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Big dreams: He’s the founder of a leading African photobook library

Paul Ninson had an old-school, newfangled dream: a modern library devoted to photobooks showing life on the continent. He maxed out his credit cards, injured his back — and made it happen.

Opinion: The Pope wants priests to lighten up

A reflection on the comedy stylings of Pope Francis, who is telling priests to lighten up and not be so dour.

The jury’s in: You won’t miss anything watching this movie from the couch

There's been a bit of consternation flying around about the fact that the theatrical release of Juror #2, directed by Clint Eastwood, was very muted. But this movie is perfect to watch at home.

The FDA restricts a psychoactive mushroom used in some edibles

The Food and Drug Administration has told food manufacturers the psychoactive mushroom Amanita muscaria isn't authorized for food, including edibles, because it doesn't meet safety standards.

People power’s unfinished work: Can Bangladesh be an exception?

The Wilson Center's Michael Kugelman says that for many Bangladeshis, a successful youth-led mass movement has shattered a long malaise and kindled a newfound optimism about the country's future.

Latinos are the fastest-growing fanbase in the NFL. What’s the league’s playbook?

The NFL is reaching more Latinos than ever. Here's how they've scored with a Spanish-speaking audience.

A pair of satellites will create artificial solar eclipses to study the sun

Astronomers hope the Proba-3 mission will help them get a better view of the corona, the sun's outer atmosphere, which is even hotter than the sun's surface.

How casting makes this ‘Gypsy’ hit different

Gypsy has been called the best musical of all time. Audra McDonald is starring in a new Broadway revival, and the race-conscious casting gives the production a new frame.

How AI deepfakes polluted elections in 2024

The most visible use of AI in many countries was to create memes and content whose artificial origins weren't disguised. They were often openly shared by politicians and their supporters.

The 10 Best Tiny Desk Concerts of 2024

We asked 10 members of our Tiny Desk team to pick a favorite concert of the year.

‘Driven by something greater’: Meet Birmingham’s trainer to the stars of today and the future

Otis Leverette, better known as ‘Coach O,’ is a strength and conditioning coach in the South that’s impacting athletes' lives beyond sports.

What’s Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend scrolling, listening and viewing

Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: JamesEarl333 on TikTok, The Dick Van Dyke Show and the songs "Young Lion" and "Kid on Christmas."

What happens if Congress doesn’t fund the government?

If lawmakers can't reach a deal to avoid a shutdown, many federal workers would be furloughed, while essential functions like Social Security payments would continue.

At least 2 dead and dozens injured after a car plowed into a German Christmas market

A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg in what authorities believe was an attack. The driver was arrested.

Malaysia plans to restart a private search for the missing Flight MH370

Over a decade later, none of the bodies of the 239 passengers and crew members abroad have been recovered.

House Republicans to move forward with Plan C to fund the government

But several hurdles remain to avert a government shutdown ahead of a Friday midnight deadline.

A fire closed a bookstore named Friends to Lovers. Romance readers kept it afloat

Jamie Fortin's romance-centric bookstore shut down shortly after its grand opening due to a fire. She says the romance community has been integral in helping her rebuild.

What a government shutdown could mean for your holiday travel plans

Millions of Americans are planning to travel in the coming days. Here's what a potential government shutdown could mean for flying, driving and more — and what you can do to prepare.

Once again, the debt ceiling is roiling Washington. Here are 4 things to know

Lawmakers will have to authorize additional borrowing to pay the government's bills, but there's no reason it has to be done right away — except for politics.

CFPB sues three top U.S. banks for failing to protect consumers from Zelle fraud

The consumer financial watchdog says customers of the top three banks lost more than $870 million over seven years due to a lack of safeguards against fraud on the Zelle network.

An Indiana man is sentenced to 130 years in prison for murdering 2 teenage girls

Richard Allen, who was convicted in the 2017 killings of two teens who vanished during a winter hike, received the maximum prison sentence in a case that's long cast a shadow over the town of Delphi.

Great global photos from 2024: These images delighted us, touched us, dazzled us

People love looking at photos. (Just ask Instagram.) This year, we published a number of photo-driven posts that resonated deeply with our audience. Here are some of our favorites.

‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Nickel Boys’ are 2 ambitious and captivating dramas

Nickel Boys is one of the most thrillingly inventive literary adaptations our critic has seen in years, while The Brutalist is a rare American films that feels genuinely worthy of the word "epic."

Alabama profits off prisoners safe enough to work at McDonald’s, deems them too dangerous for parole

No state has a longer, more profit-driven history of contracting prisoners out to private companies than Alabama. Best Western, Bama Budweiser and Burger King are among the more than 500 businesses to lease incarcerated workers from one of the most violent, overcrowded and unruly prison systems in the U.S.

Watch: A satellite time-lapse shows the world’s biggest iceberg is on the move again

About the size of Rhode Island, the iceberg known as A23a got stuck in an ocean vortex this summer, spinning in place for months. Now, it's free, and heading back into open Antarctic waters.

Starbucks workers say they will begin a strike in 3 cities on Friday

Starbucks and Starbucks Workers United said in February they had come to common ground in moving forward for the rest of the year. But the union says Starbucks has not kept its end of the commitment.

History has never ended, but are we at a crossroads again?

Oxford professor Ben Ansell says we are witnessing a battle between nationalism and liberalism that will write our own time indelibly into the history books of tomorrow.

Big Lots says it is having going-out-of-business sales as it seeks a new buyer

The national discount retailer says that a previously announced deal to sell itself to a private-equity group fell through.

Saturday is the winter solstice. Make the most of the shortest day of the year

Saturday marks the shortest day of the year and the official start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. NPR has compiled plenty of expert tips for celebrating the solstice and weathering winter.

‘Bill of the Month’: The series that dissects and slashes medical bills

Since 2018, readers and listeners sent KFF Health News-NPR's "Bill of the Month" thousands of questionable bills. Our crowdsourced investigation paved the way for landmark legislation and highlighted cost-saving strategies for all patients

Louisiana forbids public health workers from promoting COVID, flu and mpox shots

An NPR investigation found Louisiana health officials told staff to stop promoting vaccines for COVID, flu and mpox, holding flu shot events or otherwise encouraging the public to get those vaccines.

Climate-warming gas leaks must be fixed by utilities in a new proposed rule

Natural gas utilities likely will face stricter federal regulations for their climate-warming methane emissions. Among the biggest sources of leaks is the meter outside a gas customer's home.