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National

Tuesday

Panel Postpones Vote On U.S. Debt-Cutting Plan

Erskine Bowles (left) and Alan Simpson head the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. David Gilkey/NPR hide caption

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David Gilkey/NPR

Politics

Panel Postpones Vote On U.S. Debt-Cutting Plan

The two men heading President Obama's debt commission said Tuesday that a vote on the final recommendations has been delayed until Friday. But Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Alan Simpson said the extra time would not be used to make major, last-minute concessions.

Law

Alleged Portland Bomber To Claim Entrapment

To be sure, the FBI did provide a van and the fake explosives that were supposed to terrorize the crowds that had gathered the day after Thanksgiving for the annual lighting of the tree in downtown Portland -- but providing the means to do something isn't enough for entrapment.

Alleged Portland Bomber To Claim Entrapment

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Why It's So Easy To Give Kids The Wrong Dose Of Medicine

How does your child's spoonful of medicine measure up? iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

Shots - Health News

Why It's So Easy To Give Kids The Wrong Dose Of Medicine

Nearly all of the top over-the-counter children's medications contained confusing dosing instructions, according to a new study. For example, the instructions on the bottle give teaspoon measurements, but the dosing cup marks milliliters.

Why It's So Easy To Give Kids The Wrong Dose Of Medicine

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Amid Fears, WikiLeaks Presents Some Upside

Hundreds of diplomatic cables between U.S. embassies and the State Department were published Sunday by WikiLeaks, prompting U.S. officials to denounce the move as reckless and dangerous. But some analysts say information in the documents could be useful to foreign policy objectives. Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

National Security

Amid Fears, WikiLeaks Presents Some Upside

U.S. officials have denounced WikiLeaks' publication of diplomatic cables as an act of espionage. But there are some instances in which increased attention could help promote U.S. goals.

High Court Weighs Calif. Prison Overcrowding

The gymnasium at San Quentin State Prison, shown in this June 14, 2007, photo, was filled with nearly 400 double-bunked inmates because of crowded conditions. Eric Risberg/AP hide caption

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Eric Risberg/AP

Law

High Court Weighs Calif. Prison Overcrowding

The justices of the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case that pits California's right to run its prisons against the Constitution's guarantee that those behind bars get basic minimum medical care.

High Court Weighs Calif. Prison Overcrowding

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Thousands Duped By Midwest Housing Scam

WCPN News

An investment offer pitched to several thousand Canadians and Americans in 2008 on a traveling investment infomercial/seminar circuit has gone terribly wrong. Several companies offered buyers what they pitched as an opportunity to take advantage of the foreclosure crisis: buying foreclosed homes at low prices and then collecting payments on a rent-to-own basis from people who would live in those houses. Legal documents show about 1,200 properties across the Midwest were sold to investors from the U.S. and Canada, but deeds were rarely transferred.

Thousands Duped By Midwest Housing Scam

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Politics

Pentagon: No Lasting Harm In Repealing 'Don't Ask'

A new report by the Pentagon says repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy would have no long-term impact on the military's effectiveness. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters Tuesday that most concerns associated with repealing the 17-year-old ban on gays serving openly could be addressed through increased training and education. For more, host Robert Siegel talks to NPR's Rachel Martin.

Pentagon: No Lasting Harm In Repealing 'Don't Ask'

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Politics

WikiLeaks Raises Specter Of Biometric Data

Among the cables obtained by WikiLeaks are several that point to the State Department's directive to embassy staff to collect human intelligence on foreign diplomats, including biometric information. NPR's Guy Raz talks to Stephanie Schuckers, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Clarkson University, about how one might go about collecting biometric information.

WikiLeaks Raises Specter Of Biometric Data

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History

The History Of The Term 'Cable'

David Geyer of the State Department tells NPR's Guy Raz about the history of terminology for a diplomatic message. When did "cable" become a noun for a packet of information from abroad? What term preceded it? When did "cables" actually start being used, and when did that method of transmission cease? (If, in fact, it has ceased in this digital age.)

The History Of The Term 'Cable'

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Should Portland Rejoin Terrorism Task Force?

Last week, FBI agents arrested a 19-year-old man, accused of trying to detonate what he thought were explosives at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Portland. But the bomb was a fake, given to the suspect by undercover federal agents. NPR's Robert Siegel speaks to the mayor of Portland, Sam Adams, who didn't know about the sting operation because five years ago, Portland became the first U.S. city to opt out of the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Should Portland Rejoin Terrorism Task Force?

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Gates To Senate: End 'Don't Ask' Before Courts Do

Defense Secretary Robert Gates listens to a reporter's question during a news briefing about gays in the military Tuesday at the Pentagon. Charles Dharapak/AP hide caption

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Charles Dharapak/AP

Politics

Gates To Senate: End 'Don't Ask' Before Courts Do

Defense Secretary Robert Gates urges Congress to repeal the 17-year-old ban on openly gay Americans serving in the armed forces before the end of the year, after a Pentagon report finds little risk from such a change.