NPR News: Posts

NPR News

The Trump administration pauses wind projects off New England, New York and Virginia

Wind turbines operate in July at the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts.

An Interior Department statement did not detail the national security risks. It's the administration's latest pus to hobble offshore wind and limit renewable energy sources.

(Image credit: Carolyn Kaster)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

DOJ releases more Epstein files. And, immigration court 'no-shows' surged, NPR finds

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents look over lists of names and their hearing times and locations inside the Federal Plaza courthouse before making arrests on June 27 in New York.

The DOJ has released more files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. And, NPR finds a rise in the number of immigrants without legal status who aren't showing up to immigration court.

(Image credit: Bryan R. Smith)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Rep. Adam Smith says Trump's oil blockade is about power over Venezuela

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, leaves after a classified briefing with Adm. Frank "Mitch" Bradley, commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the United States Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4.

Rep. Adam Smith, the Democratic leader of the Armed Services Committee, says Trump's oil blockade is about driving Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro out of power more than anything.

(Image credit: J. Scott Applewhite)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

'Music makes everything better': A Texas doctor spins vinyl to give patients relief

Dr. Tyler Jorgensen, a palliative care doctor at Dell Seton Medical Center, plays a Charlie Brown Christmas album in an office on December 9, 2025. Ferguson said this album is popular due to the lack of lyrics, which makes for easier listening.

A palliative care doctor in Austin says listening to vinyl music can lift heavy moments for families and patients receiving end-of-life care.

(Image credit: Lorianne Willett)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Here are some of the NPR stories that had a big impact in 2025

From left: Mahri Stainnak, who was fired from the federal government; Caleb Strickland, 4, who is waiting for a heart transplant; and a federal agent patrolling the halls of immigration court in New York City.

A sampling of the stories NPR staff believe made some of the deepest ripples this year — reminders of what rigorous, compassionate journalism can do, and why the work remains as urgent as ever.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

How President Trump reshaped capitalism in 2025

President Trump has spent the past year actively favoring some U.S. companies and investors, while threatening others.

His policies are picking winners and losers — and blurring the lines between business and government.

(Image credit: Pool)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

How systemic failures turn state mental hospitals into prisons

Family photos and hospital records of Quincy Jackson III, gathered by his mother, Tyeesha Ferguson. The mental health system makes it "easier to criminalize somebody than to get them help," she says. "He

The share of people with severe mental illness in state psychiatric hospitals accused of serious crimes has risen steeply. The shift has all but halted the possibility of care before a catastrophic crisis.

(Image credit: Meg Vogel for The Marshall Project and KFF Health News)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

NPR analysis shows skyrocketing number of 'no-shows' in immigration court

A Paraguayan woman whose relative was detained by federal agents scuffles with officers in the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on in New York City in July 2025.

More immigrants are not showing up for their mandatory immigration court hearings compared to prior years, an NPR analysis shows, allowing the government to order their immediate deportation.

(Image credit: Spencer Platt)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

The DOGE mindset is still central to the Trump administration's agenda as 2025 ends

Earlier this year, Elon Musk wielded what he called a "chainsaw for bureaucracy" during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on February 20, 2025. While Musk no longer leads DOGE, the idea of trimming the federal government remains.

The Department of Government Efficiency effort was one of the most consequential and controversial – if not entirely successful – changes the Trump administration made in 2025.

(Image credit: SAUL LOEB)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Some patients face hurdles getting HIV prevention drugs. Here's what to know

undefined

A daily preventive pill can be invaluable for people at risk for HIV. But some doctors don't know much about prescribing them. And billing headaches are common. Here's how to overcome those hurdles.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Can Americans learn to love tiny, cheap kei cars?

A driver takes a Honda Life on a ride during a meeting of the Capital Kei Car Club in Clifton, Virginia. Kei cars are ultracompact Japanese vehicles defined by strict size and engine limits.

President Trump recently embraced kei cars, tiny vehicles that are popular in Asia but hard to get in the U.S. Kei car enthusiasts are delighted — but doubt whether much will change.

(Image credit: Michael Noble Jr. for NPR)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Why comedian Mike Albo says it's better to be a last-minute holiday shopper

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with author and comedian Mike Albo about the virtues of buying holiday gifts at the absolute last minute.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Vance refuses to set red lines over bigotry at Turning Point USA's convention

Erika Kirk greets Vice President JD Vance during Turning Point USA

Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the controversies that dominated the Turning Point conference, but he did not define any boundaries for the conservative movement besides patriotism.

(Image credit: Jon Cherry)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

CBS News chief Bari Weiss pulls '60 Minutes' story, sparking outcry

The Free Press

CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment on allegations of abuses at an El Salvador detention center where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants.

(Image credit: Leigh Vogel)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Rick Steves steps in to save Seattle-area hygiene center serving homeless residents

Rick Steves taking a selfie with community members outside the Lynnwood Hygiene Center near Seattle. He says his purchase of the property secures the future of the center, which provides hot meals and hot showers.

Steves purchased the property to prevent it from closing. Many homeless people had come to depend on the Lynnwood Hygiene Center, which had operated rent-free on the property since 2020.

(Image credit: Rick Steves)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Lawmakers threaten Attorney General Bondi with contempt over incomplete Epstein files

Attorney General Pam Bondi, accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche (L) and FBI Director Kash Patel (R), speaks during a news conference at the Justice Department on Nov. 19. Some lawmakers said the department

The Justice Department is defending its initial release of documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying lawyers are still going through them to ensure victims are protected.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

How a power outage in Colorado caused U.S. official time be 4.8 microseconds off

Cesium beam clocks (left) and hydrogen masers are among the types of atomic clocks used by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to determine official U.S. time.

Officials said the error is likely be too minute for the general public to clock it, but it could affect applications such as critical infrastructure, telecommunications and GPS signals.

(Image credit: J. Sherman, R. Jacobson)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Scientists say they have discovered 20 new species deep in the Pacific Ocean

A potentially new species discovered.

Researchers retrieved reef monitoring devices that had been placed in deep coral reefs in Guam. The devices were placed up to 330 feet below the surface.

(Image credit: California Academy of Sciences)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Shopping for pricy ACA health plans? Some cheaper options come with trade-offs

Pages from the U.S. Affordable Care Act health insurance website healthcare.gov are seen on a computer screen in New York, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)

Without a fix from Congress, costs for many people who buy health care on the Affordable Care Act marketplace have gone up. Here's what's to know about cheaper choices — and pitfalls to be aware of.

(Image credit: Patrick Sison)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Cartagena's iconic horse carriages give way to electric buggies

In Cartagena

Cartagena, Colombia, is set to ban its iconic horse-drawn carriages, replacing them with electric buggies — a move dividing the historic city over tradition, tourism, and animal welfare.

(Image credit: Jeffrey Greenberg)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

New Orleans musicians share their favorite Christmas songs, from bounce to blues

Irma Thomas; Big Freedia; Tarriona "Tank" Ball

Rosemary Westwood from member station WWNO asked a few of New Orlean's favorite musicians about the songs they like to listen to around Christmas.

(Image credit: Sean Gardner/Getty Images; Nelson Cosey; Josh Brasted/Getty Images for Essence)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

On winter's coldest days, this classic Kashmiri coat offers warmth — and wisdom

A man carries a child in his Kashmiri <!-- raw HTML omitted -->pheran,<!-- raw HTML omitted --> a traditional winter coat that gives warmth during the coldest days of winter. A pot of embers carried beneath the fabric adds to the comfort.

In Kashmir, December 21 is said to mark the start of the 40 harshest days of winter. A woolen robe called a pheran is key to keeping warm — and a reminder of how to face and overcome hardships.

(Image credit: Tauseef Mustafa/AFP)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

A radio station in Amsterdam is a lifeline for Sudan. After USAID cuts, it's faltering

Reporter Elamin Babow reads the latest headlines in Radio Dabanga

Budget cuts threaten the future of Amsterdam-based Radio Dabanga, which has served as an information lifeline for Sudanese people about their war-torn country.

(Image credit: Indy Scholtens for NPR)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

9 killed, 10 wounded in South African pub shooting

South African police gather at the scene of a mass shooting where gunmen killed nine and injured at least 10 in a pub in Bekkersdal, South Africa, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.

Authorities report that nine people have died and at least 10 others are injured after a shooting at a South African pub. The incident occurred early Sunday in Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg.

(Image credit: Alfonso Nqunjana)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

'Congress is in a coma.' Former lawmakers sound alarm on health of the House

undefined

Congress is wrapping up the year without a lot of legislative accomplishments under its belt and a growing list of lawmakers who are retiring. Former members say the challenges on Capitol Hill have been brewing for a long time.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Russia says talks on US peace plan for Ukraine 'are proceeding constructively'

FILE - Russian Presidential foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, left, U.S. President Donald Trump

A Kremlin envoy says peace talks in Florida on a U.S.-proposed plan to end the war in Ukraine are proceeding constructively, after U.S. meetings with Ukrainian and European officials in Berlin.

(Image credit: Alexander Kazakov/AP)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Apple, Google tell workers on visas to avoid leaving the U.S. amid Trump immigration crackdown

With reported months-long consulate and embassy delays, Google and Apple say employees on H-1B visas should stay put in the U.S. right now to avoid the risk of getting stranded abroad. The latter tech company

With months-long consulate and embassy delays being reported, the two tech companies say staying put in the U.S. right now could prevent workers from getting stranded in their home countries.

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

University of Alabama suspends student magazines amid DEI crackdown

Kendal Wright, editor in chief of the University of Alabama's Nineteen Fifty-Six magazine, reacts to the suspension of two student publications amid a federal crackdown on campus DEI policies.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

North Carolina's Lumbee Tribe receives full federal recognition after 137-year effort

John Lowery, chairman of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and a state representative (center) is comforted, as he cries tears of joy. Lowery and other members of the tribe gathered in Washington, D.C., to mark the passage of a bill granting full federal recognition on Wednesday.

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has finally received full federal recognition, which it has sought since 1888. Tribal leaders were moved to tears after President Trump signed the measure.

(Image credit: Jacquelyn Martin)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Pope Leo summons cardinals for a key assembly to help him govern Catholic Church

Pope Leo XIV greets faithful as he arrives in St. Peter

Pope Leo XIV has summoned the world's cardinals for two days of meetings to help him govern the church, in the clearest sign yet that the new year will signal the unofficial start of his pontificate.

(Image credit: Gregorio Borgia)

Continue Reading…