News

Dance pioneer Judith Jamison dies at 81

Jamison was a dance star who led the famed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to new heights.

It was ‘great relief’ for Haruki Murakami to finish his latest novel

In the first interview about his new book The City and its Uncertain Walls, the celebrated author also talks with NPR about his age and finding beauty in isolation.

What to know about Tom Homan, the former ICE head returning as Trump’s ‘border czar’

Homan was the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from January 2017 to June 2018, where he was a key architect of the Trump administration's controversial family separation policy.

Trump taps House Rep. Elise Stefanik as U.N. ambassador

Stefanik, who is the House Republican Conference Chair, has been a key ally of Trump's over the years and was reported to have been a contender as his running mate during the presidential election.

Trump’s reelection casts a shadow over the start of global climate negotiations

Trump’s return to the White House raises questions about whether the country will continue working on global climate initiatives.

Alzheimer’s timeline shows changes start as trickle, become torrent

A study of cells from 84 brains finds that Alzheimer’s has two distinct phases, and that one type of neuron is especially vulnerable.

Wisconsin high court to hear arguments on whether an 1849 abortion ban remains valid

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Monday on whether a law that legislators adopted more than a decade before the Civil War bans abortion and can still be enforced.

It’s Veterans Day. The VA says it can’t help thousands of vets it left stranded

An NPR investigation finds thousands of veterans were pushed into high-cost mortgages by a program that was meant to help them. A rescue plan being rolled out by the Department of Veterans Affairs is excluding many vets who need help.

When her key broke in the ignition, a car thief saved the day

After her car key broke, Betsy Cornwell was stranded and all alone. Then the unlikeliest of heroes came to her aid.

More young people are surviving cancer. Then they face a life altered by it

More people are getting cancer in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, and surviving, thanks to rapid advancement in care. Many will have decades of life ahead of them, which means they face greater and more complex challenges in survivorship. Lourdes Monje is navigating these waters at age 29.

A human bird flu case is thought to be found in Canada for the first time

A person has tested positive in British Columbia, Canadian health officials said, though the results must be sent to another lab for confirmation.

Haiti replaces its prime minister, marking more turmoil in transition process

It marks even more turmoil in an already rocky democratic transition process for Haiti, which hasn't held democratic elections in years in a large part due to the soaring levels of gang violence.

Arrest made in Tuskegee University shooting that left 1 dead, 16 injured

The incident follows a string of other recent deadly shootings surrounding homecoming events at schools in Southern states.

Bobby Allison, NASCAR Hall of Famer and 3-time Daytona 500 winner, dies at 86

Allison’s family that said he died at home in Mooresville, North Carolina. A cause of death wasn’t given, but Allison had been in declining health for years.

Air quality warnings in New York and New Jersey as parks worker dies fighting fire

A New York parks employee died battling one of a number of wildfires in New Jersey and New York amid dry conditions that have prompted air quality warnings in both states, authorities said Sunday.

‘Saturday Night Live’ cast jokingly ask Trump to keep them off his ‘enemies list’

The cast of Saturday Night Live jokingly touted their support for Donald Trump and his billionaire backer Elon Musk in their first episode since Trump's re-election this past week.

Bobby Allison, one of the all-time great NASCAR drivers, has died at age 86

Bobby Allison, whose life was full of tragedy even as he became one of the most celebrated NASCAR drivers of all time, died on Saturday. The Hall of Famer was 86.

Israel’s ousted defense minister says the military has done all it can in Gaza

On his last day in office, Israel’s outed defense minister offered a revealing glimpse into the war in Gaza – and the decision maker he holds responsible for holding up a ceasefire deal.

This lawyer is fighting defamation lawsuits that can silence sexual assault victims

Since the start of the #MeToo movement, many accused abusers have filed defamation charges against their accusers in retaliation, advocates say. Law professor Victoria Burke wants to change that.

In 2016, NPR talked to 2 young Hillary fans. How do they feel after this election?

Eight years ago, Hillary Clinton supporters gathered at her alma mater hoping to celebrate the election of first female U.S. president. We tracked down two of the tiniest fans to check back in.

Ann Patchett finds bits of Catholicism and America appalling: ‘But I am those things’

Ann Patchett is owning her shortcomings. On Wild Card this week, she opens up about religion and the place that shaped her as much as any person did.

How one Ukrainian chef is fighting for culinary independence

In a cookbook forged during the war with Russia, a Ukrainian celebrity chef uses cuisine to "continue the story of Ukraine."

The story of White House ‘trophy terms’ offers a cautionary tale

The lessons of history about second-term presidents and second-term Republicans in particular are not just the stuff of textbooks. They can offer guidance and perhaps even temper expectations.

This 72-year-old retreat ‘feels like another home’ for Ukrainian Americans

The Soyuzivka Ukrainian Heritage Center, a resort that sits about two and a half hours northwest of New York City, in Kerhonkson, N.Y., provides a place that "feels like another home" for thousands of Ukrainian Americans every year.

Slower winds aid firefighters battling destructive blaze in Southern California

Firefighters gained ground Saturday on a wildfire that has ravaged more than 100 structures as gusty winds subsided with favorable weather conditions expected through the weekend.

The 2025 Grammy nominations are out. Here are the big takeaways

Stephen Thompson on the biggest surprises, trends and questions to be found in the Grammy nominations, plus the most interesting stories to be found beyond the major categories.

FEMA worker fired for telling hurricane responders to avoid homes with pro-Trump signs

FEMA's administrator said the employee told a team responding to hurricane survivors to skip homes with yard signs showing support for Donald Trump.

These charts show how Trump’s strategy to lose by less won back several swing states

President-elect Donald Trump won the election by flipping Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin after President Biden won them in 2020. Looking at how Democratic counties voted explains how he did it.

Racist text messages referencing slavery raise alarms in Alabama and prompt investigations

The messages, sent anonymously, were reported in several states, including Alabama. They generally used a similar tone but varied in wording.

It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time in McCalla: Smuckers opens biggest Uncrustables factory in the country

The facility represents a more than $1 billion capital investment from Smuckers and is predicted to bring in 750 jobs to the community.

Amazon workers in Alabama will have third labor union vote after judge finds illegal influence

Administrative law judge Michael Silverstein on Tuesday ordered the third vote for Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama after determining that Amazon committed six violations leading up to the second election in March 2022.

Federal regulators waited 7 months to investigate a deadly home explosion above a gassy coal mine 

Coalfield residents across the country feel ignored as their homes sink and flammable gas rises from underground mining. In Alabama, U.S. regulators dragged their feet until a former top official called them out for failure to protect the public.