National

National

Has Elite Interrogation Group Lived Up To Expectations?

5:58am October 16, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

The man the U.S. alleges is the top al-Qaida operative who orchestrated the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania has pleaded not guilty to the charges at a federal court in Manhattan. The case has brought the High Value Interrogation Group back into the spotlight. It was created by the Obama administration to extract valuable intelligence from terrorists, but national security experts say there have been too few cases to judge its promise.

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After Sept. 11, Special Ops Were 'Injected With Steroids'

5:58am October 16, 2013

Two recent operations in Libya and Somalia offer a vivid example of how members of U.S. Special Operations are being deployed around the world to go after terrorists. Renee Montagne talks to author Jeremy Scahill about his newest book, Dirty Wars, which is about the rise of special forces.

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IRS offices around the country, like this one in Brooklyn, N.Y., have been closed since the partial government shutdown began two weeks ago. While the agency continues to cash checks from payees, refunds, audits and most other operations are suspended.

The IRS Can't Take Your Questions. It Will Take Your Return

6:21pm October 15, 2013

by Dan Bobkoff

Tuesday is the deadline for taxpayers who requested an extension on their 2012 tax returns. With most of its staff currently furloughed, the Internal Revenue Service is not answering calls, issuing refunds or collecting audits. Even so, don't expect a filing reprieve; the midnight deadline is still in effect.

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Why A Medical Device Tax Became Part Of The Fiscal Fight

6:12pm October 15, 2013

by Peter Overby

A sales tax on medical devices was passed to help pay for the Affordable Care Act. Manufacturers have been waging a persistent campaign to get rid of it. Now it's one of the bargaining chips being tossed around in the budget crisis on Capitol Hill.

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15 Years Later, Where Did All The Cigarette Money Go?

12:12pm October 15, 2013

by NPR Staff

So far, tobacco companies have paid more than $100 billion to state governments as part of a 25-year, $246 billion settlement. Though the money was meant to be spent on prevention and smoking-related programs, it didn't come with a mandate.

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Birds Of A Feather Spy Together

6:12pm October 13, 2013

by NPR Staff

Journalist Tom Vanderbilt discusses the nonhuman operatives — from pigeons to house cats — deployed by the United States government during the Cold War. He wrote about the program recently for the Smithsonian magazine.

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Meg Gill is the president and co-founder of Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles. Her brewery is favored to win awards at the Great American Beer Festival.

Women, The 'First Brewers,' Lean Into Craft Beer-Making

10:09am October 12, 2013

by Kirk Siegler

The craft-brewing industry has long been a male-dominated world. But that's starting to change. This weekend, several female-owned craft breweries are favored to take home the most prestigious awards at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver.

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Seniors around the country depend on weekly deliveries of nutritionally balanced food from the USDA's supplemental nutrition program.

Shutdown Leaves Some Seniors Worried About Their Next Meal

7:27pm October 11, 2013

by Patrick Center

Some Michigan seniors may be going hungry thanks to the government shutdown. In western Kent County alone, more than 1,300 low-income seniors depend on a government surplus food program. But the USDA has announced that the program is hold until further notice.

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Mariluisa and Andrea Caricchia traveled 6,000 miles from Italy to spend their honeymoon at the Grand Canyon. Instead, they are exploring tribal land.

The Shutdown News Isn't All Bad For A Few American Indian Tribes

11:16am October 11, 2013

by Laurel Morales

The government shutdown has some American Indian tribes bracing for the worst. They've seen cuts to food distribution, child care and financial assistance. At the same time, a handful of northern Arizona tribes are seeing an unexpected spike in tourists who were turned away from nearby national parks.

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Edward Avalos, one of the first certified enrollment specialists in California, is a very busy man.

California Trains Helpers To Meet Demand For Health Insurance

11:03am October 11, 2013

by Sarah Varney

The California health exchange has focused on drumming up interest in coverage during the first month of operation. Certified enrollment counselors can barely keep up with the requests for assistance that are rolling in.