looking for drugs or terrorists. Sometimes, they find them.

Queue Listen Now

In Del Norte, Colo., Public Works Supervisor Kevin Larimore shows off solar panels that provide electricity for the town's water supply. Despite generating its own solar energy, the town is still at risk of a blackout if its main power line goes down.

When The Power's Out, Solar Panels May Not Keep The Lights On

7:50pm September 17, 2014

by Dan Boyce

With the price of solar panels falling, more municipalities and homeowners are installing them. But having solar panels doesn't mean you won't lose power in a blackout — at least not yet.

Queue Listen Now

Sen. Kaine's Bill Would Limit Obama's Options Against ISIS

7:50pm September 17, 2014

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine is introducing legislation that would authorize use of military force against the Islamic State including language that strictly limits the deployment of U.S. ground forces.

Queue Listen Now