News
A 3 year legal saga over an inmate’s death has its final day in court
NPR first reported on the case of Charles Givens, a disabled inmate at Virginia's Marion Correctional Treatment Center, in 2023. Four corrections officers were accused of beating him to death and a fifth accused of negligence. Givens' sister, Kymberly Hobbs, sued the five men.
China put steep tariffs on U.S. exports. Farmers are worried
The first Trump administration spent $28 billion bailing out farmers during a trade war with China. The White House has said it's starting to look at how to help this time around.
Mental health workers go on hunger strike, demanding better pay and benefits
After months of striking, some therapists with Kaiser Permanente stopped eating for five days to bring attention to their union's demands for parity with how the company's other workers are treated.
In Homewood, a fight for the spotted salamander
As a Samford University expands its footprint and threatens the amphibian’s habitat, residents are voicing their opposition and searching for another way forward.
Trump administration ends temporary protected status for thousands of Afghans
As soon as May 20, thousands of Afghans living in the U.S. will lose a protection that shielded them from deportation and allowed them to work.
Trump says he took a cognitive test as part of his latest physical
President Trump had his first physical of his second term on Friday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Dozens of USAID contracts were canceled last weekend. Here’s what happened
The rationale was to address "mismanagement, fraud, and misaligned priorities." Former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk said reversals and inconsistences in the cancellations created "total whiplash."
‘I cannot guarantee complete confidentiality,’ VA therapists ordered to tell veterans
Mental health therapists at Veterans Affairs should begin sessions with patients saying they are in a shared office space, a memo obtained by NPR says. Trump's back-to-office orders start Monday for VA.
Major budget cuts proposed for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The agency forecasts weather, manages fisheries, and researches the world's oceans, atmosphere, and climate. The proposed budget cuts would slash the climate work entirely.
Judge rules Mahmoud Khalil can be deported
The judge gave Khalil until April 23 to request a stay of his deportation and said that if his attorneys miss the deadline, she will order him deported either to Syria or to Algeria
Doctors remove pig kidney from an Alabama woman after a record 130 days
Towana Looney is recovering well from the removal surgery and has returned home to Gadsden. In a statement, she thanked her doctors for “the opportunity to be part of this incredible research.”
‘I cannot guarantee complete confidentiality,’ VA therapists ordered to tell veterans
Mental health therapists at Veterans Affairs should begin sessions with patients saying they are in a shared office space, a memo obtained by NPR says. Trump's back-to-office orders start Monday for VA.
Maryland judge again asks government to return man wrongly deported to El Salvador
A federal judge in Maryland wants the government to "facilitate" Abrego Garcia's return to the U.S. after the Supreme Court largely upheld her original order.
Amid deep mistrust, U.S. and Iran try to work out a nuclear deal
President Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal with Iran in his first term. Now he's trying to negotiate a new agreement that would prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Pig kidney transplant fails after patient rejection
Surgeons at NYU Langone Health in New York City had to remove a genetically modified pig kidney from Towana Looney, 53, of Gadsden, Ala., because her body rejected the organ. She's back on dialysis.
To instill confidence, China tries to reassure private entrepreneurs of support
As the country faces slowing economic growth and a trade war with the U.S., China has taken pains to reassure entrepreneurs by telling them they can start businesses, create jobs and benefit society.
Jewish students at Georgetown protest detention of professor Badar Khan Suri
More than 130 Jewish students, staff and alumni from Georgetown University signed a public letter opposing the detention of Badar Khan Suri, saying that President Trump's policies make Jews less safe.
How to get what you want without using cash (you read that right)
Experienced traders share real-world tips on how to barter with your community. People are more open to the idea than you may realize, they say.
Alabama Senate passes record education budget
There's one thing Alabama lawmakers are required to do each session -- that's pass the budgets. Legislators spent time this week working toward that goal as the Senate approved a record-setting education budget. We hear about that other legislative happenings with Todd Stacy, host of Capital Journal on Alabama Public Television.
What to know about Dan Caine, the nation’s newly-confirmed top military adviser
The Senate voted around 2 a.m. Friday to confirm retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump plucked him from retirement to be his top military adviser.
Will tariffs drive more people to shop secondhand? It’s a mixed bag, experts say
This moment of economic uncertainty could drive more Americans to buy used. But experts say secondhand stores won't be immune from tariffs either.
Alabama lawmakers advance bill to let Alfa sell health plans outside insurance regulations
The Alabama House of Representatives approved the bill on a 98-1 vote after nearly three hours of debate. The bill now moves to the Alabama Senate.
Chai Jing: China’s Lesley Stahl returns to spotlight on YouTube
Chai Jing's interviews appear to strike a chord back home in China, even as YouTube is blocked in the country and popular platforms have deleted videos repackaging her show.
The controversial and obscure law being used against immigrant student protestors
The Trump Administration is using an obscure and controversial immigration law from 1952 to try to deport Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil.
What ELSE does the president want to make great again? Find out in the quiz!
This week was more than tariffs! There were tortoises, genetically engineered animals, smart vacuums and a lot of other news!
How DOGE may have improperly used Social Security data to push voter fraud narratives
A DOGE staffer working in the Social Security Administration has been pushing questionable claims about noncitizens voting — apparently using data that court records suggest DOGE shouldn't have.
Lightning strikes usually kill trees. This one just grows stronger
An author of a recent study about lightning's effect on trees in Panamanian forests says his team has gotten a large, positive response from people, including those who call the trees inspirational.
4 takeaways from the week: In a world that craves stability, Trump brings the chaos
President Trump's trade war sent global markets reeling this week. How Trump has handled tariffs shows the farthest thing from stability and predictability. A look at this and three other takeaways.
Beijing slaps 125% tariffs on U.S. goods in latest U.S.-China trade escalation
China signals the latest tariff hike will be its last round of tit-for-tat measures, prompting sharp falls in European shares, as Asian stocks end the day mixed.
Burials begin for victims in the Dominican nightclub collapse that killed 221
Many people have been anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones, growing frustrated with the drip-drip of information provided by hospitals and the country's forensic institute.
Why some are accusing Trump of manipulating stock markets
Senators Adam Schiff and Ruben Gallego have asked for "an urgent inquiry" into whether President Trump or others engaged in insider trading on advanced knowledge of his tariff policy changes.
Supreme Court says Trump officials should help return wrongly deported Maryland man
The Supreme Court ordered the administration to "facilitate" the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly taken to El Salvador and remains in custody there.
