News
When porch pirates steal medicine instead of holiday gifts
Mail theft can happen around the holidays, but sometimes, instead of getting a new iPad, the thief swipes a mail order medicine. Here's what to do about it.
In the snow, these salamanders get supercool
Blue spotted salamanders have been seen walking across snow and new research suggests how they get by in the cold.
U.S. and Ukraine reach consensus on key issues aimed at ending the war
The United States and Ukraine have reached a consensus on several critical issues, but sensitive issues around territorial control in Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland remain unresolved.
Despite Vatican-Israel tensions, Catholics and Jews work to build trust in Haifa
Religious leaders started getting together after Oct. 7, 2023, in the hope of preventing a repeat of Arab-Jewish violence that erupted after a previous conflict in Gaza two years earlier.
The strangers who guided her home — and returned with Christmas dinner
Mary Klein had just moved to a new city when she got lost. A couple stopped to help and guided her home. They returned the next day with Christmas dinner.
At this museum, the tide brings in odd treasures that become a lasting lesson
At the Plum Island Museum of Lost Toys and Curiosities, one-time treasures bring back memories and are a reminder of the eternal life of plastic waste.
ICE officer accused of excessive force, then sent back to work despite active probe
DHS's handling of the incident raises questions about the department's oversight mechanisms to investigate employee misconduct.
How cozy Yuletide traditions got their start with raging parties and animal sacrifice
Today, people consider "Yule" synonymous with "Christmas." But centuries ago, Yule meant something different — a pagan mid-winter festival, dating back to pre-Christian Germanic people.
Crime in the U.S. fell in 2025. Will the trend continue?
Crime rates dropped across much of the U.S. in 2025. That was true for both property and violent crime. And it declined nearly everywhere: In big cities and small towns, and in red and blue states.
Powerball’s $1.7B jackpot could make Christmas Eve unforgettable for a lucky winner
A Christmas Eve Powerball drawing could add new meaning to holiday cheer as millions of players hope to cash in on the $1.7 billion prize.
U.S. bars Europeans it says pressured tech firms to censor American viewpoints online
The State Department announced Tuesday it was barring five Europeans it accused of leading efforts to pressure U.S. tech firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints.
19 states sue HHS over a move that could curtail youth gender-affirming care
A coalition of 19 states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday sued the Department of Health and Human Services over a declaration that could complicate access to gender-affirming care for young people.
Explosion at a Pennsylvania nursing home kills at least 2, governor says
The explosion collapsed a part of the building and happened just as a utility crew had been on site looking for a gas leak at Bristol Health & Rehab Center in Bristol Township, just outside Philadelphia.
Supreme Court rules against Trump in National Guard case
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against President Trump on Tuesday, refusing to reinstate, for now, Trump's ability to send National Guard troops into the state of Illinois over the objections of the governor.
A diplomat’s tears, 200 snake bites, drone pix: Goats and Soda’s top stories in 2025
Our most popular global health and development stories in 2025 covered the human impact of the upheaval in U.S. foreign aid, surprising news about familiar diseases and the beauty of earth captured by drone cameras.
Student loan borrowers in default may soon see their wages garnished
About 5.5 million borrowers are currently in default. They haven't risked wage garnishment since the beginning of the pandemic, when policymakers paused the practice.
Student loan borrowers in default may soon see their wages garnished
About 5.5 million borrowers are currently in default. They haven't risked wage garnishment since the beginning of the pandemic, when policymakers paused the practice.
Sounds of the season: John Rutter’s ‘Magnificat’
The Magnificat is Mary’s song of praise in the Gospel of Luke. John Rutter's setting is influenced by Latin music.
Justice Department releases more Epstein files and some mention Trump
The Department of Justice has been publicly posting files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation since Friday.
Justice Department releases more Epstein files and some mention Trump
The Department of Justice has been publicly posting files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation since Friday.
Vince Zampella, video game pioneer behind megahit Call of Duty, dies at 55
One of Vince Zampella's crowning achievements was the creation of the Call of Duty franchise, which has sold more than half a billion games worldwide.
Scientists learn more about how human embryos implant using artificial wombs
Scientists have developed an experimental way to study how human embryos implant in a uterus, which may provide new insights into why miscarriages occur and how they can be prevented.
2025: The images that stayed with us
Photographs help us look back on the moments that defined the year. Taken by NPR photojournalists nationwide, this collection goes beyond the headlines to reveal quietly powerful human stories.
The U.S. economy grew robustly as Americans continued to spend
The data, which was delayed from October by the government shutdown, comes as the economy takes center stage for voters and the Trump administration.
It’s the ‘gold standard’ in autism care. Why are states reining it in?
Budget shortfalls and nearly $1 trillion in looming federal Medicaid cuts have prompted states to rein in spending on a widely embraced autism therapy, pinching families who depend on the services.
U.S. regulators approve Wegovy pill for weight loss
U.S. regulators on Monday gave the green light to a pill version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, the first daily oral medication to treat obesity.
American journalist injured in Israeli attack wants answers from Washington
AFP's Dylan Collins was among journalists injured in an Israeli attack on Lebanon in 2023. The attack killed Reuters' Issam Abdallah. Collins was in Washington this month to press for accountability.
Immigrants now have fewer legal options to stay in U.S. under Trump
The 1.6 million number marks the largest-ever effort to strip permissions for immigrants who attempted to migrate to the country through legal means, advocates said.
Federal student loans are changing. Here’s what to expect in 2026
The SAVE Plan is ending and repayment options will change dramatically in the new year.
Biden stopped the executions of 37 men. Trump’s DOJ wants to punish them
Since Trump took office, officials have transferred ten of the 37 men Biden spared from execution to the "Alcatraz of the Rockies." One prisoner still awaiting transfer has attempted suicide.
U.S. strikes another alleged drug-smuggling boat in eastern Pacific
The U.S. military said Monday that it had conducted another strike against a boat it said was smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing one person.
At least 5 killed after Mexican Navy plane on medical mission crashes in Texas
A small Mexican Navy plane transporting a young medical patient and seven others crashed Monday near Galveston, killing at least five people and setting off a search in waters along the Texas coast.
