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2 killed in shooting outside Mormon church in Salt Lake City

People attending a funeral at the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City leave after a fatal shooting in the parking lot  Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025.

Two people were killed and six others injured in a shooting outside a Salt Lake City church Wednesday night while mourners were attending a memorial service inside, police said.

(Image credit: Laura Seitz/AP)

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College Football Playoff semifinals kick off Thursday with Fiesta Bowl

The college football playoff semifinals get underway Thursday with the University of Mississippi taking on Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. On Friday, top-ranked Indiana faces Oregon in the Peach Bowl.

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Snow and ice ground flights and choke highways in parts of Europe

People walk near the Eiffel Tower during a snowfall Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 in Paris.

More than 1,000 stranded passengers spent the night at Amsterdam's international airport as snow and ice that is pummeling parts of Europe grounded hundreds of flights.

(Image credit: Christophe Ena)

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Trump invites Colombian president to White House after threatening his country with military strike

Colombian President Gustavo Petro addresses supporters in a rally he called to protest comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.

President Donald Trump abruptly changed his tone Wednesday about his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, saying they had exchanged a friendly phone call and he'd even invited the leader of the South American country to the White House.

(Image credit: Santiago Saldarriaga)

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Rep. Steny Hoyer, the longest-serving House Democrat, to retire at the end of term

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., speaks at a news conference about the Protect Our Probationary Employees Act on Capitol Hill, March 11, 2025, in Washington.

The Democrat from Maryland is the longest-serving Democrat in Congress, and was once a rival to become House speaker. Hoyer will announce Thursday he is set to retire at the end of his term.

(Image credit: Mark Schiefelbein)

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U.S. to exit 66 international organizations in further retreat from global cooperation

The symbol of the United Nations is displayed outside the Secretariat Building on Feb. 28, 2022, at United Nations Headquarters.

Most of the targets are U.N.-related agencies, commissions and advisory panels that focus on climate, labor and other issues that the Trump administration has categorized as catering to diversity and "woke" initiatives.

(Image credit: John Minchillo)

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White House says 'all options' are on the table for Greenland, including diplomacy

Homes covered by snow are seen from the sea in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 6, 2025.

President Trump has long expressed an interest in acquiring Greenland. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Trump isn't ruling out any options, but that diplomacy is his "first option."

(Image credit: Evgeniy Maloletka)

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White House says 'all options' are on the table for Greenland, including diplomacy

Homes covered by snow are seen from the sea in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 6, 2025.

President Trump has long expressed an interest in acquiring Greenland. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Trump isn't ruling out any options, but that diplomacy is his "first option."

(Image credit: Evgeniy Maloletka)

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ICE agent fatally shoots woman in Minneapolis amid immigration crackdown

Members of law enforcement work the scene following a shooting by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations on Wednesday in Minneapolis.

The Department of Homeland Security accused the victim of being a "rioter" and that the ICE officer who pulled the trigger was "fearing for his life." Mayor Jacob Frey rejected claims of self-defense.

(Image credit: Stephen Maturen)

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U.S. population growth is slowing. The immigration crackdown is a major factor

An aggressive crackdown on immigration by the Trump administration is contributing to slower population growth in the U.S. Congressional forecasters now think the country will add 7 million fewer people over the next decade than they were projecting a year ago.

Congressional forecasters have lowered their projection for U.S. population growth over the next decade by 7 million people as a result of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown as well as falling birth rates.

(Image credit: Ryan Murphy)

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Nick Reiner's attorney removes himself from case

Nick Reiner arrives at the premiere of <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Spinal Tap II: The End Continues<!-- raw HTML omitted --> on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in Los Angeles.

Defense attorney Alan Jackson said that circumstances beyond his and Reiner's control made it "impossible" to continue representation.

(Image credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

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Béla Fleck cancels Kennedy Center appearance, says it's become 'charged and political'

Celebrated banjo player Béla Fleck, performing at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony in Los Angeles in Feb. 2025.

The 18-time Grammy Award winner is the latest musician to cancel an show at the Kennedy Center. Béla Fleck says he cannot currently perform there because it "has become charged and political."

(Image credit: Leon Bennett)

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One year into an uneven recovery, L.A.'s fire survivors mark a somber milestone

Andrew and Kelly King have a permit but still aren

The recovery from last year's deadly wildfires in Los Angeles has been slow and uneven for a lot of reasons, with survivors struggling to navigate a complex patchwork of systems to rebuild.

(Image credit: Kirk Siegler/NPR)

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How large is Greenland, really? Your map may be deceiving you

These maps show two different approaches to depicting Greenland. The left map is an orthographic projection, emulating a globe. The right map is a Mercator projection, which exaggerates the sizes of landmasses — including Greenland — that are closest to the poles.

Talk of annexation has Greenland in the news again. But due to quirks of cartography, some common maps show the territory much larger than it is.

(Image credit: Alyson Hurt)

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RFK Jr.'s new food pyramid puts meat, cheese and vegetables at the top

The Trump administration has unveiled a new food pyramid, which stresses protein and whole foods and calls for an end to "the war on saturated fat."

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced new dietary guidelines for Americans focused on promoting whole foods, healthy proteins and fats. And he's 'declared war' on sugar.

(Image credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture)

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Rubio and Hegseth brief lawmakers on "three fold process" for Venezuela

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to reporters Wednesday following a closed door briefing with senators on the U.S. the capture of Venezuela

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth briefed lawmakers Wednesday on a three-fold process for Venezuela's future.

(Image credit: Heather Dieh)

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'American Reich' author details a national surge in bigotry and white supremacy

Journalist Eric Lichtblau says President Trump's incendiary rhetoric has stoked a "new age of hate." His book centers on a murder committed by a young neo-Nazi in Orange County, Calif.

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It's not just oil: How else Wall Street might benefit from Trump's Venezuela actions

A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) after the opening bell in New York on January 7, 2026. The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit record highs on Monday and Tuesday, lifted in part by some Venezuela-related stocks.

Oil companies and their shareholders may benefit from President Trump's military action in Venezuela — but it also could benefit many other U.S. investors.

(Image credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

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A 200-year-old book distributor is closing. Here's what that means for public libraries

Baker & Taylor is one of very few companies that handle book distribution for libraries — getting books from publishers into borrowers hands. But a few months ago, the company abruptly announced it was shutting down.

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U.S. seizes Russian-flagged oil tanker with ties to Venezuela

A crude oil tanker named the Bella 1 and later the Marinera was seized by U.S. forces on Wednesday. The tanker is seen here in a photo taken aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro.

U.S. forces have seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the north Atlantic after a two week chase. This is part of the larger U.S. campaign aimed at tankers going to and from Venezuela.

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Have you had a hard talk with an older driver? Tell us about it

NPR wants to hear your story about how you navigated a difficult moment with an older driver in your life.

Have you thought about taking the keys away from an older driver in your life? NPR wants to hear your story about how you navigated a difficult situation with an aging parent or relative.

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan)

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GOP gearing up to face tough midterms. And, Pentagon reviews women in ground combat

President Trump dances as he departs after speaking during a House Republican retreat at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington, DC. House Republicans will discuss their 2026 legislative agenda at the meeting.

Trump offers advice to the GOP as midterm fears grow and he struggles to connect with voters on the economy. And, the Pentagon reviews the "effectiveness" of women in ground combat roles.

(Image credit: Alex Wong)

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A walking challenge to start 2026 on your feet — and off your screens

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The solution to too much sitting is simple but hard to stick with. This walking challenge sets you up for success, with six tips to keep you moving throughout your day.

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Greetings from a Paris park, where a lone sequoia tree is a marvel to behold

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Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

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Sick young ants send out a 'kill me' scent to prevent deadly epidemics

When an ant pupa has a deadly, incurable infection, it sends out a signal that tells worker ants to unpack it from its cocoon and disinfect it, a process that results in its death.

Young, infected Lasius neglectus ants will send out an altruistic "kill me" signal to worker ants, a new study finds, as part of a strategy to keep deadly pathogens from spreading through the colony.

(Image credit: Christopher D. Pull)

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Pro-Trump influencers take a victory lap amid fallout from viral video alleging fraud

Pro-Trump influencer and YouTuber Benny Johnson being interviewed in Phoenix earlier this year. Johnson is one of many political influencers with close ties to the Trump administration.

The swift policy and political repercussions the video helped propel illustrate the symbiotic relationship between online content creators and the Trump administration's policy goals.

(Image credit: Charly Triballeau)

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The world has too much oil right now. Will companies want Venezuela's?

A sculpture of a hand holding an oil drilling rig stands outside the state-run oil company Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) in Caracas, Venezuela, on February 26, 2025. In the background are a street and a tall building.

Crude prices are low. Companies are being cautious. But huge reserves — particularly of the heavy, viscous oil Venezuela has in abundance — remain appealing.

(Image credit: Pedro Mattey)

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DHS wants Venezuelans to return home, but fears remain as long as Maduro regime is in power

Anti-Maduro demonstrators fly Venezuelan flags outside the federal courthouse in Lower Manhattan, New York, on Monday, January 5.

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have been in limbo since the Trump administration removed their temporary protected status late last year. That uncertainty has intensified as U.S. immigration officials again push for those migrants to return to Venezuela.

(Image credit: José A. Alvarado Jr. for NPR)

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After the LA fires, false narratives on social media impacted state policy

Chad Comey lived in a five-story condo building that burned down in the Palisades Fire last January.

Misinformation spread quickly after the wildfires in Los Angeles last year. Some of these false narratives on social media impacted California policy.

(Image credit: Julia Simon)

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The delightful history behind serendipity suggests it's not mere luck

Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack in the 2001 film <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Serendipity<!-- raw HTML omitted -->.

While serendipity has often been associated with luck or happy accidents, its origin suggests that it goes beyond just happenstance.

(Image credit: RGR Collection)

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