National Security

Ash Carter Visits Israel To Ease Concerns Over Iran Nuclear Deal

6:55pm July 20, 2015

by Daniel Estrin

With U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter visiting their country, Israelis are grappling with how to respond to the nuclear deal with Iran. And it's not all about opposing the agreement.

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Nigerian President Begins Mission To Wipe Out Corruption

6:37pm July 20, 2015

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is on his first U.S. visit since taking office in May. NPR's Melissa Block speaks with conflict resolution analyst Aminu Gamawa about what this means for Nigerians.

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John Kerry: 'We Were So Eager' To Reopen Diplomatic Ties With Cuba

6:37pm July 20, 2015

In this interview excerpt, NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with the secretary of state about why opening relations with Cuba was important. The full interview will run Tuesday on Morning Edition.

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Professor: Iran Deal Is A Lot Like A Rube Goldberg Machine

12:39pm July 18, 2015

Yale professor and author Stephen Carter says the agreement is so complex, something is bound to go wrong — but that doesn't make it a bad deal. He speaks with NPR's Scott Simon.

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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivers a sermon during morning prayers for the Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. He signaled his approval of the nuclear agreement with Western powers but reiterated that Tehr

Iran's Khamenei Signals Approval Of Nuclear Deal With 'Arrogant' U.S.

12:39pm July 18, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The country's supreme religious leader says the deal won't change his country's support for the governments of Syria or Iraq, nor for the "oppressed" Palestinians.

Sarah Shourd in 2011. Hostages, to Iran, are "like money in the bank that eventually gets cashed in — you just don't know when or how long it will take," she says.

Former Hostage: Under Deal, Iran Has Less Incentive To Hold Americans

10:33am July 18, 2015

by NPR Staff

Sarah Shourd, who was imprisoned by Iran in 2009, calls the nuclear deal a "win-win." It doesn't demand Americans' release, but she says it makes it less useful for Iran to keep hostages for leverage.

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In Wake Of Iran Deal, Defense Secretary Embarks On Middle East Tour

7:39pm July 17, 2015

by David Welna

The loudest objections to the recent Iran nuclear deal have been coming from Israel. U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is traveling there this weekend, in a bid to reassure the riled American ally.

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National

Military Recruitment Centers Have A History Of Being Targeted

7:39pm July 17, 2015

Michael Miller, a reporter with The Washington Post, speaks with NPR's Audie Cornish about military recruitment centers and how they have become easy targets for potential violence.

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An FBI investigator at the scene of a shooting outside a military recruiting center in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Friday.

National

When Is An Act Of Violence An Act Of Terrorism?

7:01pm July 17, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

The word terrorism is a tricky one. That's because, as one linguist says, "terrorism itself, whatever that is" lives in a place between crime and war.

U.S. Energy Secretary: Deal Keeps Iran Further Away From A Nuclear Weapon

3:48pm July 16, 2015

NPR's Robert Siegel speaks with U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz about the Iran nuclear deal. Secretary Moniz was an important player in the negotiations.

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