News

Control of Virginia's House Of Delegates Rests With Two Film Canisters

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with James Alcorn, chairman of Virginia's board of elections about drawing a film canister from a crystal bowl tomorrow, which will have a slip of paper that will decide which candidate will become a state delegate. It will also determine whether the Republican Party will keep control of the State House, or if the delegates will be split with the Democrats.
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2017 Marks Turbulent Year For U.S.-Turkey Relations

by Peter Kenyon

The United States and Turkey have long been allies, with Turkey being a critical U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS. But 2017 was one of the most turbulent years in memory for relations between the two countries.

The Role Opposition Parties Play In Russian Politics

Alexei Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition politician, has been banned from running in next year's presidential elections. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to reporter Charles Maynes in Moscow about how effective the Russian opposition can be when it is politically sidelined.

States Say They Need Federal Government's Help To Secure Midterm Elections

by Pam Fessler

The 2018 midterm elections will be the first test of efforts to protect the U.S. voting process from outside interference since Russian hackers probed state voting systems in last year's presidential race. Some progress has been made, but state and local election officials say they need more money and information from the federal government to secure the elections.

Measurement Tool Used In New Tax Bill Will Impact Deductions And Brackets

by Jim Zarroli

The government tracks prices on consumer goods — eggs, shoes, gasoline, etc. But when prices rise, people often make substitutions, like buying chicken if beef gets expensive. So economists have come up with the notion of "chained inflation" to take substitutions into account. That's the measurement the new tax bill uses, and it makes the consumer price index smaller, with an impact on deductions and brackets.

'Daily Beast' Editor-In-Chief Says Unusual Reporter Pairing Is Behind Latest Success

by David Folkenflik

The Daily Beast is enjoying some success with an unusual pairing of reporters at the White House. Asawin Suebsaeng came from Mother Jones and Lachlan Markay wrote for a series of conservative publications before joining the publication. Editor-in-chief John Avlon says he thinks the pairing is helping their coverage stand out.