National

If 'Humanitarian,' Why Not Intervene In Syria Sooner?

11:59am August 31, 2013

Will a limited military strike prevent Syrian President Bashar Assad from launching future chemical attacks? Host Scott Simon speaks with former leader of Canada's Liberal Party Michael Ignatieff about so-called "humanitarian intervention" in Syria.

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Blair Cook and his sons, Dalton and Keegan, set out to hike Piestewa Peak in Central Phoenix.

National

Summer Nights: Phoenix's Piestewa Peak

7:01pm August 30, 2013

by Peter O'Dowd

On a summer night in Phoenix, city dwellers can watch a line of head lamps inch up Piestewa Peak. The mountain rises sharply more than 1,200 feet above the neighborhoods of Central Phoenix. It's the most popular outdoor trek in the city. But in July and August the sun turns deadly there and hikers wait until it's safely below the horizon to begin their ascent. At the top, the view unfolds like magic every time — a desert city of four million people that glows red, white and orange.

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A group of technology and retail groups is beginning a national ad campaign targeting so-called patent trolls.

National

Taking The Battle Against Patent Trolls To The Public

7:01pm August 30, 2013

by Laura Sydell

Radio and print ads launched this week warn of damage wrought by so-called patent trolls. Business groups and software developers say patents are being used as legal weapons in a tactic that costs the economy tens of billions of dollars a year.

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Activist Bayard Rustin points to a map during a press conference four days ahead of the March on Washington in August 1963.

National

Bayard Rustin: The Man Who Organized The March On Washington

4:03pm August 30, 2013

by Cheryl Corley

The strategist behind the 1963 march will posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom this year. As a gay man, his position in the movement was questioned. But now he is considered "an amazing role model" for activists of color who are also gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

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At the White House, President Obama and his advisers continue to work to build support in Congress and among allies for striking Syria.

Striking Syria Still Seems A Question Of When, Not Whether

1:54pm August 30, 2013

by Mark Memmott

The White House is expected to soon release more of the evidence it says it has to support the case that the Assad regime used chemical weapons against its own people. Despite the news that Britain won't be joining in any military action, the Obama administration seems determined to go ahead.

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San Diego Mayor Bob Filner announces his resignation last week. His last day in office is Friday.

Filner's Exit Isn't The End Of San Diego's Mayoral Mayhem

9:51am August 30, 2013

by Sandhya Dirks

On Friday, embattled Mayor Bob Filner officially steps down. Allegations of sexual harassment against Filner have rocked the eighth-largest American city. Now, San Diegans face a potentially contentious special election in November.

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Why Syria Is More Complicated Than Libya

7:23pm August 29, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

To start with, unlike Moammar Gadhafi's regime when the U.S. intervened in Libya in 2011, the Syrian government still has international allies. As the U.S. considers a strike on Syria, here's a look at some of the key differences between the two situations.

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Rochelle Fowler watches with tears on her face as Lady Houdini works to break free. Harry Houdini made the water torture cell famous more than 100 years ago.

Lady Houdini's Escape Act Breaks Through Not Just Handcuffs

6:23pm August 29, 2013

by Sadie Babits

Kristen Johnson, also known as Lady Houdini, goes far beyond the role women usually play in escape acts. "It was important for me to be a strong example for young women in particular," she says.

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Ronald Lewis, a resident of the Lower 9th Ward, says eight years after Hurricane Katrina, rebuilding his neighborhood is a story still in progress.

National

Post-Katrina New Orleans A Story Of Modern Pioneering

10:44am August 29, 2013

by Debbie Elliott

It's been eight years since the hurricane devastated the city's Lower 9th Ward. Resident Ronald Lewis says rebuilding is a story still in progress. In a shed in his backyard, he's collected New Orleans memorabilia, evidence "of the resilience of the people."

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Map showing where some playgrounds are located in New York City.

New Accessible Playground Rules May Not Go Far Enough

6:57pm August 28, 2013

by Robert Benincasa

Last year, the federal government made accessible playgrounds a requirement under the Americans with Disabilities Act. But whether children with disabilities are able to enjoy their new civil rights may depend on where they live.

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