Analysis

Israel Banning U.S. Reps. Had A Political Cost, U.S. Jewish Advocacy Group Says

7:25am August 16, 2019

NPR's Rachel Martin talks to David Harris, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, about Israel's decision to bar two U.S. congresswomen. Israel will now grant Rep. Rashida Tlaib a visa.

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World News

Are Afghans Ready To Compromise With The Taliban To Maintain Peace?

5:29am August 14, 2019

NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Alex Thier, who served as a legal adviser to Afghanistan's Constitutional and Judicial Reform Commissions, about attempts to reach a peace deal with the Taliban.

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A visitor peruses H&K rifles at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Such weapons were once restricted under a 1994 ban that expired with changing politics in the United States.

The U.S. Once Had A Ban On Assault Weapons — Why Did It Expire?

3:28pm August 13, 2019

by Ron Elving

To secure enough votes in 1994, the ban's sponsors in Congress accepted a "sunset provision" — meaning it would last 10 years but need to be reauthorized. Politics in the U.S. changed.

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris flips pork chops at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday. She came to the fair intent on proving she's a top-tier contender.

Politics & Government

Kamala Harris' Iowa Bus Tour Has Clear Intended Message: She's A Front-Runner

11:13am August 12, 2019

by Scott Detrow

The Iowa State Fair can be a lot of fun, but for presidential candidates it's serious business. California Sen. Kamala Harris came to the fair intent on proving she's a top-tier contender.

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A Chinese bank employee counts 100-yuan notes and dollar bills at a counter in Nantong, in China's eastern Jiangsu province, on Tuesday.

A U.S.-China Currency War? What You Need To Know

11:05am August 11, 2019

by Emily Feng

After China let its yuan drop in value, the U.S. accused the country of being a "currency manipulator." Here is how China manages its money and what a dispute with the U.S. could mean.

Guns for sale at a gun show in Naples, Fla.

Politics & Government

Americans Largely Support Gun Restrictions To 'Do Something' About Gun Violence

12:39pm August 10, 2019

by Domenico Montanaro

President Trump says he supports "really intelligent background checks." It's unclear what exactly that means, but support for universal background checks is near universal among Americans.

Catalina Saenz wipes tears from her face as she visits a makeshift memorial near the scene of a mass shooting at a shopping complex in El Paso, Texas. A list of the people who died in the weekend shooting rampage at the Walmart, shows that most of the vic

White Supremacy Has Never Been Fringe

10:51am August 10, 2019

by Gene Demby

Just as it did at the end of the 19th century — an era of racist lynchings and massacres — the idea that a less-white populace poses a danger to the United States continues to enjoy wide purchase.

Arts

The Racial Roots Behind The Term 'Nappy'

7:14pm August 09, 2019

by Michael Paulino

Where does the term "nappy" come from and why does it have such negative connotations? Is it possible to reclaim a word that has been used as a slur for so long?

President Trump speaks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on Monday regarding the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, over the weekend.

Trump Left A Lot Unsaid About Mass Shootings, Domestic Terrorism — And His Own Words

12:41pm August 06, 2019

by Domenico Montanaro

The president struck a somber tone about the latest round of mass shootings in this country and talked about pushing for an end to them. But tone is one thing; action is another.

Former Vice President Joe Biden was directly challenged by several other candidates, including Sens. Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker.

Politics & Government

Biden Bears Slings And Arrows But Battles Through Another Democratic Debate

1:02pm August 01, 2019

by Ron Elving

In format and style, the second CNN debate was almost a clone of the first. Once again, the emphasis was on finding points of contention and stoking the tension between candidates.