Issues
Netflix is dreaming of a glitch-free Christmas with 2 major NFL games set
It comes weeks after Netflix's attempt to broadcast live boxing between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson was rife with technical glitches.
Latinos are the fastest-growing fanbase in the NFL. What’s the league’s playbook?
The NFL is reaching more Latinos than ever. Here's how they've scored with a Spanish-speaking audience.
‘Driven by something greater’: Meet Birmingham’s trainer to the stars of today and the future
Otis Leverette, better known as ‘Coach O,’ is a strength and conditioning coach in the South that’s impacting athletes' lives beyond sports.
Alabama profits off prisoners safe enough to work at McDonald’s, deems them too dangerous for parole
No state has a longer, more profit-driven history of contracting prisoners out to private companies than Alabama. Best Western, Bama Budweiser and Burger King are among the more than 500 businesses to lease incarcerated workers from one of the most violent, overcrowded and unruly prison systems in the U.S.
Watch: A satellite time-lapse shows the world’s biggest iceberg is on the move again
About the size of Rhode Island, the iceberg known as A23a got stuck in an ocean vortex this summer, spinning in place for months. Now, it's free, and heading back into open Antarctic waters.
Trump is all about tariffs as he leads a party that used to be all about free trade
Once upon a time, Republicans spoke of free trade in glowing terms. With his constant threats of tariffs and a history of implementing them, President-elect Donald Trump has flipped that on its head.
Share your thoughts on gun violence in Birmingham
Anyone in Birmingham who wants to weigh in on how to address the city’s gun violence can do so through a survey offered by an independent gun violence commission. The commission has been working since October to find ways to reduce Birmingham’s homicide rates.
Calling all students! NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge returns for 2025
For it's seventh year, our national podcasting competition will invite students from around the country, in grades four through 12, to bring us their best audio stories.
The Federal Reserve lowers interest rates again — but hints at fewer cuts next year
The Fed lowered interest rates by a quarter percentage point — but policymakers are projecting fewer rate cuts next year as inflation remains elevated.
Federal regulators say an Alabama coal mine’s plans may violate law, leaving citizens at risk
A “ten-day notice” issued to Alabama officials aims to mitigate risks to citizens living above Oak Grove Mine. It comes after months of state inaction and community outrage.
Michael Vick says he will be the new head football coach at Norfolk State University
Vick, a four-time Pro Bowl player, is returning to his home state of Virginia to coach the team.
Churches are making room for grief and loss at Christmas
More and more congregations are trying to be sensitive to those who are grieving during the holidays. The move ranges from special services to the inclusion of hymns and prayers that speak to sadness during regular Sunday worship.
Energy chief Granholm warns against ‘unfettered exports’ of liquefied natural gas
Granholm's statement came as the Energy Department released a long-awaited study that found U.S. LNG shipments drive up domestic wholesale prices and frequently displace renewable energy sources.
Deadly violence in Nigeria tied to United Methodist Church schism over LGBTQ policies
A religious schism has turned deadly in Nigeria, with a church member fatally shot and two young children killed as homes were set ablaze, according to United Methodist News Service.
The president of the NCAA calls for a ban on ‘prop bets’ in college sports
As sports betting has spread across the U.S., college athletes have increasingly faced harassment from bettors. A federal ban on wagers that concern individual performances could help, the NCAA says.
Q&A: The little-known history of how enslaved people were jailed in antebellum New Orleans
Author John Bardes discusses how Louisiana’s complicated history with mass incarceration began with imprisonment being used as a tool against enslaved people.
Alabama wants to lower recidivism rates by 2030. What are the obstacles?
Last year, Alabama set an ambitious goal for itself: lower recidivism by 25% and increase post-incarceration employment rates by 50% by 2030. But a recent study on the state's criminal justice re-entry programming shows that many formerly incarcerated people are falling through the cracks.
An Alabama woman is doing well after the latest experimental pig kidney transplant
Towana Looney is the fifth American given a gene-edited pig organ — and notably, she isn’t as sick as prior recipients who died within two months of receiving a pig kidney or heart.
How the holidays could be affecting your medical care
A new study suggests that holidays can affect your provider's decision making.
Apprenticeships are a trending alternative to college — but there’s a hitch
Apprenticeships are becoming a popular alternative to college as a career path. But demand is outpacing the supply of employers who offer them.
Sotheby’s to auction off ancient Ten Commandments tablet
One of the earliest tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments (dating to A.D. 300-800) is scheduled to go up for auction at Sotheby's on Wednesday.
Supreme Court to consider whether Catholic group is exempt from religious taxes
At issue is whether the charity Catholic Charities is qualified to be exempt from state unemployment taxes as a religious institution.
Remembering Gip’s Place and the Bessemer bluesman who started it all
The unassuming juke joint operated in the backyard of longtime Bessemer resident Henry “Gip” Gipson. Gipson died five years ago this fall.
How D.C. tackled a child care crunch through a tax hike on the rich
In Washington, D.C., a tax on residents earning more than $250,000 a year is boosting the wages of child care workers. Two years in, it's proving to be a great investment.
At 18, India’s Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest world chess champion ever
Dommaraju unseated China's Ding Liren to become the new world chess champion. "Every chess player wants to experience this moment, and very few get the chance," Dommaraju said after the match.
Americans are furious over health care. Is this an Occupy Wall Street moment?
The public outrage unleashed by the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO echoes the anti-banking fury after the financial crisis and comes as populist economic fatigue helped re-elect Donald Trump.
Girls Rock Birmingham gives future artists the spotlight
Picture a rock band and chances are it’s a bunch of men. But Girls Rock Birmingham, a local youth organization, is fixing that spotlight on girls by giving them the chance to take the stage to rock out.
Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup — a controversial pick
FIFA's selection of Saudi Arabia to host the World Cup was celebrated in the kingdom but criticized by human rights groups, who fear residents, visitors and migrant workers will be at risk of abuse.
Albertsons sues Kroger and ends failed grocery megamerger
The lawsuit over a deal to combine the two largest U.S. supermarkets came just a day after it was blocked in both federal and Washington state courts.
Through ‘The Loss Mother’s Stone,’ mothers share their grief from losing a child to stillbirth
Through her work, photographer Nancy Borowick says she hopes to draw awareness to women's stories, educate Americans and destigmatize the conversation that occurs between doctors and patients.
Monarch butterflies will get federal protections as a threatened species
U.S. officials decided to extend protections to monarch butterflies after warnings from environmentalists that populations are shrinking and the beloved pollinator may not survive climate change.
Kroger and Albertsons grocery megamerger halted by two courts
Two rulings — in federal and state courts — make it increasingly likely that Kroger might abandon its $24.6 billion plan to buy Albertsons. The merger aimed to combine two of America's largest supermarket chains.
