NPR News: Posts

NPR News

We asked the new AI to do some simple rocket science. It crashed and burned

Computers traditionally excel at rocketry, so why do new artificial intelligence programs get it wrong?

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Congress takes reins of prayer breakfast from secretive Christian evangelical group

Lawmakers have taken more control of the National Prayer Breakfast from the group that ran it for seven decades after concerns rose over influence peddling and attendees, including a Russian spy.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

'Black on Black' celebrates Black culture while exploring history and racial tension

Daniel Black's essays call for an overhaul of the U.S. criminal justice system, of the Black church, of the way Black people see themselves, and of the country itself — and do so with authority

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Ozzy Osbourne has canceled all his shows and says his touring days are over

The singer sustained a spinal injury four years ago that he said he is still recovering from. He was also diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2020.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

The U.S. and the Philippines agree to a larger American military presence

The Department of Defense announced the move that is widely seen as a way to deter China's influence in the region amid a visit to the Philippines by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Australia's central bank says it will remove the British monarchy from its bank notes

Australia's central bank says its new $5 bill would feature an Indigenous design rather than an image of King Charles III. But the king is still expected to appear on coins.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

A lawsuit can proceed against Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse, a federal judge rules

A federal judge in Wisconsin has ruled that a civil rights lawsuit filed by the father of a man shot and killed by Rittenhouse can proceed to the next phase.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

College Board's revised AP African American studies course draws new criticism

The organization released the new curriculum for the Advanced Placement course after Florida rejected the pilot. The revisions removed units on Black feminist literary thought and Black Lives Matter.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

An R. Kelly victim says Chicago prosecutor made a mistake in dropping sex abuse case

Jerhonda Pace, who was part of a successful federal case against Kelly in New York as well as the case in Illinois, says Kelly is still fighting to appeal his federal conviction.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

In first GOP-led hearing about the border, witnesses paint sharply different pictures

Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee blamed Biden administration policies for the record number of migrant apprehensions. Democrats accused them of fear-mongering and spreading misinformation.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

A Philadelphia Eagles player is indicted on rape and kidnapping charges

Josh Sills, a reserve offensive lineman for the Super Bowl-headed team, was indicted in Ohio on Tuesday. The charges stem from an alleged 2019 incident, when Sills was still in college.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

The once-in-a-lifetime green comet threatens FOMO sufferers everywhere tonight

For one night only! Meet C/2022 E3 (her friends call her the green comet for short).

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Are you an election worker who has received threats?

Republicans and Democrats alike who work to ensure free and fair elections have been facing increased threats and harassment. If you have been targeted, NPR wants to hear from you.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

The Fed raises interest rates by only a quarter-point after inflation drops

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter-percentage point as part of its ongoing effort to fight inflation. Price hikes have begun to ease, but the Fed says inflation is not yet tamed.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Miss a credit card payment? Federal regulators want to put new limits on late fees

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wants to cap late fees at $8. Banking groups say the proposal would result in higher costs for consumers.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

How 'modern-day slavery' in the Congo powers the rechargeable battery economy

Phone and electric car batteries are made with cobalt mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cobalt Red author Siddharth Kara describes the conditions for workers as a "horror show."

Continue Reading…

NPR News

4 of the 5 officers charged in Tyre Nichols' death had prior violations at work

Five officers have been indicted over the beating death of Tyre Nichols. Four of them had previously been disciplined by the Memphis police department for car crashes, excessive force and more.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Phil McGraw, America's TV shrink, plans to end 'Dr. Phil' after 21 seasons

CBS Media Ventures announced it would stop producing new episodes of Dr. Phil after the 2023 season. The show's host plans to expand his following with a new "prime-time partnership."

Continue Reading…

NPR News

The College Board revises new AP African American Studies class after criticism

The official curriculum for the new Advanced Placement course released Wednesday downplays topics like Black Lives Matter that drew criticism from conservatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

DOJ is searching Biden's Delaware vacation home as part of classified document search

The DOJ is searching President Biden's home in Rehoboth, Del. on Wednesday as part of its investigation into classified documents found among his personal files, Biden's lawyer said in a statement.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Republican Nikki Haley is set to announce a run for president

The former South Carolina governor would be the first to challenge Donald Trump in the GOP primary.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

University of California fires swim coach McKeever over misconduct allegations

Teri McKeever led the school to four NCAA team titles and is the first woman to coach the U.S. Olympic women's swim team. The school cited violations of anti-discrimination policies and verbal abuse.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Tom Brady retires from the NFL, 1 year after retiring from the NFL

"I'm retiring. For good," Brady said. The record-shattering quarterback released the message on Feb. 1, the same date he announced his retirement from the NFL in 2022.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

5 YA books this winter dealing with identity and overcoming hardships

The pale daylight and early darkness of winter create a space for stories — in particular for stories that ask the reader to mull themes and ideas that can sometimes be difficult.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

The 'guinea pig' generation: How the pandemic shaped this year's college freshmen

COVID-19 defined the high school experiences of many students entering college this fall. "I went from 16 to 18 in a blur," says one freshman.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

It's Black History Month. Here are 3 things to know about the annual celebration

The annual celebration started out in 1926 as Negro History Week and expanded to Black History Month in the 1970s. This year's theme is "Black Resistance."

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Twenty years after the Columbia disaster, a NASA official reflects on lessons learned

Seven astronauts died when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon reentry on Feb. 1, 2003. NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy looks back on the tragedy and how it shaped the agency.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Examining the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster 2 decades later

Seven astronauts died 20 years ago when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on reentry. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy about the loss and how NASA changed.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Tyre Nichols will be laid to rest in Memphis on Wednesday

The Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy, and Vice President Kamala Harris is set to attend at the invitation of Nichols' family.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Biden and McCarthy set to meet to talk about the debt ceiling stalemate

President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will meet Wednesday to discuss, among other things, how to avoid a default on the U.S. debt.

Continue Reading…