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Together at last, Megadeth and Harry Styles rule the Billboard charts

These wildly different artists both reach the top of the pop charts this week.

Where are all the protest songs?

Protest requires people to take a stand and hold firm. Pop songs are designed to appeal across demographic lines. In music, as in the rest of the world, resistance takes place closer to the ground.

Trump officials propose testing a citizenship question amid a push to alter the census

The Trump administration proposes to include a question about U.S. citizenship status in this year's field test of the 2030 census, as Republicans push to alter the counts behind voting maps.

Some Public Health Service officers quit rather than serve in ICE detention centers

A special corps of health care workers have been called in to work with detained immigrants and many feel deeply conflicted about the assignment, saying they're not able to provide good care.

‘More relevant every day’ in the U.S.: A filmmaker documented Russia’s journalists

Julia Loktev's documentary My Undesirable Friends follows young independent journalists covering Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Measles continues to spread in the US, but with some letup

As South Carolina's outbreak grows to 876 confirmed cases, vaccinations in the state surged in January. Cases have also been reported in two ICE detention facilities.

The Winter Olympics gets 8 new events, including its first new sport in decades

Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut this year, the first winter sport to do so since 2002. Skeleton, luge, ski jumping and moguls are also getting new events.

Team USA settles in to athletes’ villages, ‘smash’ pizzas

US Olympic athletes are arriving and settling into their digs for the next couple of weeks in Italy. Curlers are amazed by the mountain scenery in Cortina; figure skaters are plant fostering in Milan; and the big air slopestyle women are "smashing pizzas" in Livigno.

As Trump reshapes foreign policy, China moves to limit risks, reap gains

President Trump's focus overseas may spare China for now, but Beijing still worries that his "America First" rhetoric hasn't softened what it calls U.S. "military adventurism."

Searching for dinosaur secrets in crocodile bones

Until now, estimating how old a dinosaur was when it died has been a fairly simple process: Count up the growth rings in the fossilized bones. But new research into some of dinosaurs' living relatives, like crocodiles, suggests that this method may not always work.

How the new dietary guidelines could impact school meals

Cutting back on ready-to-eat meals won't be easy, and whole milk may make a comeback. One thing that's certain: It'll be a while before the new guidelines trickle down to schools.

Poll: Two-thirds of Americans say ICE has ‘gone too far’ in immigration enforcement

A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds a jump in disapproval of the agency among Democrats and independents, but Republicans are standing by ICE and the president.

Nike faces federal probe over allegations of discrimination against white workers

The federal agency for protecting workers' civil rights revealed Wednesday that it is investigating sportswear giant Nike for allegedly discriminating against white employees.

ICE can’t make warrantless arrests in Oregon unless there’s risk of escape, judge rules

U.S. immigration agents in Oregon must stop arresting people without warrants unless there's a likelihood of escape, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

Trump’s EPA issues record low legal actions against polluters, watchdog group finds

The EPA enforced a record low number of environmental laws and regulations during the first year of President Trump's second term in office.

Researchers say no evidence of TikTok censorship, but they remain wary

Posts have been going viral on social media accusing TikTok's new owners of suppressing content, but eight academics examined the issue and found no evidence to support the claims.

Newly released court records reveal misconduct inquiry into federal judge

A federal judge said he retired to speak out about threats to the rule of law. Newly released court orders suggest his exit coincided with a misconduct inquiry that ended when he stepped down.

Moltbook is the newest social media platform — but it’s just for AI bots

A new message board for artificial intelligence agents has prompted some strange conversations, and existential questions about the inner lives of bots.

The Supreme Court lets California use its new, Democratic-friendly congressional map

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for California to use its new congressional map for this year's midterm election. Voters approved it as a Democratic counterresponse to Texas' new GOP-friendly map.

Reporter’s notebook: A peek inside the Olympic Village

NPR reporters visited the Milan Olympic Village in the days before the opening ceremony to investigate the dining hall dessert situation and other pressing questions.

Search for Nancy Guthrie, mother of ‘Today’ show host Savannah Guthrie, enters 4th day

Police in Arizona believe Nancy Guthrie, 84, was taken by force from her Tucson area home this weekend. So far, no suspect or person of interest has been identified.

Greetings from Kyiv, where candles are the last option during wartime blackouts

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

Bezos orders deep job cuts at ‘Washington Post’

The Washington Post embarked on severe cuts despite appeals by the newsroom to owner Jeff Bezos. The paper is to narrow its focus largely to politics and national security.

Photos: Scenes from the 150th Westminster Dog Show

Hundreds of dogs competed for the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this week. Penny the Doberman pinscher was named best in show.

How a Black fossil digger became a superstar in the very white world of paleontology

In South Africa, paleontology has been dominated by white people. Lazarus Kgasi is changing that dynamic — and coloring in the picture of the world our distant ancestors once inhabited.

At retirement’s edge, homebuying math gets harder. Here’s how to navigate it

How old is too old for a 30-year mortgage? It's just one of a number of questions that older Americans face when they are looking to buy a home later in life.

Trump grants tariff breaks to ‘politically connected’ companies, Senate Dems say

The White House's trade policy has "opened the door to corruption," according to a letter from Ron Wyden and Chris Van Hollen.

Israel strikes Gaza, killing 19, mostly women and children, after saying Hamas violated deal

They are the latest Palestinians in Gaza to die since a ceasefire deal, which has been punctuated by deadly Israeli strikes, came into effect on Oct. 10, 2025.

Here’s looking at you, kid: How the term for a young goat made the leap to children

Kid, meaning a young goat, is a word that was borrowed from the Vikings around the 9th century. Centuries later, it came to mean a child and a teasing joke.

Will calls to ‘abolish ICE’ sway voters in 2026? The strategy has Democrats split

The Trump administration's immigration efforts have led some Democrats to call for abolishing ICE. Others won't go as far, wary of appearing out of step with voters who want immigration laws enforced.

You owe it to yourself to go on a solo trip. Here’s how to plan one

Traveling on your own can be scary, but it can be one of the most meaningful things you can do for yourself. Three solo travelers share their experiences — and what makes for a successful trip.

As Trump pushes for Venezuela’s oil, here’s what to know about the U.S. and Iraq’s oil

Oil analysts who worked in Iraq say Iraqi oil sales had more protections after the U.S. invasion than Venezuelan oil sales today.