Issues
As deadline for Trump’s colleges compact looms, schools signal dissent
Of the original nine schools that received the Trump administration's Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, the majority have indicated they are not planning on signing.
Harris says Democrats ‘are standing up for working people’ in government shutdown
Harris made the comments in an AP interview Friday, the same day her book tour brought her to Birmingham.
Why are so many rich Americans investing in British soccer teams?
American millionaires and celebrities are buying up British soccer teams in record numbers.
Shohei Ohtani hits 3 homers and strikes out 10 in Dodgers’ clinching 5-1 NLCS win over Brewers
Shohei Ohtani propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers back to the World Series with a two-way performance for the ages.
What we know about the devastating storm in Western Alaska
The remnant of Typhoon Halong slammed the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, an area in Western Alaska hundreds of miles from the U.S. road system. More than a thousand people are displaced.
Katrina changed how jails deal with natural disasters. 20 years later, challenges remain
A survivor tells his experience of being jailed in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, while officials and experts look at jails and natural disasters today.
40 years ago, a woman made Harlem Globetrotters history
Forty years ago this month, the comedic basketball troupe, the Harlem Globetrotters, added a woman to its roster. NPR's Ashley Montgomery has the story of legendary athlete Lynette Woodard.
As hundreds of millions of birds head south, the invisible danger is glass
It's the peak of the fall migration season. This is when bird deaths from window collisions tend to spike, even though simple solutions can prevent this.
Alabama ranks near bottom in latest Medicare scorecard; here’s why
A new Commonwealth Fund report paints a stark picture of how Medicare is serving older adults and people with disabilities in the Gulf South.
80-year-old grandmother becomes oldest woman to finish the Ironman World Championship
Just 20 years ago, Natalie Grabow was learning to swim. Now she's hailed as an inspiration after winning her age group at the famously grueling triathlon competition in Hawaii.
The two wildcards shaping the tail end of the Virginia race for governor
Virginia is just weeks away from electing a new governor, but the government shutdown and an explosive text message scandal in the race for attorney general could reshape the election.
Health insurance premiums are going up next year — unless you work at these companies
As U.S. health insurance costs rise, some companies are paying for all of their workers' premiums. It's a big expense — but they say it pays off.
Greetings from the Rhône Glacier, where a gash of pink highlights how it’s melting
Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.
Many rural schools rely on international teachers. Trump’s visa changes threaten that
The Trump administration announced a $100,000 fee to accompany each H1-B visa. The fine could wreak havoc on rural school districts that rely on them to bring in teachers.
Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks
How tech companies and government officials handle local impacts will shape the industry's future in the U.S.
In reading, the nation’s students are still stuck in a pandemic slump
New 2025 testing data shows third- through eighth-graders scored far below 2019 levels in reading. In math, some grades have made gains, but all are lagging compared to before the pandemic.
Trent Dilfer fired as UAB’s football coach
UAB has lost three straight, leaving it 9-21 in 2 1/2 seasons under Dilfer. The Blazers were 4-8 in 2023 and 3-9 last year.
Amid shutdown, Trump administration guts department overseeing special education
Multiple sources tell NPR that, as part of the Trump administration's latest reduction-in-force, the U.S. Department of Education has gutted the office that handles special education.
3 share Nobel Prize in Economics for work on technology, growth and creative destruction
Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt won the Nobel memorial prize in economics Monday for their research on how technological innovation fuels economic growth and creative destruction.
Pastors and staff from underground church are arrested in China
China has in recent years arrested and detained Christian leaders of underground churches, who are not registered with the government and under its control.
A’ja Wilson scores 31 to lead the Aces to a third WNBA championship in 4 seasons
The Las Vegas Aces — once again — were an offensive force in the WNBA Finals, finishing off a four-game sweep of the Phoenix Mercury with a 97-86 victory.
India is forcibly deporting Muslims, including its own citizens, after Kashmir violence
In the aftermath of a deadly militant attack in Kashmir in April, authorities have expelled more than 1,500 Muslims from India, often at gunpoint.
Trump threatens tech export limits, new 100% tariff on Chinese imports
President Trump threatened to place an additional 100% tax on Chinese imports starting on Nov. 1 or sooner, potentially escalating tariff rates close to levels that in April fanned fears of a recession.
‘The Alabama Solution’: a documentary with an inside look at Alabama’s prison crisis
Alabama’s prison system is one of the most violent in the country. But you don’t often hear from those inside. The Alabama Solution, a documentary about the system told from the perspective of incarcerated people, premieres on HBO Max Friday night.
This museum immerses students in U.S. history: ‘You can smell it, touch it, see it’
At New York City's Tenement Museum, high schoolers explore the American experience through the eyes of one 1860s-era Black family.
Despite stiff opposition, Bessemer changes its laws to accommodate data centers
Residents in and around Bessemer expressed continued disapproval of a plan to build a 14.5 million square foot data center in their back yards. Now, the city is one step closer to final approval.
Pope Leo says faith and love for migrants are connected
In his first major document as leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo urges nations and believers to care for the poorest in society.
Renewable energy outpaces coal for electricity generation in historic first, report says
For the first time on record, renewable energy generated more electricity for the planet than coal, a new report says.
This 4-year-old’s heart is failing. A federal grant that might help him was canceled
A Cornell University researcher has been developing an artificial heart for children for more than 20 years. Now, his research is on hold and his lab is shut down.
Bi-annual bluegrass jamboree serves up music with a side of Alabama legend
The Henderson Bluegrass Jamboree, a bi-annual event which takes place the second weekends of April and October, is a well-kept tradition among the Southeast’s bluegrass community. From sunup to sundown, picking circles are formed as are impromptu jams between strangers-turned-friends.
What are your holiday shopping plans? NPR wants to hear from you
Is this the season of cutbacks or splurges? As we prepare to cover holiday shopping and deals, NPR wants to hear from you, whatever your plans may be.
Why gold is having its best year since 1979
The price of gold hit $4,000 per ounce for the first time ever. It's a bad sign for the U.S. economy
