Issues
Trump says he’s close to ‘a Deal’ with Harvard, as judge grants injunction
Trump's Truth Social comments came as a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction that would continue blocking the president's efforts to bar international students from attending Harvard.
What children in poverty could lose from the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
Republicans want to change or reduce key social safety net programs that provide healthcare, food benefits and financial assistance for millions of children.
Bessemer recommends changing its laws to accommodate one of the country’s largest proposed data centers
Despite overwhelming public opposition, officials in Bessemer voted to recommend changes to city zoning ordinances to allow the massive development. Its operation could strain the state’s water and power supplies and leave an already imperiled fish species at risk of extinction.
Birmingham’s poet laureate releases ‘The Other Revival’ book for Juneteenth
Birmingham’s first poet laureate Salaam Green released a new book this week to coincide with the Juneteenth holiday. The Other Revival features poems inspired by descendants of Black enslaved people and white descendants of a central Alabama plantation.
U.S. resumes visas for foreign students but demands access to social media accounts
The U.S. State Department said it is restarting the process for foreigners applying for student visas but all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for review.
‘I literally grew up in prison’: Juvenile lifers share struggles, pleasures of coming home
Accounts of reentry are notable as juvenile cases continue to undergo review. Attorneys and advocates say progress on reviews is halting in some states.
Social Security benefits face big cuts in 2033, unless Congress acts
Trustees of the Social Security trust fund predict the fund will be exhausted in eight years. Unless Congress acts, Social Security payments will automatically drop by 23% at that time.
Cloudy with a chance of showers? Fed’s economic forecast coming today
The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady Wednesday. Members of the central bank's rate-setting committee will telegraph their plans for possible rate cuts later this year.
Announcing the 2024 NPR College Podcast Challenge Honorable Mentions
Here are some of the best entries in NPR's 2024 College Podcast Challenge.
Florida Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup champions by beating the Oilers in 6 games
The Florida Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup champions, becoming the NHL's first back-to-back winners since Tampa Bay in 2020 and '21 and the third team to do it this century.
Leader of top FEMA disaster coordination office resigns, as Trump moves to eliminate agency
Jeremy Greenberg was in charge of coordinating federal help after hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes and other emergencies. He has resigned from leading FEMA's National Response Coordination Center.
With the World Cup a year away, the U.S. men’s soccer team needs a shot in the arm
A handful of dreadful losses — plus some drama between the team's biggest star and its new head coach — has the USMNT looking for a badly-needed rebound in this summer's Gold Cup tournament.
Joey Chestnut will return to the Coney Island hot dog contest after last year’s beef
Joey Chestnut was banned from the contest that made him famous after signing an endorsement deal with a company that makes plant-based proteins. The 16-time champ returns to Coney Island on July 4th.
Peter Mohler named new University of Alabama president
Mohler comes to the role from Ohio State University where he served as executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge and as chief scientific officer of the Wexner Medical Center. He also served as Ohio State’s acting president in 2023.
The darter fish and the data center
A newly identified species is already in danger of extinction. A proposed massive data center in Bessemer would “nuke” its habitat, scientists say.
Purdue Pharma, Sacklers reach new $7.4 billion opioid settlement
A new $7.4 billion opioid settlement for Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family has been approved by all U.S. states and territories
‘It’s pretty cool to see so many people who are all like me’: Birmingham celebrates Pride
Birmingham’s 47th annual Pridefest wrapped up this weekend, but not before a festive pride parade brought out revelers in colorful dress to the city’s Lakeview District Saturday night.
Crowds flood downtown Birmingham during ‘No Kings Day’ protest
Crowds stretched across multiple city blocks through downtown Birmingham on Saturday evening to protest President Donald Trump. It was part of a day of protests around the country dubbed “No Kings Day”.
Harvard and the Trump administration return to court over international students
The hearing on whether to indefinitely block President Trump's June 4th proclamation on Harvard's international students is scheduled in federal court in Boston.
People told my dad not to bother educating his 4 daughters. He didn’t listen
On Father's Day, Esther Ngumbi thinks of the sacrifices her Kenyan dad made to ensure that not only his son but his four daughters got an education. He'd say, "I choose to educate you, my girls."
On World Elder Abuse Day officials warn of financial scams targeting seniors
Sunday, June 15 is World Elder Abuse Day, a time officials raise awareness for seniors about potential scams they could come into contact with. According to FBI data, seniors lost $4.8 billion to scammers in 2024.
In one of the nation’s most polluted communities, Trump terminates funding for air monitoring
Residents in majority-Black north Birmingham have long been subjected to industrial pollution. The new administration has cut funding for a program aimed at measuring the impact.
10 years after the deadly church shooting, a new history of ‘Mother Emanuel’
Reporter Kevin Sack's new book is a history of Charleston's Emanuel AME Church, the oldest Black congregation in the South, where a white supremacist killed nine worshippers a decade ago.
Oil prices jump and stocks tumble following Israel’s attack on Iran
Israel's attack on Iran sparked the biggest jump in crude oil prices since Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago. Stocks fell sharply.
Trauma-informed nurses help sexual assault survivors. Most hospitals don’t have them.
Alabama has 44 certified SANEs for the entire state. Louisiana has 42. Mississippi only has 6 — for a population of almost three million.
A popular climate website will be hobbled, after Trump administration eliminates entire staff
Climate.gov is the main source of timely climate-related information for the public. It will stop publishing new information because the Trump administration laid off everyone who worked on it.
Trump’s efforts to defund NPR and PBS playing out in Congress and the courts
Trump and other Republicans want to rescind more than $1 billion in federal funding already approved for NPR and PBS. The president also issued an executive order intended to prevent federal agencies from funding the two public broadcasting networks.
Alabama drops four places in national child well-being rankings
Alabama ranked 43rd nationally for child well-being in the latest KIDS COUNT data book from by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Almost all of the Fulbright board resigns, citing Trump administration interference
Former Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board members said the Trump administration usurped their authority by denying awards to "a substantial number" of the individuals it had selected for the program.
Why there’s an unexpected surge in people claiming Social Security
Some early filers say worries about the future under the Trump administration moved up their timelines.
Mississippi’s tech scene is in a catch-22. How can it move forward?
Mississippi ranks near the bottom for the size of its tech industry. But despite its shortcomings, some believe the state is not far from its own tech boom.
Live in a hurricane-prone area? Here’s how to prepare your home for flooding
If you're worried about flooding this hurricane season, here are some ways to harden your home with flooding and climate change in mind.
