Issues
Scientists want to track the world’s biodiversity using DNA in the air
Scientists have found a way to sample DNA out of the air on a large scale — making it possible to one day track the health and well being of all kinds of species around the world.
New Orleans Archdiocese agrees to pay nearly $180M to victims of clergy sexual abuse
Lawyers for survivors said they won't support the agreement, which they say was negotiated behind closed doors.
Alabama Power threatened with lawsuit for contaminating groundwater with coal ash
Nine years after the Gadsden Steam Plant stopped burning coal, its unlined coal ash pond is still polluting Alabama groundwater, records show.
The ‘tush push’ lives on. NFL teams vote to keep the controversial play
The effort to ban the play has faced pushback from teams that regularly employ it, perhaps none more successfully than the Philadelphia Eagles.
Retailers feel pressure to eat the price increases from tariffs
From Target to Walmart, retailers are fighting two battles at once: a financial battle to keep costs low in the face of new tariffs, and a political one to avoid the president's wrath.
Ivey appoints first Black Republican on Alabama Supreme Court
Judge Bill Lewis replaces Justice Jay Mitchell, who resigned Monday. Lewis most recently served on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals.
Home Depot doesn’t plan to raise prices due to tariffs. But some items may disappear
The home improvement chain broke from many other retailers, who say they cannot afford to absorb new tariffs. President Trump recently attacked Walmart for warning of price hikes.
Trump has imposed a lot of tariffs. But here’s why collecting them can be hard
Collecting Trump's tariffs could be tricky. The agencies that screen imports say they're frequently overwhelmed and understaffed, and experts say exporters are becoming cannier at evading taxes.
What a Texas showerhead salesman discovered about ‘Made in the USA’ labels
A Texas showerhead salesman wanted to know how much more customers would pay to buy a product that's made in the USA. The answer could pour cold water on President Trump's plan to encourage more companies to open factories in the U.S.
This award-winning podcast explores finding happiness as a young, single person
From hundreds of entries, our judges chose one student's intimate telling of the value of lifelong friendships and being single as the grand-prize winner of the NPR College Podcast Challenge.
The NBA playoffs will end a years-long title drought. The only question is: whose?
It's impossible to predict what will happen in the NBA's conference finals matchups. But one thing is for certain: One long-suffering fanbase is about to have something to celebrate.
Pope Leo meets with Vance, who delivers an invitation to visit the White House
The meeting appeared part of an effort to reset relations with the Vatican after Pope Francis repeatedly criticized President Trump's migration policy. Vance also gave Pope Leo a Chicago Bears jersey.
Trump threatened school funding in Maine. Here’s how that money is used
Schools in Maine are in the middle of a political and legal battle between the Trump administration and Gov. Janet Mills. Key programs for the most vulnerable students are at stake.
Where does your weather forecast come from?
Whether you get your forecast from an app on your phone, a website or a meteorologist on TV, most of the underlying information comes from the federal government.
How new at-home HPV test kits could help Alabama fight cervical cancer
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the country’s first at-home HPV screening kit, a disease that causes nearly all cervical cancers. While some hope the new kits might turn things around, others have questions.
Horse racing industry braces for crackdown on illegal immigration
Horse racing depends on thousands of workers without legal status, and industry leaders fear that Trump's soft touch toward the industry in his first term will not persist in his second.
5 years since Brexit, are Britain and the EU getting back together?
With a war in Ukraine and the U.S. rethinking alliances, Britain and the European Union may need each other more than they thought. They're holding their first summit since Brexit Monday.
These Democratic governors are trying to curb health care for unauthorized immigrants
After expanding state Medicaid programs to cover people in the country without legal status, Democrats are considering changes that would reduce immigrant access.
Losing faith: Rural religious colleges are among the most endangered
Some religious colleges and universities are cutting programs. Others are seeking mergers to reduce costs and expand offerings.
Bessemer residents want answers about a four-million-square-foot data center coming to their backyards
Residents in and around Bessemer are furious over Project Marvel, a plan to build a 4.5-million-square-foot data processing facility on 700 acres of wooded land. Public officials have been sworn to silence.
Legislative session ends with debate over police immunity bill
The Alabama legislative session wrapped up this week, but not before some contentious debate in the final hours on Wednesday night. The bill at hand was one that would expand legal immunity to police officers under certain circumstances. That's where we start our final legislative update of the session with Todd Stacy, host of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public Television.
As the WNBA season tips off, here are 4 of our biggest questions
Will a new-look Indiana Fever contend in Caitlin Clark's second year? Will A'ja Wilson win a record 4th MVP? And the biggest question of all: Can the league as a whole build on last season's success?
Scientists have figured out why flamingos are such weird eaters
Flamingos look silly when they eat, but new research suggests they're actually being smart.
Could calligraphy help with anxiety? This study aims to find out
People have a lot of strategies for dealing with anxiety – medication, therapy or exercise, for instance. But a new study explored a different method – calligraphy.
Author revives forgotten stories through historical fiction novel based in Birmingham
Barry Cole is using historical fiction to revive the lost history of enslaved people found buried in a mass grave at the park. That book, called 100 Pearls, is out Thursday.
AvKare recalls over-the-counter eye drops after FDA audit
Customers are encouraged to stop using several eye irritation products, including gels and artificial tears.
What was approved, and what failed, in the 2025 Alabama legislative session
Alabama lawmakers ended the 2025 legislative session on Wednesday. Here is a look at a few of the notable bills that passed, and some that failed, during the session.
Lawmakers pass bill to criminalize bringing immigrants in the US illegally across state lines
The legislation given final approval Wednesday protects “not only the citizens of Alabama but also the people that are immigrating here legally and doing everything the right way,” said the bill’s Republican sponsor.
Ivey signs a bill regulating the sale of hemp products
The law would allow gummies, drinks and other consumable products to continue to be sold, but limits the amount of psychoactive compounds in the products. It also puts restrictions on where the products can be sold.
Walmart says higher prices from tariffs coming as soon as this month
The world's largest retailer says it won't be able to absorb all the costs from higher tariffs on imported goods, particularly from China. Already in April, shoppers began tightening their budgets as retail spending did not grow much compared to March.
One woman’s fight to remove barriers for aspiring doctors with disabilities
After her dreams of becoming a doctor were denied, one California woman is working to make the profession more accessible to those with disabilities.
RFK Jr. stands by deep cuts to health budget during contentious hearings
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is standing firm on the sweeping cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services, cuts he says were suggested by Elon Musk and his DOGE team.