Law

The oil tanker HS Electra unloads oil from the North Sea at the Portland Pipe Line facility in South Portland, Maine, in 2013.

Maine City Council Votes To Keep Tar Sands Out Of Its Port

12:06pm July 23, 2014

by Susan Sharon

South Portland, Maine, has blocked crude oil from being loaded onto ships at its port. Environmentalists are cheering, but the Portland Montreal Pipeline Corp. says the ban won't hold up in court.

Queue Listen Now

National

Newark Police Placed Under Federal Microscope For Rampant Misconduct

8:17pm July 22, 2014

by Sarah Gonzalez

After a lengthy investigation, the U.S. Justice Department has found that the Newark Police Department, the largest in New Jersey, has frequently violated residents' civil rights and engaged in unreasonable use of force. Sarah Gonzalez of WNYC reports that the department will be placed under federal oversight.

Queue Listen Now

Federal Court Throws Out Health Care Subsidies In 36 States

1:38pm July 22, 2014

Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News explains a federal appeals court ruling Tuesday that overturns subsidies provided to low- and middle-income people in states that use the federal health exchanges.

Queue Listen Now

Members of global advocacy group Avaaz stand next to a digital counter showing the number of petition signatures calling for net neutrality outside the Federal Communication Commission in Washington in January. Avaaz joined other groups to deliver more th

National

Net Neutrality, Shall I Compare Thee To A Highway? A Showerhead?

6:35pm July 21, 2014

by NPR Staff

Net neutrality can be an issue that's difficult to understand and difficult to explain, so the metaphor that's used to describe it is kind of important. See what neutrality is being compared to.

Queue Listen Now

National

Unanimous Vote Could Mean Reduced Penalties For 46,000 Defendants

7:54pm July 18, 2014

by Carrie Johnson

The U.S. Sentencing Commission voted Friday on a recommendation that Congress lower certain mandatory drug sentences retroactively. The move could cut almost two years off of thousands of prisoners' sentences.

Queue Listen Now

With New Virtual Currency Rules, N.Y. Regulators Tread A Fine Line

1:00pm July 18, 2014

by Charles Lane

New York banking regulators are expected to release new rules this week governing Bitcoin and other virtual currencies. Industry experts both welcome the regulations and worry they could go too far.

Queue Listen Now

If You Want Flextime But Are Afraid To Ask, Consider Moving

11:23am July 18, 2014

by Jennifer Ludden

In Vermont and San Francisco, the right of employees to ask for flexible work schedules is now enshrined in law. That doesn't mean, however, that employers are compelled to grant them.

Queue Listen Now

Commission To Decide If Some Federal Inmates Will Be Let Out Early

11:09am July 17, 2014

by Carrie Johnson

The Sentencing Commission meets Friday to vote on a plan that could send home tens of thousands of federal inmates convicted of drug trafficking.

Queue Listen Now

National

For Immigrant Children Crossing Border, Fears Meet Court Backlog

6:24pm July 14, 2014

Audie Cornish talks with Michelle Abarca, a supervising attorney with the Americans for Immigrant Justice, on how the surge in unaccompanied children has impacted her organization.

Queue Listen Now

Outside New York City Hall, a policeman watches a protest against racial disparities in marijuana arrests. The majority of those arrested are black or Latino, even though those groups are not more likely to smoke pot.

National

Brooklyn DA Shifts Stance On Pot, But That Won't Impact NYPD

12:12pm July 12, 2014

by Joel Rose

District Attorney Kenneth Thompson says he will stop prosecuting some people arrested for low-level marijuana possession. But that won't stop the New York Police Department from making arrests.

Queue Listen Now