Detroit's Emergency Manager: 'There's Just No Money'
Kevyn Orr tells All Things Considered the crisis was the city's own making, but it doesn't help anyone to look for blame in the past.
U.S.
Lack Of Leaders Puts Strain On Homeland Security Department
Fifteen top posts at the Department of Homeland Security, including retiring Secretary Janet Napolitano's position, are now vacant or soon will be. Many are being filled on a temporary basis, and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle want the Obama administration to get busy filling those jobs, too.
MLB Suspends Brewers Star Ryan Braun
Major League Baseball announced Monday it is suspending Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun for the rest of the season for violating doping policy. Robert Siegel talks with NPR's Tom Goldman about the move.
State Laws Limiting Abortion May Face Challenges On 20-Week Limit
States are setting an abortion limit at 20 weeks after fertilization, but that may clash with established standards for calculating the viability of a pregnancy. It could also open the new laws up to constitutional challenges.
Little Bighorn Tour Guide Brings Battle To Life
The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana is one of the most visited sites in the National Park System. And for more than two decades, seasonal ranger Mike Donahue spends his summers at Little Big Horn, teaching visitors all about the historic battle.
The Voting Rights Act: Hard-Won Gains, An Uncertain Future
The Supreme Court overturned a key provision of the civil rights-era legislation in June. Free of past restrictions, some states acted quickly to change their voting laws, and it is now up to Congress to figure out where the act goes from here and how to continue to protect voters from discrimination.
Military Sexual Assault Bill Would Reassign Authority
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand wants to give independent military prosecutors, rather than commanders, the power to decide which cases should be tried in military court.
Flying High And Low In 'Full Upright And Locked Position'
In a new book, aviation consultant Mark Gerchick writes that "the magic of air travel has morphed into an uncomfortable, crowded and utterly soulless ordeal." He talks about how it's gotten so bad, why there are so many hidden fees and if there actually is less leg room than there used to be.
One Small Step For Man, One Giant Lunar Park For The U.S.?
Two members of Congress want to preserve artifacts from American lunar missions with a national park on the moon, but there are some international hurdles to jump. Still, Space Policy Institute director Dr. Scott Pace says the bill raises intriguing questions about what the future of human-space interaction will look like.
Despite Repeated Tries, Afghan Peace Efforts Still Sputter
The latest effort, like others before it, has gone nowhere. With American combat troops planning to leave by the end of next year, the opportunities for peace talks are dwindling.