NSA Chief: Surveillance Programs Disrupted Terror Plots
National Security Agency director Keith Alexander returned to the Hill on Tuesday, this time to testify before a House intelligence committee about the NSA spying revelations. Alexander said the programs in question foiled 50 terrorist plots, including one against the New York Stock Exchange.
Congressman On NSA: Checks And Balances Prevent Abuse
Melissa Block talks to Republican Congressman Mac Thornberry, who serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He talks about the testimony by leaders of the National Security Agency, the Department of Justice and the FBI on Tuesday morning. He's been supportive of the NSA surveillance program, saying it's not only legal, but vital to security.
How The Civil Rights Movement Was Covered In Birmingham
There's a stark difference between how the national press covered the events of 1963 in Birmingham and how Birmingham's papers covered their own city. Audie Cornish talks with Alabama journalist Hank Klibanoff, co-author of The Race Beat, about the disparity.
A Look Back At How Newspapers Covered The Civil Rights Movement
This week Audie Cornish travels to Birmingham, Ala., to revisit some of the stories that shaped that city and the nation in the summer of 1963. Today she talks with Hank Klibanoff, co-author of The Race Beat about how the newspapers covered the civil rights struggle fifty years ago.
Pentagon Debuts Plans For Opening Combat Positions To Women
On Tuesday, the Pentagon released plans for opening most military jobs to women. The armed services have until 2016 to open the positions, which have been closed to women for decades. The military services can keep some specialties closed to women, but must give a good reason for such exceptions.
Patients Lead The Way As Medicine Grapples With Apps
Smartphone apps can help count calories or detect a heart attack. People are embracing them to manage many aspects of their health. But medical apps are largely unregulated now, so there's no easy way to be sure which ones are trustworthy and which ones aren't.
Mexico's Tech Startups Look To Overcome Barriers To Growth
In the past decade, Mexico's tech industry has flourished, growing three times faster than the global average. Most of that growth has been fueled by demand from the United States. But as Mexico's startups strive to make it in foreign markets, they say they need more engineers and ways to finance their growth.
Russian Parliament May Pass Anti-Gay Law
The Russian parliament is expected to give final approval this week to a bill that would make it illegal to expose children to information about homosexuality. Russian law experts say the courts would likely rule against the legislation because it violates the Russian constitution's ban on discrimination. Even so, authorities could use it to harass specific organizations or visitors from abroad such as Madonna who spoke in favor of gay rights during a concert in St. Petersburg last year. And the legislation could curry favor among conservatives whom Putin has been courting since returning to the presidency.
Kanye's 'Yeezus' Packs A Bite
After months of speculation, West's latest album reveals itself as a trim, 10-song, 40-minute effort that's heavy on electronic and industrial influences. It's also another piece of the puzzle to one of pop music's most compelling — and frustrating — figures.
