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‘Breakfast on the Bridges’: a monthly Portland commuter tradition
On the last Friday of the month, a group of volunteers serves up tasty treats to morning bike commuters and passersby. The event has been going on for over 20 years.
Trump orders end to federal funding for NPR and PBS
In an executive order, President Trump directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS, the nation's primary public broadcasters.
India will include caste details in its next census
The count is likely lead to demands to raise the country's quotas that reserve government jobs, college admissions and elected offices for lower and intermediate castes.
China mulls U.S. overtures on trade talks, but demands tariffs be canceled
Exporters, importers and recent government statistics all suggest that trade in both directions is slowing sharply as a result of the tariffs. Neither side appears willing to be seen giving ground.
The best new albums out May 2
NPR Music's Stephen Thompson is joined by Julie Bee of Marfa Public Radio to talk through the best albums released on May 2.
Trump offers advice to University of Alabama graduates in speech interspersed with politics
The Republican’s jolting speech was standard fare for Trump and well-received by the crowd in deep-red Alabama, which backed him in all three of his presidential runs.
Canadian writer Canisia Lubrin wins $150K Carol Shields literary prize
The judges of the annual prize for female and nonbinary writers praised Lubrin's debut short story collection, Code Noir, for breaking "new ground in short fiction."
Health care for transgender children questioned in 400-page Trump administration report
President Trump called for the report in an executive order, titled "Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation."
What’s the deal with torpedo bats? See how this Baton Rouge bat manufacturer makes them
Marucci Sports gave WWNO's Louisiana Considered an inside look at how they make torpedo bats, the oddly-shaped bats giving hitters newfound strength.
Willie Nelson is still chasing an idealized country in a divided America
Nelson's new album, Oh What a Beautiful World, his 77th solo album and 154th overall, doesn't break from convention, but that's exactly why it feels so necessary right now.
Bill overhauling Birmingham Water Works Board heads to governor’s desk despite local outcry
Proponents of the bill point to frequent rate hikes and say that the move will prevent catastrophic events that have happened in cities like Jackson, Mississippi, or Detroit, Michigan. Opponents of the bill say that it is a power grab that diminishes the power of Black residents in Birmingham, Alabama.
RFK Jr. to require placebo-controlled studies for new vaccines
The Department of Health and Human Services says it will require new vaccines to be tested against a placebo, which could complicate and delay Food and Drug Administration approval of many vaccines.
‘Thunderbolts*’ is a refreshing misfit hit after many Marvel misfires
Marvel's latest release is a decently effective blend of misfit mercenaries and pop psychology.
Harrods, iconic department store, latest British retailer hit by cyberattack
Harrods latest U.K.retailer to be hit by cyberattack, raising concerns over the vulnerability of high-end businesses to online security breaches.
Trump-appointed federal judge blocks use of Alien Enemies Act for Venezuelans in South Texas
The Trump administration, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez, Jr., ruled, does not "possess the lawful authority under the (Alien Enemies Act), and based on the Proclamation, to detain Venezuelan aliens, transfer them within the United States, or remove them from the country."
Does your online shopping receipt show what you’re paying in tariffs? Let us know
Have you recently bought something online, and your receipt showed how much more you're paying as a result of tariffs? If so, please share your receipt with NPR.
Trump says he plans to move his national security adviser Mike Waltz to the UN
Trump said he would make Secretary of State Marco Rubio his interim national security adviser. It's the first time since the Nixon era that one person will do both jobs.
Trump nominee gives misleading testimony about ties to alleged ‘Nazi sympathizer’
Ed Martin, President Trump's pick for U.S. Attorney for D.C., is distancing himself from a Jan. 6 rioter known for antisemitic views. NPR's reporting raises questions about his ties to the rioter.
The U.S. set the global order after WWII. Trump has other plans
From the ashes of World War II, President Harry Truman helped create global institutions that have defined international order. President Trump is moving aggressively to scale back that U.S. role.
Education Department stops $1 billion in funding for school mental health
Congress created the grants in the aftermath of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The goal was to help schools hire mental health professionals, including counselors and social workers.
Lawmakers demand answers after a Haitian woman dies at an ICE detention center
ICE says it is investigating the cause of death of 44-year-old Marie Ange Blaise in a Florida detention center on Friday. A local congresswoman says Blaise had complained of chest pains "for hours."
How a rural clinic is changing lives in Alabama and why it’s at risk
Cahaba Medical Care, a collection of clinics that get doctors into some of the poorest, sickest communities in Alabama, never turns away patients. But a federal grant that supports the doctors there is at risk of getting cut in the midst of the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize.
2025 Tony nominations are out — and they’re full of celebrities
Nominees for the 78th Annual Tony Awards were announced Thursday morning. They include George Clooney, Nicole Scherzinger, Sarah Snook, Sadie Sink, Audra McDonald and more.
Judges would be accountable for abuse even if they retired or resigned, under new bill
A new bill from a top Democrat seeks to close a loophole that federal judges have used to collect pension benefits despite facing credible accusations of wrongdoing by employees.
Freedom of speech ‘at stake’ in Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi’s case, lawyer says
Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi left federal prison, but his case isn't over. His lawyer says the Trump administration's case against him is "laughable" and "unconstitutional."
‘Weird Al’ Yankovic keeps dorkiness close to his heart
"Weird Al" Yankovic has no trouble tapping into his dorkiness. Perhaps that's the secret to his decades-spanning appeal. On this week's Wild Card with Rachel Martin, he talks about aging into his weirdness.
This office was meant to bridge divides in government. Now it’s empty
Congress created the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to unite the expertise of two different agencies that work on electric vehicle charging. Now it seems to have turned into a ghost ship.
Trump’s VA strands thousands of veterans by ending a key mortgage program
The VA Servicing Purchase program has helped about 20,000 veterans avoid foreclosure. But Republicans in Congress have been critical of the program, saying it puts too much taxpayer money at risk.
Republicans say they will still push education based on legal status
The Tennessee Legislature aimed to challenge a 1982 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that established a right to education for all students. Republican lawmakers still hope to overturn that.
New congressional district gives voice to Black voters in Alabama
Two majority Black cities in Alabama now have Black representation in Congress because of court-ordered redistricting. The progress comes as President Trump pulls back federal diversity initiatives.
South Korea’s acting leader Han resigns amid reports he will run for president
Acting President Han Duck-soo has emerged as a potential conservative standard bearer, and South Korean media reported he will officially launch his presidential campaign Friday.
People who fled authoritarian regimes say Trump’s tactics remind them of home
Politicians, lawyers and journalists who left behind autocratic systems in Europe, Asia and Latin America see the Trump administration employing similar methods.
