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Suspect in UK toddler disappearance is released after serving time in unrelated case

A German national under investigation in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann 18 years ago was freed from prison Wednesday after serving a sentence in an unrelated case, police said.

Facing Trump’s pressure, the Fed is likely to cut rates for the first time this year

The Fed is likely to lower interest rates by a quarter percentage point Wednesday in an effort to cushion the sagging job market. The move comes as policymakers face growing pressure from Trump.

When her car ran out of gas, help came from a homeless encampment

When Juli Cobb's car ran out of gas in the middle of the road, three men from a nearby homeless encampment rushed over to push her car to safety.

Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter go on a new excellent adventure: ‘Waiting for Godot’

In one of the most buzzed-about productions of the Broadway season, former Bill & Ted actors Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter unite once again in "Waiting for Godot."

After a wave of horrific shootings, gun violence trends put recent attacks in context

Mass shootings, political violence and school safety are front of mind for many Americans following a recent spate of high-profile attacks. Experts who study gun violence unpack the data and trends.

NPR to trim $5 million this year as public radio stations struggle to pay bills

NPR plans to make trims totaling more than $5 million over the course of the coming fiscal year to bring its annual budget into balance. Meanwhile, local stations are asking for more help.

Robert Redford knew how to make a thriller

Robert Redford could do drama. He championed small films. And he made thrillers that are perfect for curling up on the couch on a weekend afternoon.

Trump extends TikTok reprieve as deal nears

While legally questionable, the extension comes just as it appears China and the U.S. may finally have a deal on TikTok's fate.

‘People are scared’: Congress grapples with increasing political violence

House Republicans put forth a proposal to fund the government that includes $30 million for lawmaker security, as Congress grapples with increasing political violence.

The U.S. says it will burn $9.7 million of birth control. Its fate is still unclear

Questions about their fate swirled after the government's July deadline for destruction came and went. Then came a false report they'd been incinerated. Aid groups say it's not too late to save them.

Alabama asks court to lift block on limits to absentee ballot applications

The Alabama attorney general’s office asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to lift a judge’s preliminary injunction last year that found the gift and payment ban is “not enforceable as to blind, disabled, or illiterate voters.”

RFK Jr. wants to end mental health screenings in schools. Experts say it’s a bad idea

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy and Education Secretary Linda McMahon are against schools giving kids standardized questionnaires about their mental well-being. But experts say they are wrong.

From heart to skin to hair, ‘Replaceable You’ dives into the science of transplant

Science writer Mary Roach chronicles both the history and the latest science of body part replacement in her new book. She also answers the question: Is it kosher to receive an organ donation from a pig?

Utah files murder charges against Tyler Robinson

Utah prosecutors charged Tyler Robinson, 22, with the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Officials say they are seeking the death penalty.

New books this week: The case for the Constitution, and a celebration of chosen family

Jill Lepore writes about the strength and stability of America's founding document — and its capacity for change. And Angela Flournoy tracks the friendship of five young Black women over 20 years.

Republicans release 7-week spending bill as Democrats warn of a potential shutdown

House Republicans released a short-term spending bill to fund the government until late November but Democrats are calling for further changes.

Utah files murder charges against Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin

Utah prosecutors charged Tyler Robinson, 22, with the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Officials say they are seeking the death penalty.

A UN inquiry accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, joining a rising chorus

The report issued Tuesday by experts commissioned by the United Nations' Human Rights Council calls on the international community to end the genocide and take steps to punish those responsible.

Movie star and visionary Robert Redford has died at age 89

A movie star to his core, Robert Redford has died after a visionary career in cinema, including founding the Sundance Institute that transformed the market for independent films.

For first time in decades, U.S. says Colombia is falling short in drug war

For the first time in decades, the U.S. has decertified Colombia as a drug control partner — a symbolic blow to one of Washington's closest allies in Latin America.

Donald Trump files $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times

President Donald Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its journalists on Monday, according to court documents.

On 9/16/25, celebrate a date of mathematical beauty

Pythagorean Triple Square Day, as one man affectionately calls 9/16/25, is a day like no other this century.

On Texas border, uninsured people stress the health system. It’s set to get worse

In South Texas' Rio Grande Valley, many people go without health insurance, and the health system struggles as a result. Similar communities dot the nation.

Kennedy’s vaccine panel expected to recommend delaying hepatitis B shot in children

RFK Jr.'s hand-picked panel of vaccine advisors is expected to vote to delay the hepatitis B shot for newborns. Doctors warn that could fuel a return of a disease virtually eradicated in U.S. kids. 

FBI Director Patel set to testify on Capitol Hill amid questions over his leadership

Kash Patel's appearance in the Senate comes at a delicate time for the director, who is a loyalist of President Trump but has no experience leading an organization like the FBI.

Why don’t artists let their albums breathe?

Justin Bieber released a sequel to his album Swag before listeners even had a chance to really sit with the original. The move is indicative of a broader trend.

Israel’s military says its expanded operation in Gaza City has begun

The announcement by the Israeli military further escalated the Israel-Hamas war as any potential ceasefire feels even further out of reach despite weeks of diplomacy.

Trump says the U.S. military targeted a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela

President Trump said the U.S. military on Monday again targeted a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing three aboard the vessel.

Appeals court says Lisa Cook can stay on the Federal Reserve board — for now

A federal appeals court blocked President Trump from firing Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, just ahead of a key vote on interest rates.

5 new members added to CDC vaccine advisory panel ahead of key meeting 

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. picks more new vaccine advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, days before a two-day meeting to consider COVID and hepatitis B shots.

Birmingham remembers the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, 62 years later

The bombing was a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement and Birmingham’s history.

Hermeto Pascoal, whimsical Brazilian composer nicknamed ‘The Sorcerer,’ dies at 89

Pascoal said he had composed thousands of pieces. "I am 100 percent intuitive," he once told NPR. Miles Davis called him one of the most important musicians in the world.