News
Lone FCC Democrat warns of political pressure on media if agency loses independence
The only Democrat on the Federal Communications Commission says chairman Brendan Carr's belief that the FCC isn't independent leaves news media vulnerable to political pressure.
Mourners grieve 10-year-old slain in Bondi mass shooting as Australia’s leader pledges new hate laws
Hundreds of mourners bearing bright bouquets and clutching each other in grief gathered at a funeral in Sydney on Thursday for a 10-year-old girl who was gunned down in an antisemitic massacre during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.
US announces massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than $10 billion
The Trump administration has announced a massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than $10 billion that includes medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, a move that is sure to infuriate China.
Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent Peter Arnett has died
Peter Arnett, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who spent decades dodging bullets and bombs to bring the world eyewitness accounts of war from Vietnam to Iraq, has died. He was 91.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino says he will step down in January
Bongino's tenure was at times tumultuous, including a clash with Justice Department leadership over the Epstein files. But it also involved the arrest of a suspect in the Jan. 6 pipe bomber case.
Federal court says troops can stay in D.C., and hints at prolonged deployment
A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. has ruled that National Guard troops can remain in the city for now. That decision comes after a different federal appeals court ruled that troops must leave Los Angeles earlier this week.
Jack Smith defends his prosecutions of Trump in closed-door session in Congress
The former Justice Department special counsel told the House Judiciary Committee that his team developed "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Trump took part in a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election.
A Chinese man who filmed secret footage in Xinjiang risks deportation from the U.S.
Guan Heng sailed to the U.S. by boat from the Bahamas after publishing footage he filmed of purported detention camps in China. He has been held in immigration detention since August.
A photographer discovers miles of dinosaur tracks near Italy’s Winter Olympic venues
A nature photographer stumbled upon thousands of 210-million-year-old dinosaur tracks in Italy's central Alps, near where some Olympic skiing and snowboarding events will be held in February.
Senate passes $901 billion defense bill that pushes Hegseth for boat strike video
The Senate has given final passage to the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which raises troop pay by 3.8%. It also pressures Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide lawmakers with video of strikes on alleged drug boats near Venezuela.
Why I volunteered to be infected with dengue fever
The U.S. has registered over half a million clinical trials since 2000. Here's a look at the business and ethics of human medical experimentation through the eyes of a volunteer.
Former Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron ends campaign for Alabama lieutenant governor
McCarron, who led the University of Alabama to back-to-back championships and played for the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL, announced in October that he was running in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor.
More than 10% of Congress won’t return to their seats after 2026
NPR is tracking the record number of congressional lawmakers – now more than one in ten current members – who have announced plans to retire or run for a different office in 2026.
Greetings from Chiloé Island, Chile, where the fast-moving tides are part of local lore
Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.
GOP House Rep. says it’s ‘unacceptable’ to allow ACA subsidies to expire
Rep. Mike Lawler says House Speaker Mike Johnson is correct in saying the health care system isn't working, but allowing ACA subsidies to expire without a plan to address rising costs is "idiotic."
Trump’s BBC lawsuit: A botched report, BritBox, and porn
President Trump's lawsuit alleges that the BBC's fall 2024 documentary was "a brazen attempt" to harm his re-election. The BBC has apologized but rejects his claim.
Recent attacks have been ‘inspired’ by Islamic State. What does that mean?
A decade ago, the self-proclaimed Islamic State group held vast swaths of territory across Iraq and Syria, but President Trump declared it destroyed in 2019.
How the long-running Obamacare fight came to thwart enhanced subsidies in Congress
Congress is poised to leave for a scheduled holiday recess without a solution for addressing the expiration of enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans.
Thousands of guns are found at crime scenes. What do they tell us?
A report from the advocacy group Everytown For Gun Safety analyzed data from local police departments on nearly 350,000 guns used in crimes from 2020 to 2024, including where they came from.
Trump’s economic approval hits a new low at 36%, poll finds
A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds 70% of Americans say things have become too unaffordable and have a dim outlook on the economy and President Trump's handling of it.
From bird droppings to holiday kisses: How we ended up under the mistletoe
The etymology of mistletoe — a plant with small, oval evergreen leaves and waxy white berries — may strike some as repugnant.
Beware the Christmas coronary. How to spot signs of holiday heart trouble
There's lots of data to show cardiac troubles spike during the holidays amid the mix of merrymaking, travel and stress. But there are ways to spot the signs of trouble before it's too late.
Trump’s rush to build nuclear reactors across the U.S. raises safety worries
A new program at the Department of Energy is pushing the development of nearly a dozen new reactor designs at breakneck speed.
Is the viral cheese pull saving chain restaurants?
For restaurants, going viral is appetizing. But at what cost?
Suspected gunman in Bondi Beach shooting charged with 15 counts of murder
A suspected gunman in Sydney's Bondi Beach massacre was charged with 59 offenses including 15 charges of murder on Wednesday, as hundreds of mourners gathered to begin funerals for the victims.
Trump expands travel ban and restrictions to include an additional 20 countries
The Trump administration announced Tuesday it was expanding travel restrictions to an additional 20 countries and the Palestinian Authority, doubling the number of nations affected by sweeping limits.
Nick Reiner will be charged with first degree murder in his parents’ killing
The 32-year-old son of famed director Rob Reiner is being held without bail. Los Angeles authorities say the charges against him carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
After outcry over prices, FIFA to sell $60 tickets for the World Cup — with a catch
FIFA said it would sell $60 tickets to the World Cup, including for the final — but only for supporters of qualified teams. And the actual number of available tickets is limited.
What to know from Susie Wiles’ interviews with ‘Vanity Fair,’ according to the writer
Throughout the year, Vanity Fair writer Chris Whipple interviewed some of the people closest to President Trump. We speak with Whipple about his talks with White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles.
Bondi Beach attack casts a shadow on Hanukkah celebrations in Israel
People of all ages had been looking forward to celebrating — especially this year, as a ceasefire in Gaza has held since October and all but one of the hostages taken by Hamas-led militants have been returned.
Psychologists are increasingly using — and worrying about — AI tools, poll finds
A survey finds that 56% of psychologists are trying out artificial intelligence tools at work, mainly for administrative tasks. A majority also are concerned about harms of AI on patients and society.
Her 1951 walkout helped end school segregation. Now her statue is in the U.S. Capitol
Barbara Rose Johns was 16 when she led a walkout at her high school, credited with helping end school segregation. Her statue replaces Robert E. Lee's, which was removed in 2020.
