National

Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts have pledged to source palm oil from suppliers who are not clear-cutting rain forests.

Sweet: Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme Pump Up Pledge On Palm Oil

5:57pm September 18, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

Two major doughnut chains have bowed to consumer pressure to better police their palm oil purchases. Environmentalists say it's a win for consumers, trees and animals.

In a March 2014 TED talk, Ebrahim credited The Daily Show's Jon Stewart with helping him realize that "a person's race, religion or sexual orientation had nothing to do with the quality of one's character."

The Long, Scary Journey From A 'Terrorist's Son' To A Peace Activist

5:39pm September 18, 2014

Zak Ebrahim's father was convicted as a conspirator of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. For most of his life, Ebrahim lied to people about who his father was. His new memoir tells his story.

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Apple, which unveiled iOS 8 at June's Worldwide Developers Conference, says it will be technologically unfeasible for police to extract data from its new operating system.

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Apple: iOS 8 Prevents Cooperation With Police Unlocking Requests

5:16pm September 18, 2014

by Elise Hu

In the rollout of its new mobile operating system, Apple says it has made it technically impossible for the company to unlock phone data, even in response to a law enforcement warrant.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, joined by Speaker of the House John Boehner and Vice President Joe Biden, acknowledges lawmakers' applause after addressing a joint meeting of Congress.

Ukrainian President Thanks Congress For Supporting Freedom

12:57pm September 18, 2014

by Scott Neuman

Petro Poroshenko called Russia's annexation of Crimea a "cynical act of treachery." He is in the U.S. meeting with President Obama and others to lobby for increased aid to fight insurgents.

Islamic State Seizes Villages; Australia Says It Foiled Beheading Plot

12:14pm September 18, 2014

by Scott Neuman

The Islamist rebels also known as ISIS or ISIL reportedly captured 16 Kurdish villages in northern Syria in a major push for territory. The move has prompted fears of a massacre of civilians.

A man played bagpipes on a "short walk to freedom" march in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Thursday as polling in the independence referendum began.

Scotland's Historic Decision: Should It Stay Or Should It Go?

10:47am September 18, 2014

by Scott Neuman

Scots went to the polls to vote in a referendum that will decide whether they remain with the United Kingdom or end a 300-year-old union.

In this Illinois ad, Doris and her friend Betty suggestively encourage two young men to come in ... and get voter ID cards.

Ads Get Creative, Even Seductive, To Attract Voters

9:17am September 18, 2014

by Pam Fessler

Voting might not be the sexiest thing in the world, but at least one ad campaign encouraging Americans to register is pretty provocative.

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Top Scientists Suggest A Few Fixes For Medical Funding Crisis

8:02am September 18, 2014

by Richard Harris

The answer, this time, isn't simply more cash, says Dr. Harold Varmus, director of the National Cancer Institute. Instead, changing the way research money is distributed might fix systemic problems.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks during a recent news conference in Rome. Zarif told NPR that the U.S. has been hesitant and contradictory in its approach to dealing with the self-declared Islamic State.

Iran's Foreign Minister: U.S. 'Not Serious' About Defeating Islamic State

7:50am September 18, 2014

by Scott Neuman

In an interview with NPR, Mohammad Javad Zarif says the U.S. has been hesitant and contradictory in its approach to defeating the Islamist insurgency.

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Should we drink diet soda or not? The latest study doesn't really clear things up.

Diet Soda May Alter Our Gut Microbes And Raise The Risk Of Diabetes

5:43am September 18, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

There's a new wrinkle to the old debate over diet soda: Artificial sweeteners may alter our microbiomes. And for some, this may raise blood sugar levels and set the stage for diabetes.

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