Church Nativity scenes add zip ties and gas masks to protest immigration raids

A doll representing the baby Jesus is zip-tied in the Nativity scene outside of Lake Street Church of Evanston, on Wednesday in Evanston, Ill.

Supporters of the displays say the Bible is on their side, but critics call the scenes sacrilegious and politically divisive, accusing the churches of abusing sacred imagery.

(Image credit: Erin Hooley)

NPR NewsDec 13, 2025, 2:08 PM

Fired Michigan football coach charged with home invasion and stalking

Then-Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore walks off the field following a game Aug. 30, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Moore has been charged with three crimes, including felony home invasion and stalking, after prosecutors said he "barged his way" into the apartment of a woman with whom he had been having an affair.

Fired University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore "barged his way" into the apartment of a woman with whom he had been having an affair after she reported the relationship to the school and he lost his job, prosecutors said.

(Image credit: Al Goldis)

NPR NewsDec 13, 2025, 1:34 PM

To 'graduate' from poverty, they can borrow to build a business. So why aren't they?

Dean Karlan (in blue shirt) meets with a group of refugees in southwest Uganda to hear about their experience with a program that offers loans to help them "graduate" from poverty.

It's called the "graduation" approach — both financial and moral support to help people move from extreme poverty to self-sufficiency. But in this innovative Uganda project, something isn't clicking.

(Image credit: Claire Harbage/NPR)

NPR NewsDec 13, 2025, 1:22 PM

King Charles III says early diagnosis allows his cancer treatment to be reduced

Britain

The monarch revealed the positive outlook in a recorded message broadcast on British television as part of a campaign to promote screening, which increases the likelihood of successful treatment.

(Image credit: Chris Jackson)

NPR NewsDec 13, 2025, 1:00 PM

It's Christmastime —– and if you live in the Alps, watch out! Krampus is coming

Krampuses take part in the annual Krampuslauf or "Krampus Run" on the evening of the Feast of St. Nicholas in the Austrian city of Salzburg. The tradition is centuries-old in the eastern parts of the European Alps.

In Salzburg, Austria, Christmas involves both St. Nick and Krampus, a mythological punisher with roots stretching back to late antiquity and many fans in the present-day Central Alps.

(Image credit: Rob Schmitz)

NPR NewsDec 13, 2025, 12:00 PM

Fewer characters on TV had abortions this year — and more stories reinforced shame

Abby Ryder Fortson portrayed Kristi Wheeler, a teen who came into the hospital for a medication abortion, on The Pitt.

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco track how abortion comes up on television. They say the trends from 2025 are concerning.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Discovery)

NPR NewsDec 13, 2025, 11:01 AM

Is The Washington Post's new AI podcast a hallmark of the future?

The Washington Post's new "Your Personal Podcast" offering uses artificial intelligence to customize podcasts for its users.'/>

The Post calls the podcast an "AI-powered tool" that turns its articles into an audio news digest.

(Image credit: The Washington Post)

NPR NewsDec 13, 2025, 10:00 AM

Should you use buy now, pay later? Experts share 4 tips to know

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The payment option is booming among online holiday shoppers this year. But like any form of credit, it comes with drawbacks. Here's how to use BNPL responsibly — and protect yourself from risk.

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 10:33 PM

'She's awesome': How U.S. veterans helped Venezuela's Machado escape

Nobel peace laureate María Corina Machado greets supporters from a balcony of the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway, in the early hours of Dec 11, 2025.

In a daring nighttime martime operation, U.S. veterans whisked Venezuela's María Corina Machado out of the country to claim her Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo

(Image credit: ODD ANDERSEN)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 8:26 PM

A momentous week as Syria celebrates lifting U.S. sanctions and a year without Assad

A man lights a flare during celebrations marking the first anniversary of the ousting of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Clock Square, Homs, western Syria, Monday.

As they mark the first anniversary of toppling Bashar al-Assad's regime, Syrians also celebrate another coming milestone: the lifting of sanctions, which could help give the country a new start.

(Image credit: Omar Albam)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 6:43 PM

The Justice Department has now sued 18 states in an effort to access voter data

A voter carries his son as he walks into the Oak Creek Town Hall to drop off his ballot on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, in Oak Creek, Colo.

The Department of Justice has sued four more states as part of the Trump administration's far-reaching attempt to access sensitive voter data. The DOJ is also suing Fulton County in Georgia.

(Image credit: Jason Connolly)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 6:38 PM

In photos: Flooding in Western Washington state forces thousands to evacuate

Neighbors watch as Gages Slough overflows and floods a street in Burlington, Wash., on Friday.

Record flooding in Washington state has forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate after torrential rains this week.

(Image credit: Megan Farmer)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 6:19 PM

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeps The Game Awards — analysis and full winners list

Performers onstage at The Game Awards 2025 at the Peacock Theater on December 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Independent video game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 swept the Game Awards last night. The L.A. ceremony draws millions of views for its industry honors and exclusive previews of upcoming games.

(Image credit: Frank Micelotta/Picturegroup)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 2:51 PM

If the holidays are stressing you out, remember: everything is optional

Managing a full December calendar and a long list of to-dos can quickly take you from festive to frazzled if you

Managing a full December calendar can quickly take you from festive to frazzled. ⁠Psychotherapist Niro Feliciano shares advice on reducing stress and increasing joy this season.

(Image credit: Julia Neroznak)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 1:55 PM

Trial starts for a Wisconsin judge accused of obstructing ICE

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 15: Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan walks into the Milwaukee Federal Courthouse on May 15, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Judge Dugan has been charged with trying to help Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented immigrant, elude federal arrest while he was making an appearance in her courtroom on April 18.

Was Judge Hannah Dugan trying to obstruct a proceeding or trying to run her courtroom when ICE agents came to arrest an undocumented immigrant? A federal jury will decide

(Image credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 1:38 PM

Germany's train service is one of Europe's worst. How did it get so bad?

Germany

You won't arrive on time and may not even get a seat. Your booking might get lost. Things have gotten so dire that a foreigner has been brought in to shake things up.

(Image credit: Tobias Schwarz)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 12:28 PM

CNN has endured turmoil for years. With Warner Bros. sale, things will get bumpier

CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash speaking to members of the audience before the start of the CNN Republican presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 10, 2024.

In the corporate battle over parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's fate remains up for grabs. President Trump wants a say in what happens next.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik/AP)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 11:54 AM

Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from ICE custody. And, Indiana rejects redistricting

Kilmar Abrego Garcia (R) and his wife Jennifer Vasquez look on as his supporters address the press as he arrives at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Baltimore, Maryland, on Aug. 25, 2025.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man the Trump administration mistakenly deported in March and eventually returned, is now free from ICE custody. And, Indiana lawmakers reject a redistricting proposal.

(Image credit: Roberto Schmidt)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 11:00 AM

Trump touts his peace deals - but many are already unraveling

President Donald Trump reacts as he receives the FIFA Peace Prize during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

President Trump has been racing to rack up peace deals — but keeping them intact is proving far more difficult.

(Image credit: Patrick Smith)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 11:00 AM

Amputees often feel disconnected from their bionic hands. AI could bridge the gap

Samoana Matagi was one of the four participants in a study that tested the capabilities of a new bionic hand. Here, Matagi wears the bionic hand on one arm and a common prosthetic called a body-powered hook on the other.

Sensors and artificial intelligence help a prosthetic hand act more like a natural one, new research shows.

(Image credit: Dave Titensor)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 10:40 AM

Thailand's Parliament is dissolved for new elections early next year

Thailand

Thailand's Parliament was dissolved Friday for new elections early next year as the country engaged in deadly fighting with Cambodia.

(Image credit: Arnun Chonmahatrakool)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 10:01 AM

For 50 years, Rockalina the turtle lived on a kitchen floor. Now she has a new friend

Rockalina, the eastern box turtle, looks on as a baby of her kind scuttles past.

The Oreo-sized baby turtle represents a turning point in Rockalina's recovery: Spending time with her own kind.

(Image credit: Garden State Tortoise)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 10:00 AM

U.S. military members fear personal legal blowback tied to boat strikes

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, center, sitting with other senior military leaders, listen as President Trump speaks at Marine Corps Base Quantico in September 2025.

Staff officers and at least one drone pilot have sought advice from outside groups over legal concerns about their own involvement — or potential involvement — in the strikes against suspected drug boats.

(Image credit: Evan Vucci)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 10:00 AM

Trump struggles to find his economic messaging amid voter skepticism

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during an event at Mount Airy Casino Resort on December 9, 2025 in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. Trump discussed his administration

Nearly a year into his second term, President Trump is facing growing skepticism as Americans feel persistent cost-of-living pressures despite his efforts to defend the strength of the economy.

(Image credit: Alex Wong)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 9:49 AM

History-making male flight attendant says job taught him to 'always rise to the top'

Darrell Anderson became the first male flight attendant for Frontier Airlines in the 1970s, a time when the role was predominantly female. He talks about the experience with a former colleague.

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 2:03 AM

What's on your TikTok page? U.S. looks to scour tourists' online profiles

Passengers from an international flight enter customs and immigration control at McCarran International Airport (now known as Harry Reid International Airport) in 2011. The Department of Homeland Security is proposing collecting social media information from tourists visiting the U.S. from countries that don

Foreign visitors who are eligible to bypass the visa application process may soon have to turn over five years' worth of social media history to enter the U.S., under a new Trump administration plan.

(Image credit: Julie Jacobson)

NPR NewsDec 12, 2025, 12:39 AM

Trump is trying to preempt state AI laws via an executive order. It may not be legal

President Trump, center, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, right, listen as U.S. Sen Ted Cruz, R-Tex. speaks during a signing ceremony for an executive order on AI at the White House on Dec. 11, 2025.

The executive order is the latest in a series of attempts by the Trump administration to hold back state-level AI rules. But many Republicans are also uncomfortable with the effort.

(Image credit: Alex Wroblewski)

NPR NewsDec 11, 2025, 11:44 PM

You know what's definitely not a 'hoax'? Our news quiz. Give it a go

From left: Ariana Grande, Dick Van Dyke, Charlie Brown.

What did Disney do now? Which beloved icons are having birthdays? Why is there a question about hair?

NPR NewsDec 11, 2025, 9:48 PM

In a setback for Trump, Indiana lawmakers defeat redistricting plan

Members of the Indiana Senate debate the redistricting plan backed by President Trump in the state capitol Thursday.

Republicans resisted the call by President Trump for redistricting. He and the state's Republican governor threatened to back primary challenges against Senators who wouldn't get on board.

(Image credit: Zach Bundy)

NPR NewsDec 11, 2025, 9:15 PM

Head Start centers told to avoid 'disability,' 'women' and more in funding requests

Students help put away supplies at the end of a reading and writing lesson at a Head Start program in Miami in January 2025.

New court documents reveal a list of nearly 200 words or phrases the Trump administration told Head Start programs it does not want to see in their funding requests.

(Image credit: Rebecca Blackwell)