Governing

Demonstrators block Public Square in Cleveland during a protest over the police shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in November 2014.

No Charges For Police Officer Who Killed Tamir Rice: Some Must-Read Reactions

6:24pm December 28, 2015

by Leah Donnella

A grand jury declined to indict Timothy Loehmann, who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in November 2014. Tamir had been in a park in Cleveland, playing with a borrowed air gun.

World News

U.S. Hostages Held In Iran For 444 Days Finally To Get Compensated

6:11am December 25, 2015

When former U.S. Marine Rocky Sickmann found out about the compensation, he pulled over to the side of the road and sobbed. He talked to David Greene about his experience 30 years ago.

National

Va. Will No Longer Recognize Concealed Carry Handgun Permits From 25 States

12:57pm December 23, 2015

by Merrit Kennedy

Starting in February, visitors from states with less stringent gun-safety laws will need to get a nonresident permit to carry a concealed weapon in Virginia.

LISTEN: House Speaker On 'Decentralizing' Power And The Zen Of Sausage-Making

11:17am December 23, 2015

by Susan Davis

Paul Ryan became the reluctant speaker of the House after John Boehner resigned. Ryan has the unenviable task of trying to unify a fractious party. He sat down with reporters, including NPR.

NPR's Steve Inskeep interviews President Obama at the White House.

'Sometimes Progress Is A Little Uncomfortable': President Obama On Identity Politics

1:37pm December 21, 2015

by Leah Donnella

In an interview with NPR's Steve Inskeep, Obama spoke at length on the subject of identity. The question of who we are as Americans, Obama said, has been a focus since the country's founding.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during the Dec. 15 presidential debate in Las Vegas.

Fact Check: Cruz's Misleading Charge About Rubio And Refugees

7:44am December 18, 2015

by Danielle Kurtzleben

Did Marco Rubio design a law that would let the president invite refugees into the U.S. without background checks? No.

Yes, this is a story about the budget â read on.

Winners And Losers Tucked Inside The Spending And Taxing Bills

5:59pm December 17, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

Conservatives don't like the price tag and liberals don't like the priorities. Still, Congress is making quick progress on a massive legislative push affecting government spending and business taxes.

Federal Reserve Bank Chair Janet Yellen holds a news conference after the central bank announced its first rate increase in more than 9 years.

Federal Reserve Announces Hike In Short-Term Interest Rates

5:54pm December 16, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

After holding rates near zero for seven years, the Fed approved a small increase Wednesday. While that step seems minor, the impact could be huge in 2016 as borrowing costs head up.

Congress has unveiled a spending bill to keep the government running that also weighs in on plenty of food policy issues.

Follow The Money: Congress Uses Budget Bill To Rewrite Food Policies

5:39pm December 16, 2015

As lawmakers revealed a spending bill to keep the government running, they also took the time to weigh in on school lunch, GM salmon, calorie postings on menus and meat labels.

President Obama speaks at the White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection at Stanford University on Feb. 13.

Cybersecurity Legislation Finds A Place In U.S. Budget Bill

3:21pm December 16, 2015

by Alina Selyukh

Congress has been trying to tackle cybersecurity for years. After several attempts to craft information-sharing legislation, the latest one has found its way into the must-pass federal spending bill.