National Security

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's top political leader (second from left), has been involved in the group's negotiations with U.S. officials.

U.S. And The Taliban May Be Near A Deal. What Does That Mean For Afghanistan?

10:07pm August 19, 2019

The Afghan government has been left on the sidelines as the U.S. and the Taliban have held multiple rounds of talks this year in the Gulf nation of Qatar.

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National

Project Pluto And Nuclear-Powered Missiles

8:00am August 17, 2019

NPR's Scott Simon hears from Rand Corporation researcher Edward Geist about attempts by Russia and the U.S. to develop nuclear-powered missiles.

President Trump speaks to supporters at a rally in Manchester on Thursday in Manchester, N.H.

Trump Shifts From Background Checks To Mental Illness Reform At N.H. Rally

10:24pm August 15, 2019

by Jessica Taylor

"There is a mental illness problem that has to be dealt with. It's not the gun that pulls the trigger — it's the person holding the gun," Trump said to a standing ovation.

A Royal Marine patrol vessel is seen beside Iran's Grace 1 tanker in the British territory of Gibraltar on July 4. The tanker was impounded, and the U.S. Justice Department applied to seize it, according to the Gibraltar government.

Gibraltar Releases Iranian Tanker U.S. Tried To Seize

1:10pm August 15, 2019

by Sasha Ingber

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said the vessel was released "in light of the assurances we have received" from Iran.

A woman prays at a makeshift memorial for shooting victims at the Cielo Vista Mall Walmart, in El Paso, Texas.

After El Paso Shooting, Suburban Houston Voters Reexamine Their Own Views On Guns

6:30am August 15, 2019

by Claudia Grisales

Texas is home to some of the deadliest shootings in modern U.S. history. It's making some in a once solidly Republican community outside Houston revisit their positions on gun control.

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Task Force Takes On Russian Election Interference

4:22pm August 14, 2019

by Dina Temple-Raston

In an exclusive interview with NPR, the head of the National Security Agency talks about how the online battle waged against ISIS is informing the fight against Russia ahead of the 2020 elections.

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U.S. Experts Want Details On Blast At Russian Missile Test Site

6:54am August 14, 2019

by David Welna

At least five Russians were killed last week in an explosion at a missile test site. It may have involved an experimental nuclear powered missile that Russian President Putin had boasted about.

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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.

Greg Craig, who was White House counsel under President Barack Obama, departs from the U.S. District Courthouse after a hearing on April 15. His trial begins Monday.

Former Obama White House Counsel Greg Craig Goes On Trial Over Ukraine Work

11:06am August 12, 2019

by Ryan Lucas

The trial of Greg Craig, who worked for two Democratic presidents, opens in Washington, D.C., on Monday. The case against Craig stems from former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

A ULA Atlas V rocket carrying a U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center mission launched Thursday at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

With Congressional Blessing, Space Force Is Closer To Launch

5:54pm August 11, 2019

by Claudia Grisales

It started as a joke, as President Trump riffed on the idea last year. Now, Congress could create the first, new military service in more than 70 years.