Politics & Government

The Federal Reserve, headed by Janet Yellen, is expected to begin raising interest rates later this year. Higher mortgage rates could scare off some potential homebuyers.

Housing In 2015: Four Reasons For Optimism (And One For Worry)

12:43pm January 05, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

Increased hiring and high rents could make this a banner year for homebuying. But a looming decision by the Federal Reserve could scare off potential buyers and disrupt the housing recovery.

NPR's Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep interviews President Obama on Dec. 17 in the Oval Office, where they discussed U.S. involvement in the Middle East and the world as a whole.

Waiting For A Break: Obama On 'Strategic Patience' In Foreign Policy

10:22am January 05, 2015

by Steve Inskeep

"I believe in diplomacy, I believe in dialogue, I believe in engagement," the president says of Iran and other regimes perceived as U.S. enemies. But he says restoring relations is a gradual process.

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Author: Mitch McConnell's Focus On Winning Is 'Single-Minded'

1:36am January 05, 2015

The new Senate majority leader will soon take office. NPR's Eric Westervelt asks Alec MacGillis, author of The Cynic: The Political Education of Mitch McConnell, what his leadership might look like.

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Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, speaks during a news conference in November. He had met with city Police Chief Anthony Campos and protest organizers after a Ferguson, Mo., grand jury chose not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown.

Newark's New Mayor Proves His Crime-Fighting Powers Early

5:21pm January 04, 2015

by NPR Staff

Since his election, Newark, N.J., Mayor Ras Baraka has tried some unusual tactics to battle crime. He says that's just a small step in a very long effort to make Newark a safer place to live.

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Water vapor, which looks like smoke, is seen rising from a power plant near Hengshui in China's Hebei province. In November, President Obama announced a landmark carbon-cutting deal with China — the world's leading producer of greenhouse gases. And the

2014 Brought Lasting Action On Climate Change Policy

4:19pm January 04, 2015

by Scott Horsley

The EPA moved ahead with far-reaching polices to reduce carbon pollution from power plants. And the president struck a landmark deal with China to curb its carbon output as well.

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Former Massachusetts Sen. Edward William Brooke speaks in the Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington, in 2009 during a ceremony where he received the Congressional Gold Medal. Brooke died on Saturday at age 95.

Former Republican Sen. Edward Brooke Dies At 95

8:37pm January 03, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Brooke was the first African-American to be popularly elected to the U.S. Senate, serving in the chamber for 13 years. He was a major champion of fair housing laws.

Some Not-So-Conventional Wisdom About The Next Congress

6:23pm January 02, 2015

by Tamara Keith

Will Republicans have to prove they can govern and will Democrats be totally irrelevant? Will the president's veto pen get a workout? Here's a second look at some wisdom about the next Congress.

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Congress Could Find Energy Compromise With Hydropower

6:23pm January 02, 2015

by Dan Boyce

With the Republicans in the majority in both the House and Senate in Washington, there will be changes in energy policy in the next few years. Republicans are pledging to approve the Keystone XL pipeline and to delay or derail the Obama administration's clean air proposals.

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Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep interviews President Obama in the Oval Office.

Transcript: President Obama's Full NPR Interview

3:19pm January 02, 2015

Steve Inskeep's wide-ranging interview with President Obama covers recent executive actions on Cuba and immigration, race relations in the U.S., health care and extending democracy in the Middle East.

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A South Korean army soldier walks near a TV screen showing an advertisement of Sony Picture's The Interview, which sparked condemnation in North Korea, which allegedly hacked the studio.

Obama Authorizes New Sanctions On North Korea Over Sony Hack

2:52pm January 02, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The executive order targets three North Korean entities and accuses the Pyongyang regime of "destructive, coercive cyber-related actions."