Issues
As Ovechkin nears the NHL goals record, the hockey world leans in to savor the moment
For years, Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 career regular-season goals was widely thought to be untouchable. Now, the Washington Capitals star has just a handful to go to claim the record as his own.
Pope Francis will be discharged from the hospital on Sunday, doctors say
The pontiff spent over five weeks being treated for bronchitis that evolved into a severe respiratory illness. When he returns to the Vatican, he will need to rest for two months, his doctor said.
Where is the NCAA basketball tournament game-winning buzzer-beater?
A wider disparity between major conferences and lesser-known conferences has lent itself to fewer close games in the early rounds of both the men's and women's NCAA tournaments.
For the first time, Alabama says methane ‘likely’ caused fatal home explosion above coal mine
State officials have ordered tighter monitoring of methane gas above coal mines in the state after a slap on the wrist from federal officials. Will it be enough to mitigate the risks?
George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who became a beloved champion, dies at 76
The heavyweight who lost the "Rumble in the Jungle" to Muhammad Ali before authoring an inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a successful businessman was 76.
What we know about the case of detained Georgetown professor Badar Khan Suri
The Indian national and postdoctoral fellow is the latest scholar detained or deported by the Trump administration for speaking in support of Palestinian rights or criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza.
Trump says Education Department will no longer oversee student loans, ‘special needs’
The president said federal student loans would move to the Small Business Administration, and hinted that the Department of Health and Human Services would take over special education oversight.
Crime victims come together to raise awareness of resources
Alabama, like all states, has a program to compensate victims of violence. But very few survivors take advantage of such programs
Alabama House passes $192 million in tax cuts
Many lawmakers like tax cuts and evidence of that came this week when a package of $192 million in tax cuts flew through the Alabama House. We take a look at what's in that package, alongside other action in Montgomery this week, with Todd Stacey, host of Capital Journal and Alabama Public Television.
How the Education Department cuts could hurt low-income and rural schools
With cuts to nearly all the staff at the Department of Education's primary data agency, low-income and rural schools may not get the federal funds they rely on in coming years.
Is planting trees ‘DEI’? Trump administration cuts nationwide tree-planting effort
The Trump administration's efforts to end DEI programs is hitting some unexpected targets, including a nationwide effort planting shade trees in neighborhoods to reduce extreme heat.
Survive and advance: First-day upsets set the table for March Madness
McNeese and Drake universities stun their heavily favored opponents as the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments roll into their first weekend of play.
Zimbabwean millennial Kirsty Coventry gets Olympic top job
Zimbabwean Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry has been elected to head the International Olympic Committee. The two-time gold medalist is marking a whole new set of 'firsts.'
Alabama lawmakers approve paid parental leave for state employees
The Republican dominated House of Representatives voted 94-2 to pass legislation that would offer up to eight weeks of maternity leave and two weeks of paternity leave after the birth, stillbirth or miscarriage of a child. The legislation now goes to Republican Gov. Kay Ivey.
Trump suspends $175 million in funding to University of Pennsylvania over trans athletes
The University of Pennsylvania found itself at the center of the trans athlete debate when one of its trans students won a series of events during the 2022 swim season.
Ex-F1 team owner and media personality Eddie Jordan has died at 76
Jordan ran his own team in the 1990s and 2000s in Formula 1. He became a popular pundit on TV after selling the team in 2005.
Something in the river: in search of the Muscle Shoals Sound
The Muscle Shoals area has given life to some of music’s most enduring hits, producing a sound that musicians far and wide have sought for decades. Part soul, gospel, country and rock, it’s something that transcends any one genre, ultimately getting chalked up to the “Muscle Shoals Sound.”
How well do you know your March Madness trivia? Take our quiz
Do you know your saint schools from state schools? Your legendary coaches from your little brothers? Find out if you're in the Final Four — or didn't even get seeded.
Trump to sign order aiming to close the Education Department
The Trump administration has already moved to cut the department's staff by half.
Jury says Greenpeace owes hundreds of millions of dollars for Dakota pipeline protest
Experts say the verdict has relevance for free speech issues nationwide.
Birmingham mayor warns violators after Alabama bans gun conversion devices
The devices convert semi-automatic guns to fire like a fully automatic weapon. A bipartisan coalition pushed the Alabama legislation after several mass shootings last year, including the deaths of four people outside a Birmingham nightclub in September.
The Fed holds interest rates steady as Trump’s trade agenda sparks uncertainty
The Fed held rates steady, but left the door open to cut them later this year if inflation continues to ease. Trump's tariffs, however, could complicate efforts to bring prices under control.
Louisiana has a long history with French. This immersion school aims to keep it alive
Most Louisianans no longer speak French, but a growing number of schools are now immersing kids in it. At École Pointe-au-Chien, the focus is on teaching local French dialects first.
Data centers bring billions to Mississippi. Are the investments worth the risk?
State leaders have lauded the beginning of two new projects, but some industry experts said they come with big power demands and few permanent jobs.
Alabama lawmakers approve a ban on devices that convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns
A bipartisan coalition pushed the Alabama legislation after several multiple mass shootings last year, including the shooting deaths of four people outside a Birmingham nightclub in September. The devices are already banned under federal law, but there’s currently no state law that bans them.
Stargazing, poetry and meditation: What connects NPR readers to their spirituality
NPR readers of different belief systems share the poignant rituals that make them feel close to their spirituality. For some, it's poetry and gardening, for others, it's meditation and community.
Professional players’ group likens tennis organizers to a ‘cartel’ in its lawsuit
The antitrust lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players' Association says the organizations that run the sport hold "complete control over the players' pay and working conditions."
Louisiana executes Jessie Hoffman by nitrogen gas in 1st use of death penalty in 15 years
With Hoffman’s execution, Louisiana joins Alabama as the only other state in the U.S. to use the controversial gas method on a person condemned to death.
Alabama’s celebrity weatherman pleads for the National Weather Service
With the life-saving Weather Service in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump and chainsaw-wielding billionaire Elon Musk, weather forecasters like James Spann are speaking out to defend the agency that provides the backbone for their work.
Five years out, an ER doc reflects on how he and his colleagues faced down COVID-19
In Alabama, emergency departments were overrun during the Covid-19 pandemic – the state had one of the highest rates of hospitalizations in the country. Children’s of Alabama ER doc David Bernard remembers “the first time we started to feel that maybe we wouldn't die.”
Alabama’s bench could be key to the Tide making another deep run in the NCAA tourney
With versatile point guard Mark Sears and mustachioed forward Grant Nelson, Alabama has two of the more recognizable players in the NCAA Tournament. The duo led the Crimson Tide to the Final Four last year and returned to school in hopes of delivering the program’s first national title.
Fast-er food: A productivity surge at U.S. restaurants
A new study finds that after decades of stagnation, fast-food and other restaurants finally saw a surge in productivity.
