Law

Politics & Government

Immigration, Gun Legislation And The Shakeup In Iowa

2:27pm January 30, 2013

NPR's Ken Rudin recaps the week in politics, from the new proposals for immigration policy, to the Senate testimony on gun control legislation. Kathie Obradovich, political columnist for the Des Moines Register, about the retirement of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and the politics of Iowa in 2014.

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Polling Firm Gallup Lands In Legal Hot Water

1:17pm January 30, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

The company's name has been tarnished by a whistle-blower lawsuit alleging that it overcharged the federal government, and by a guilty plea from a former FEMA executive for improperly steering business to the polling firm. For now, Gallup has been suspended from winning any new federal contracts.

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Dan McKown, who confronted a gunman at a shopping mall in 2005, says he doesn't regret his actions, although he was shot five times and is now in a wheelchair.

National

Armed 'Good Guys' And The Realities Of Facing A Gunman

8:18pm January 29, 2013

by Martin Kaste

As the nation ponders how to stop the next mass shooting, the gun rights movement offers one controversial answer: armed civilians. In 2005, one such private citizen tried to stop a mass shooting at a mall in Washington state — and paid a heavy price.

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In Night Clubs, The Steps Taken To Prevent Tragic Fires

6:24pm January 29, 2013

The deadly nightclub fire in Brazil that claimed more than 230 lives is a tragic addition to an all-too long list of historic incidents. Ray O'Brocki, of the Baltimore Fire Department, explains how night clubs and other high-capacity facilities deal with fire safety.

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Jennie and Kristian Aspelin pose in a pumpkin patch with their children two weeks before three-month-old Johan died.

Health & Safety

Dismissed Case Raises Questions On Shaken Baby Diagnosis

3:27pm January 29, 2013

by Joseph Shapiro

Kristian Aspelin had one thing in his favor: enough money to pay for medical experts. The experts were able to convince prosecutors that his infant son's death was an accident.

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Senators Propose Principles For Immigration Reform

3:13pm January 28, 2013

A bipartisan group of senators is released a proposal for immigration reform. The plan specifically addresses creating a path to citizenship, employment verification systems and worker recruitment programs and raises many questions about potential changes for immigrants and employers.

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Google Explains How It Handles Police Requests For Users' Data

10:11am January 28, 2013

by Martin Kaste

For the first time, Google has posted its policies for when it gives up users' information to the government. It's part of a broader company strategy to push for tougher privacy laws.

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Court Ruling Upsets Conventional Wisdom On Recess Appointments

6:51pm January 25, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

In a bombshell decision, a federal appeals court panel has invalidated President Obama's recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board. Legal experts say the ruling deals a big victory to Senate Republicans in an era of congressional gridlock, and could push the issue to the Supreme Court.

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Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaks at a news conference Thursday announcing her plan to introduce a bill to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

Politics & Government

Sponsors Of Assault Weapons Ban Hope Newtown Shooting Changes Minds

9:14am January 25, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

Gun control advocates acknowledged they'll face big obstacles in Congress to a new ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. But they say the shooting last month of 20 schoolchildren in Connecticut could make a difference.

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National

New York Murder Rate Plummets, But Who Should Get The Credit?

8:16pm January 24, 2013

by Joel Rose

While Chicago and Detroit are struggling to control rising murder rates, New York City hit a record low number of homicides in 2012. The police commissioner has often pointed to several controversial policing tactics for falling crime, but some analysts say there are many potential explanations.

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