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After Iran’s war with Israel, questions return about Khamenei’s potential successors
After the 12-day war in June, the issue of who will succeed Iran's longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has become more urgent.
U.S. measles cases hit highest level in 33 years, CDC reports
The U.S. has hit an unwelcome milestone in measles cases this year. The CDC is reporting 1,288 cases across the country. The disease was declared eliminated 25 years ago.
10 songs that were hyperpop before the subgenre was born
To commemorate 10 years of SOPHIE's debut, World Cafe put together a mix of "proto-hyperpop" tracks.
What’s on the table for the 5 African Presidents meeting Trump at the White House?
President Trump is hosting 5 African leaders in Washington this week — a mini summit that's raising eyebrows over who was invited, what's on the table, and what it signals about U.S. rivalry with China and BRICS in Africa.
Sean Combs’ sentencing date is set
Last week, a federal jury in Manhattan found Combs guilty of two counts of transportation for prostitution while acquitting him on more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
A battle is unfolding in Europe over the future of wolves
Europe recently downgraded the protected status of wolves, sparking concern among conservationists who warn this may undo decades of progress and lead to the species becoming threatened again.
Greetings from Damascus, Syria, where a crowded bar welcomed post-Assad revelers
Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.
Former commissioner of flooded Texas county says siren system would have saved lives
Former Kerr County commissioner Tom Moser advocated for a siren warning system about a decade ago. He believes sirens could have saved lives had they been in place.
State laws to stop surprise ambulance bills face pushback from insurers
Policymakers agree patients shouldn't be stuck in the middle when an ambulance service charges more than what an insurer will pay. But they can't settle on what price is fair.
Baseline knowledge: Where tennis comes from and how the game has changed
Recent years have seen an upswing in people playing tennis (or at least dressing like it). But it's not just a phase. The sport — at least some version of it — has been around since medieval times.
Confused about where things stand with Trump’s tariffs? Here’s a handy primer
President Trump has announced — but postponed the effective date for — higher tariffs once again. Here's what to know about the latest on his tariff policy.
Canceled grants get the spotlight at a Capitol Hill ‘science fair’
On Tuesday, scientists held an event organized by House Democrats in which they stood in front of posters outlining their work — and the federal cuts that now threaten it.
After quitting antidepressants, some people suffer surprising, lingering symptoms
The symptoms can include nerve pain, emotional numbness and sexual dysfunction and can last for years after stopping the drugs. Patients are pushing for recognition and more research.
How a broken nose kickstarted Diego Luna’s star-making run with the USMNT
The 21-year-old Real Salt Lake midfielder, with his bleached hair and dozens of tattoos, stands out on the soccer field. But it's his attitude that has won praise from his coach, teammates and fans.
In Texas, a major search effort is being led by the father of a flood victim
In Kerr County, Texas, Thad Heartfield is leading nearly 100 volunteers searching for flood victims. For him, this mission is personal. His son and three of his son's friends disappeared in the flood.
Texas is relying on FEMA. State leaders said it should be cut
The governor and top emergency official in Texas are both members of a council advising the Trump administration on options for eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Impostor uses AI to impersonate Rubio and contact foreign and U.S. officials
The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence.
Supreme Court allows Trump to resume mass federal layoffs for now
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was appointed to the court by President Biden, dissented.
Graphics: Where the Texas floods happened and how high the waters rose
One Guadalupe River gauge near Kerrville and Camp Mystic recorded a rise of more than 25 feet in two hours.
Haiti’s iconic Hotel Oloffson, long a cultural beacon, destroyed by gang violence
The Hotel Oloffson in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, long a haven for artists and writers, poets and presidents, a symbol of Haiti's troubled politics and its storied past, has been destroyed by gangs.
New books this week focus on Caitlin Clark, King Tut, and how ‘Democrats Lost America’
Plus: a new novel from Gary Shteyngart, a true story of a shipwreck, and a memoir from a wrongly incarcerated inmate who was exonerated after 28 years behind bars.
Shoes off at the airport? TSA appears to be giving the pesky rule the boot
For nearly twenty years, most air travelers in the U.S. have been required to remove their shoes when going through security. That requirement seems to be ending.
Texas flood recovery efforts face tough conditions as local officials face hard questions
Emergency responders kept hope alive as they combed through fallen trees and other debris that littered the hard-hit central Texas communities on the fifth day after devastating floods killed more than 100.
Q&A: How a conservative Mississippi mom became an advocate for legalizing drugs
Christina Dent talks about founding End It For Good, her journey to rethinking drugs and addiction and how Mississippi can change its approach, too
With Indus Waters Treaty in the balance, Pakistan braces for more water woes
In an unprecedented move, India held the water treaty in abeyance after blaming Pakistan for a deadly attack in April. Pakistan denies involvement in the attack and accuses India of "weaponizing water."
IRS says churches can now endorse political candidates
Since 1954, an IRS rule had barred houses of worship from explicitly endorsing political candidates.
A Planet Money guide to 5 fascinating new econ papers
The Planet Money newsletter rounds up some new economics studies.
Trump says U.S. will resume sending weapons to Ukraine after pausing last week
With Russian attacks escalating, Ukraine is dependent on air defense systems and munitions supplied by western allies to protect Ukrainian cities.
DOJ launches unusual lawsuit against entire federal district court in Maryland
The DOJ has sued the entire federal district court in Maryland over an order that puts a temporary hold on deportations, intensifying a confrontation between the Trump administration and the courts.
100 years after evolution went on trial, the Scopes case still reverberates
One hundred years ago, the small town of Dayton, Tenn., became the unlikely stage for one of the most sensational trials in American history, over the teaching of Darwin's theory of evolution.
RFK Jr.’s vaccine policy sparks a lawsuit from the American Academy of Pediatrics
AAP and other leading health organizations allege that the health secretary violated federal law when he took the COVID vaccine off the list of recommended shots for pregnant women and healthy children.
Feds investigate hospitals over religious exemptions from gender-affirming care
A physician assistant claimed she was fired by a Michigan hospital for seeking a religious exemption regarding gender-affirming care. Now the federal government is also investigating.