NPR News: Posts

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Chinese construction workers accused of plowing a hole through the Great Wall

The pair, who were working on a local construction project, drove an excavator through a portion of the wall. They have been charged with destroying a cultural relic, China Daily reported.

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Once the leading alternative to Trump, turnover in the DeSantis team spells trouble

The governor of Florida, who consistently polls second in the race, has been named by many as the successor to Trump. But he has failed to gain in the polls and personnel issues roil his campaign.

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Alabama's congressional map is struck down again for diluting Black voters' power

A federal court struck down Alabama's congressional map for not following an order to comply with the Voting Rights Act. Court-appointed experts are now set to draw a new map for the 2024 elections.

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Burning Man festival attendees, finally free to leave, face 7 hours of traffic

Organizers had asked attendees to shelter-in-place on Saturday, as torrential rains turned the desert site into a mud pit. A driving ban has since been lifted, but it's taking hours for most to exit.

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Up First briefing: Senate returns; Ken Paxton trial; Turkey archeological finds

The Senate returns after a monthlong recess. Texas' suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial begins today. Archaeologists in Turkey find massive structures below a Roman-era castle.

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A look at the most annoying workplace jargon and why people are bothered so much

A poll by the company Preply asked white-collar workers to weigh in on the words and terms they're most sick of hearing on the job. "Circling back" and "touching base" are two that made the list.

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Senate returns and faces deadline to avoid shutdown and questions about McConnell

Congress faces a tight deadline to pass a short term spending bill and avoid a shutdown. Also Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell faces questions about his health following a second public episode.

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Ex-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio faces lengthy prison sentence for Jan. 6 riot

Prosecutors want Tarrio to be sentenced to 33 years in prison for his role in conspiring with his Proud Boys lieutenants to keep former President Donald Trump in power.

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An Australian who fell ill at a remote Antarctic base is rescued, authorities say

The man who fell ill is expected to arrive in Australia next week. Until then, he will be cared for in an icebreaker's specially equipped medical facility.

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First Lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID-19, again

The White House says President Biden tested negative, and will continue to be tested ahead of a planned trip to India this week. The First Lady will remain in Delaware.

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Ernest Hemingway survived two plane crashes. His letter from it just sold for $237,055

The novelist and his wife survived successive crashes in Uganda in 1954. In the letter, Hemingway also describes shooting his first lion in Kenya with an old gun "held together with tape."

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Turkey has failed to persuade Russia to rejoin the Ukraine grain deal

In talks in Sochi, Russia, President Vladimir Putin rejected efforts by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to revive a United Nations-backed deal to allow the safe passage of grain from Ukraine.

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Steve Harwell, the former lead singer of Smash Mouth, has died at 56

The singer of such hits as "Walking on the Sun" and "All Star" died of acute liver failure in his home in Boise, Idaho.

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A Gabon military leader is sworn in after a coup, promising eventual elections

Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema, leader of a coup in Gabon last week, has been sworn in as interim president, while the deposed former president remains detained at his residence.

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Whatever happened to this cartoonist's grandmother in Wuhan? She's 16 going on 83!

In 2020, Laura Gao hoped to visit her birthplace, Wuhan, to see her grandparents. COVID caused her to cancel. How have have grandpa and grandma fared? She says she's "walking backward" toward the sun.

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Up First briefing: A Labor Day look at union fights, wins and close calls

It's Labor Day in the U.S. Striking writers and actors have brought Hollywood to a standstill. There's widespread support for unions, especially among Gen Z, yet membership is at an all-time low.

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More small airports are being cut off from the air travel network. This is why

The pilot shortage and changing economics are to blame for legacy airlines departing regional airports

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Prescriptions for fresh fruits and vegetables help boost heart health

People with diet-related diseases show health improvements when they're given "prescription" produce. A new study shows reductions in blood sugar and blood pressure, key measures of heart health.

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Robots are pouring drinks in Vegas. As AI grows, the city's workers brace for change

Workers in Las Vegas have been watching automation and technology inch into their workplace. Now with AI, the city is preparing to adapt its service-heavy tourism economy.

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4 things to know on Labor Day — from the Hot Labor Summer to the Hollywood strikes

Organized labor has scored some big victories this year, including new contracts at UPS. Can the winning streak continue?

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Shipwreck hunters discover a schooner's 142-year-old remains in Lake Michigan

Built in 1867, the Trinidad was plagued with structural issues and sank nearly a century and a half ago. Historians intend to nominate it for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

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India's moon rover completes its walk as scientists look for signs of frozen water

There was no word on the outcome of the rover searches for signs of frozen water on the lunar surface that could help future astronaut missions.

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Francis opens a homeless clinic on the 1st papal visit to Mongolia

Several of the foreign-staffed Catholic religious orders in Mongolia run shelters, orphanages and nursing homes to care for a population of 3.3 million where one in three people lives in poverty.

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Splashdown! NASA's Crew-6 returns after six months at the International Space Station

The four-member crew - three astronauts and a cosmonaut - launched in March and conducted more than 200 experiments. They also performed spacewalks and did maintenance on the orbiting outpost.

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Ukraine's Zelenskyy says defense minister will be replaced this week

Defense minister Oleksii Reznikov will be replaced this week with Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar lawmaker. Umerov has served as head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine since September 2022.

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More than 85,000 highchairs that pose a fall risk are being recalled

Bolts used to secure the seats of certain Tomy Boon Flair & Flair Elite highchairs can come loose, allowing the seat to detach from its base.

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Jimmy Buffett died of a rare skin cancer

Merkel cell carcinoma has a high risk of recurring and metastasizing, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. About 3,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.

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We asked, you answered: Share an encounter with a stranger that lifted your spirits

Just saying "hello" to a passerby can be a boon for both of you. That's what researchers are finding in studies we covered in our "Living Better" series. We asked readers to offer their own testimony.

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Taiwan suspends work, transport and classes as Typhoon Haikui slams into the island

The storm is expected to continue toward China after crossing over Taiwan. Authorities in the Chinese city of Shantou in Guangdong province are advising residents to take precautions.

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Whatever happened to the 'period day off' policy?

In 2017, two Indian firms began offering workers a day off for a painful period — earning much praise but also some criticism. We wondered if this policy is gaining favor in India and beyond.

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