Issues
How Nazgul the wolfdog made his run for Winter Olympic glory in Italy
Nazgul isn't talking, but his owners come clean about how he got loose, got famous, and how they feel now
Court clears way for Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments in classrooms to take effect
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has cleared the way for a Louisiana law requiring displays of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms to take effect.
Trump throws a temper tantrum after tariff loss
The battle over the tariffs began on day one of the president's second term when he signed an executive order that let him impose a wide range of tariffs on virtually every U.S. trading partner.
Alex Ferreira wins 10th gold medal for Team USA, matching America’s highest total in Winter Olympics
Freeskier Alex Ferreira clinches a tenth gold medal for the U.S. in these Games, tying the U.S.'s all-time record for gold medals in a Winter Olympics.
The U.S. men’s hockey team to face Slovakia for a spot in an Olympic gold medal match
After an overtime nailbiter in the quarterfinals, the Americans return to the ice Friday in Milan to face the upstart Slovakia for a chance to play Canada in Sunday's Olympic gold medal game.
Skis? Check. Poles? Check. Knitting needles? Naturally
A number of Olympic athletes have turned to knitting during the heat of the Games, including Ben Ogden, who this week became the most decorated American male Olympic cross-country skier.
Facing a mental health crisis, an NJ school pulled a beloved novel from English class
Junot Díaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was removed from an English class at the public school. PEN America says it's part of a trend of scrubbing literature dealing with uncomfortable topics.
The economy slowed in the last 3 months of the year — but was still solid in 2025
The U.S. economy grew 2.2% in 2025, a modest slowdown from 2.4% the previous year. GDP gains were fueled by solid consumer spending and business investment.
Bill limiting environmental regulations goes to the governor’s desk
President Trump has taken steps to roll back environmental regulations. Some of that same action is taking place in statehouses, including Alabama's. Lawmakers gave final passage this week to a bill that would ban the state from enacting environmental rules more stringent than those at the federal level. That's where we start our weekly legislative update with Todd Stacy, host of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public Television.
What I learned watching every sport at the Winter Olympics
Sit down with pop culture critic Linda Holmes as she watches the 2026 Winter Games. She is exhausted by cross-country, says "ow ow ow" during moguls, and makes the case, once and for all, for curling.
Scientists worry about lasting damage from Potomac sewage spill
Drinking water around the District of Columbia hasn't been contaminated. But scientists say the environmental damage could be severe.
What worked and what didn’t with a cellphone ban at a Kentucky school
Keeping students off their devices is the new norm in many schools. We talked to students and educators at one Kentucky school to see how it's working.
American Jordan Stolz speedskates to a third Olympic medal — silver this time
U.S. speedskater Jordan Stolz had a lot of hype accompanying him in these Winter Olympic Games. He's now got two gold medals, one silver, with one event to go.
Reporter’s notebook: My Olympic Lunar New Year
An NPR reporter covering the Olympics in Milan takes us on cultural side quests, to a hospitality house and a candy store.
The U.S. and Canada set to square off in Olympic women’s ice hockey gold medal match
Canada was long the top dog of Olympic women's hockey. But with a win Thursday, the Americans could do more than earn a third gold medal — they could prove the sport's balance of power has shifted.
Amazon dethrones Walmart as the world’s biggest company by sales
In a slow-motion race of two retail behemoths, Amazon's trump card was its lucrative cloud-computing business.
‘Dude, good luck’: the Olympic wit and wisdom of a pioneering African skeleton racer
Who says serious athletes are always serious? Akwasi Frimpong, who's competed for Ghana, is a world-class wisecracker as he reflects on being a Black African athlete in the white world of winter sports.
How do Olympians like Eileen Gu earn $23 million? Here are all the ways
Most Olympians never win big money — or big fame. So how are athletes such as Eileen Gu or Chloe Kim able to earn millions of dollars? Here are some of the ways.
With a win over Sweden, the U.S. men’s hockey team will play for an Olympic medal
A thrilling overtime goal by defenseman Quinn Hughes puts Team USA through to a semifinal game against Slovakia. On the other side of the bracket, Canada had its own close call, but moves on to face Finland.
Following Trump’s lead, Alabama seeks to limit environmental regulations
The Alabama Legislature on Tuesday approved legislation backed by business groups that would prevent state agencies from setting restrictions on pollutants and hazardous substances exceeding those set by the federal government. In areas where no federal standard exists, the state could adopt new rules only if there is a “direct causal link” between exposure to harmful emissions and “manifest bodily harm” to humans.
Greetings from Cairo, where lights and decorations transform the city during Ramadan
As Ramadan begins, traditional lanterns called fawanees brighten Cairo. They have become a symbol of Ramadan and are an almost-mandatory home decoration for the holy month in Egypt.
Sweet redemption for Mikaela Shiffrin, who wins Olympic gold
Third race is the charm for Shiffrin, who won gold today after failing to podium in her first two races of the 2026 Olympic games.
Ogden, Schumacher grab silver for U.S. in Olympic cross-country team sprint, Diggins falls short
U.S. cross-country skiers Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher power to a silver medal in the men's team sprint. U.S. women led by Jessie Diggins finish off the podium.
Surprise four-legged Olympic competitor wows cross-country fans
Nazgul sprints on course at cross-country ski race, crossing finish line in unsanctioned quest for glory
State public-option health plans expand but can’t fill gaps left by federal changes
Nevada recently became the third state to offer one of the plans on the ACA marketplaces. They're intended to be a cheaper insurance option but so far they make only a marginal difference in price.
Where the word ‘Olympics’ comes from and what it means to someone who competed there
It's a word that evokes national pride and rare talent, and one that has been around for thousands of years.
Surprise shark caught on camera for first time in Antarctica’s near-freezing deep
Many experts had thought sharks didn't exist in the frigid waters of Antarctica.
The U.S. falters again in figure skating, but the women still have time to make it up
Alysa Liu finished the night in third place, Isabeau Levito finished in eighth and Amber Glenn is in 13th place after a popped jump. That puts extra pressure on all of them for Thursday's medal event.
Meet Yolanda the wax truck, Team USA’s unsung cross-country ski hero
Fast skiers require fast skis. They rely on a team of technicians to wax and prep them for each day's conditions. The U.S. cross-country team has a mobile ski shop that is an unsung hero of their success: Yolanda the wax truck.
The very polite, unheated rivalry between Jordan Stolz and Jenning de Boo
The two top speedskating sprinters in the world are a cut above the competition. They battle fiercely on the ice, but refuse to trash talk
The record-breaking cocaine boom — and its deadly fallout
Cocaine has made a roaring comeback, and it's having some big negative effects in the U.S. and around the world.
Minnesota Republicans defend their focus on fraud despite the ICE surge that followed
Minnesota Republicans say they were right to invite social media influencers into the state to highlight social service fraud, though Democrats blame Republicans for paving the way for the ICE surge.
