Issues
This Virginia program helps former foster youth get degrees, at any age
Great Expectations was designed to help people who grew up in foster care get their two-year degrees. And unlike many programs for former foster youth, there are no age limits.
Is the air quality index actually useful right now?
The air has improved in the LA region as firefighters get blazes under control, but there are questions about how safe the air actually is.
More teens say they’re using ChatGPT for schoolwork, a new study finds
According to the survey, 26% of students ages 13-17 are using the artificial intelligence bot to help them with their assignments.
A California fifth grader interviews his firefighter father
Cian Lawlor's father was dispatched to the Palisades Fire just over a week ago and he's been working it ever since. The 11-year-old had some questions for his dad.
Immigrants drive Nebraska’s economy. Trump’s mass deportations pledge is a threat
Nebraska is one of the top meat producers in the U.S. It also has one of the worst labor shortages. The incoming Trump administration has promised mass deportations on an unprecedented scale. We asked Nebraskans what that could mean.
Development is taking a toll on Florida’s precious springs
The state has been slow to adopt rules to protect Florida's endangered springs. While a boom in residential construction has increased the amount of groundwater being taken from the aquifers.
Why Australian Open live streams look like Wii tennis — and what it means for sports
The Australian Open's animated tennis livestreams are making a splash. U.S. leagues have used similar technology to put Simpsons on the football field and superheroes on ice skates.
China’s population falls for a third straight year, posing challenges for its economy
Rising costs of living are causing young people to put off or rule out marriage and child birth while pursuing higher education and careers.
Trump’s pick for EPA administrator is Lee Zeldin. Here’s what to know.
Democrats worry the Trump administration will roll back efforts to limit climate change.
Trump’s pick for Treasury Secretary is Scott Bessent. Here’s what to know
Trump's promised tax cuts, and their potential consequences for the U.S. economy, took center stage at Bessent's confirmation hearing.
Toyota’s commercial truck company will pay $1.6 billion for faking emissions tests
Hino Motors will plead guilty to submitting false emissions data to regulators for more than 100,000 heavy-duty trucks. The company will pay an array of fines, and fix some affected vehicles for free.
‘Mr. Baseball’ Bob Uecker, Milwaukee Brewers announcer, dies at 90
Uecker was the voice of his hometown team who after a short playing career earned the moniker "Mr. Baseball" and honors from the Hall of Fame.
We asked experts to grade Biden’s job on education. They gave it a C average
We asked more than a dozen educators, researchers, advocates and experts how they would grade Biden's education legacy. He got two F's, no A's and lots of votes in the middle.
Alabama inmate asks court to block nitrogen gas execution
Demetrius Terrence Frazier is scheduled to be executed Feb. 6. His attorneys in a Wednesday court filing asked a judge to block the execution unless the state makes changes to the protocol.
Inflation remains stubbornly high for many Americans. Could it get worse under Trump?
Consumer prices rose 2.9% in December from a year earlier, marking the third consecutive monthly uptick in annual inflation.
Invasive green crabs threaten West Coast ecosystems. One solution? Otters
As invasive green crabs wreak havoc on California's estuaries, a new study has found that a restored sea otter population might be the solution.
Why some doctors have started asking patients about their spiritual lives
Indiana University's hospital system is pairing patients with local faith groups to ease feelings of loneliness and isolation. The unique new program comes as more doctors are seeing a need to care for patients' spiritual as well as physical health.
Lawsuit by college professors and students challenges Alabama’s anti-DEI law
The complaint asserts the new law violates the First Amendment by placing viewpoint-based restrictions on educators’ speech and classroom lessons.
Five things we learn about Pope Francis from his new memoir
In Pope Francis' autobiography Hope he reiterates themes of his papacy like hatred of war and unchecked capitalism, and a desire for the Catholic Church to be seen as a field hospital, not a fortress.
This skateboarding economist suggests we need more skateparks and less capitalism
A skateboarder presented an unusual paper at this year's big meeting of American economists.
NPR shopped for 96 items at Walmart to track how prices are really changing
NPR has tracked the prices of dozens of items at the same superstore in Georgia, including eggs, T-shirts, snacks and paper towels. Here's what got cheaper over the past year, and more expensive.
RFK Jr. faces a complicated confirmation with some opposition on both sides of the aisle
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s views on vaccines and abortion rights are raising alarms across the political spectrum, as he's one of the more controversial picks for the president-elect's Cabinet.
A Texas man is arrested in Indianapolis on a charge of stalking WNBA’s Caitlin Clark
The 55-year-old man sent the basketball star threatening and sexually explicit messages on social media, then traveled from Texas to Indianapolis to try to encounter her in person, prosecutors say.
Weird weather isn’t always because of climate change — but sometimes it is
Sometimes, weather is just weather. And other times human-caused climate change had an obvious impact.
China’s exports in December up 10.7%, beating estimates as higher U.S. tariffs loom
China has raced to fill orders ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's promised tariffs on Chinese goods. Exports have surged in the country since the pandemic.
Southern California wildfires destroy or damage many houses of worship
Faith communities in Los Angeles are trying to protect their homes and houses of worship from deadly wildfires. They are also trying to provide spiritual support for their traumatized congregations.
How one U.S. conservationist’s work is helping to preserve Chile’s wilderness
Chile is set to gain its 47th national park early this year — largely due to the efforts of U.S. conservationist Kristine Tompkins and her organization.
People are rushing to install solar panels before Trump becomes President
Potential rooftop solar customers and installers worry the incoming Trump administration might try to eliminate a 30% federal tax credit. Some customers plan to install sooner because of that and solar companies are changing their business plans.
Biden awards Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction
The White House commended Pope Francis for his commitment to serving the poor, as well as advocating for peace and protecting the planet.
More than half a million students were out of school because of LA fires this week
School districts in and around Los Angeles shut down because of the fires. That includes LAUSD, the second largest school district in the country.
2024 was the hottest year on record. The reason remains a science mystery
The official numbers are in: 2024 is the hottest year on record. Climate change is the main culprit. But there might be something else going on, too.
What is the flame retardant that planes are dropping on the LA fires?
As fire crews and air tankers work to block the wildfires' explosive growth, images of red clouds of fire retardant falling onto trees are common. What is it — and what's in it?
