Law

National

Congress Ends Ban On Federal Funding For Needle Exchange Programs

5:07pm January 08, 2016

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Rep. Hal Rogers of Kentucky, a Republican who led the effort, and Daniel Raymond, policy director for the Harm Reduction Coalition, about the impact of ending the ban.

National

Homeland Security Begins Crackdown On 'Real IDs'

4:46pm January 08, 2016

by Brian Naylor

The government is giving states a deadline to comply with the "Real ID Act," which requires driver's licenses meet certain security standards. But some states are balking, citing privacy concerns.

National

Philadelphia Police Investigate Extremist Connections In Officer Ambush

4:31pm January 08, 2016

by Bobby Allyn

A Philadelphia man is in custody after allegedly ambushing a city police officer in his squad car. The officer is recovering from the attack. The man told police he shot the officer in the name of Islam and ISIS. Philadelphia's police commissioner says the city is looking for connections between the shooter and extremist groups. The man has a criminal record and the commissioner referred to him as appearing deranged.

National

Why Does The Federal Government Manage So Much Public Land In The West?

4:31pm January 08, 2016

by Kirk Siegler

The federal government owns huge swaths of land in the West. How it came to have all that land and authority over it is complicated and fraught with ages old controversies. NPR explores the history of land ownership in the West.

Lawyer Monique Pressley accompanied Bill Cosby and lawyer Brian McMonagle at a criminal court appearance in Elkins Park, Pa., last month.

Lawyer Faces National Scrutiny While Defending Bill Cosby

3:04pm January 08, 2016

by Elizabeth Blair

Monique Pressley is called "masterful" in her public message. She hits the spotlight of the Bill Cosby case after a career as a defense attorney, prosecutor and religion-based broadcaster.

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Religion

New York City Settles Lawsuits Over Surveillance Of Muslims

2:16pm January 08, 2016

New guidance against religious profiling by police officers in New York City were announced as part of the settlement. Renee Montagne talks to Hina Shamsi of the American Civil Liberties Union.

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National

2 Refugees Arrested On Terrorism Charges In Texas, California

2:10pm January 08, 2016

by Bill Chappell

Announcing the arrests of the two Palestinians who were born in Iraq, law enforcement officials say there was no sign of a plot to carry out an attack in the U.S.

Science

Animal Rights Group Loses Copyright Suit Over Monkey Selfies

10:36pm January 07, 2016

by Nina Totenberg

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that a monkey cannot own the copyrights to selfies he took.

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NYPD Agrees To Settle 2 Lawsuits On Surveillance Of Muslims

7:25pm January 07, 2016

by Dina Temple-Raston

The New York Police Department has agreed to settle a pair of lawsuits that allege it illegally targeted Muslims in terrorism investigations. The settlement, if approved by a judge, will codify rules for terrorism investigations and provide more oversight.

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National

Oregon Ranchers Historically Divided Over Management Of Public Lands

7:00pm January 07, 2016

by Amanda Peacher

The occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in southeast Oregon has brought heightened attention to the federal government's management of public lands. The ranchers of Harney County, Ore., have a long history of both working with and struggling with the Bureau of Land Management. Some ranchers blame the area's economic hardship on federal mismanagement of public lands, but others see the government agency as a valuable partner.

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