Issues
The 2026 Olympics are the most widespread in history. See what’s happening where
Competitions will be hosted at 25 venues spanning an area of more than 8,000 square miles. Here's what's happening at each of the four main clusters.
Amid ICE clashes, New Hampshire bishop urges clergy to prepare their wills
The Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire told priests protesting ICE to get their wills and affairs in order. Some praise the bishop, while other priests say they never signed up to be martyrs.
New York Giants hire John Harbaugh as coach after identifying him as their top choice
Harbaugh joins the Giants 11 days after he was fired by the Baltimore Ravens. The Super Bowl champion is now tasked with turning around a beleaguered franchise.
Bessemer data center developer to request rezoning for additional 900 acres
The city’s attorney informed council members of the request on Tuesday, warning that there may be media scrutiny.
Gulf South food banks look back on a challenging year as another shutdown looms
Federal funding cuts and a 43-day government shutdown made 2025 a chaotic year for Gulf South food banks. For many, the challenges provide a road map for 2026.
It took 75 governors to elect a woman. Spanberger will soon be at Virginia’s helm
Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer and three-term congresswoman, is breaking long-held traditions on inauguration day. She says she wants her swearing-in to showcase the state's modern vibrancy.
Ivey releases proposed state budgets
Lawmakers are often running in Montgomery having finished the first week of this year's legislative session. It's a week that saw the announcement of Gov. Kay Ivey's budget proposal, along with the first bills starting to make their way through the legislative process. We talk about that with Todd Stacy, host of Capital Journal on Alabama Public Television.
Canada agrees to cut tariff on Chinese EVs in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products
Breaking with the United States, Canada has agreed to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday.
More students are going to college. Affordability and workforce training are factors
Overall enrollment is up slightly at colleges and universities, driven by gains at community colleges and public four-year programs.
Scientists call another near-record hot year a ‘warning shot’ from a shifting climate
Scientists calculate that last year was one of the three hottest on record, along with 2024 and 2023. The trend indicates that warming could be speeding up, climate monitoring teams reported.
The risks of AI in schools outweigh the benefits, report says
A new report warns that AI poses a serious threat to children's cognitive development and emotional well-being.
How have prices changed in a year? NPR checked 114 items at Walmart
We found the effects of tariffs and extreme weather, relief (finally!) in the egg cooler, plus one case of shrinkflation.
China’s trade surplus surges 20% to a record $1.2 trillion, even with Trump’s tariffs
China's trade surplus surged to a record of almost $1.2 trillion in 2025, the government said Wednesday, as exports to other countries made up for slowing shipments to the U.S. under President Donald Trump's onslaught of higher tariffs.
Claudette Colvin, who refused to move seats on a bus at start of civil rights movement, dies at 86
Colvin, at age 15, was arrested nine months before Rosa Parks gained international fame for also refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus.
How Minnesota faith communities are resisting aggressive immigration operations
As immigration enforcement actions have ramped up in Minnesota, people of faith have been at the forefront of the response to ICE detentions and the killing of Renee Macklin Good by a federal agent.
The EPA is changing how it considers the costs and benefits of air pollution rules
The EPA won't consider the economic costs of harms to human health, at least for now. Legal and health experts are concerned that the change could make it easier for the agency to roll back rules.
California fire victims say fighting with insurance companies has delayed rebuilding
Wildfires last January destroyed communities around Los Angeles. Homeowners say recovery has been slowed by fights with insurers to get their claims paid.
What to know about Trump’s ugly feud with the Federal Reserve
A Justice Department probe of the Federal Reserve marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration's effort to bend the independent central bank to the president's will.
Offshore wind developer prevails in U.S. court as Trump calls wind farms ‘losers’
A federal judge ruled Monday that work on a major offshore wind farm can resume, handing the industry at least a temporary victory as President Trump seeks to shut it down.
The 2026 Alabama legislative session begins Tuesday
State lawmakers will return to Montgomery Tuesday to kick off the 2026 legislative session. It's the final session for Gov. Kay Ivey. It also comes against the backdrop of statewide elections this fall. For a look ahead to what to expect this session we turn to Todd Stacy, host of Capital Journal on Alabama Public Television.
Who are the figure skaters representing Team USA? Key names and backstories to know
Sixteen U.S. figure skaters are competing in all four Olympic disciplines: men's, women's, pairs and ice dance. The team includes a mix of seasoned vets, world champions and rising stars.
How IVF has led to a record number of single moms in their 40s
Who gets to be a parent has been reshaped by IVF: Single women in their 40s are increasingly opting to become moms.
Marrying for health insurance? The ACA cost crisis forces some drastic choices
While Congress debates bringing back Affordable Care Act subsidies , many Americans have already made life-altering decisions to afford health care.
Arson engulfs Mississippi synagogue, a congregation once bombed by Ku Klux Klan
A suspect is charged with arson in a fire that burned through a synagogue in Mississippi. Flames and smoke destroyed its library, housing Torahs.
DOJ subpoenas Federal Reserve in escalating pressure campaign
The Justice Department has subpoenaed the Fed over chair Jerome Powell's testimony over the central bank's headquarters renovation. Powell calls it part of a pressure campaign over interest rates.
America’s top figure skaters dazzled St. Louis. I left with a new love for the sport.
The U.S. Figure Skating National Championships brought the who's who of the sport to St. Louis. St. Louis Public Radio Visuals Editor Brian Munoz left a new fan of the Olympic sport.
Historic upset in English soccer’s FA Cup as Macclesfield beat holders Crystal Palace
The result marks the first time in 117 years that a side from outside the major national leagues has eliminated the reigning FA Cup holders.
U.S. Figure Skating Championships will determine who’s going to the Olympics
This week's competition in St. Louis will skaters tickets to the Milan-Cortina games in February
Hiring slows in December to end the weakest year of job growth since the pandemic
U.S. employers added 50,000 jobs in December, according to a report from the Labor Department Friday. Measured annually, job gains in 2025 were the slowest since 2020.
Lest we forget: NPR’s public archive features video and court records related to the Jan. 6 attack
NPR’s Jan. 6 database is now the most comprehensive archive of its kind dedicated to the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
U.S. population growth is slowing. The immigration crackdown is a major factor
Congressional forecasters have lowered their projection for U.S. population growth over the next decade by 7 million people as a result of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown as well as falling birth rates.
It’s not just oil: How else Wall Street might benefit from Trump’s Venezuela actions
Oil companies and their shareholders may benefit from President Trump's military action in Venezuela — but it also could benefit many other U.S. investors.
